Hernandez solid, Mariners sharp in win over Royals

MARINERS 8, ROYALS 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Felix Hernandez pitched into the sixth inning, Guillermo Heredia homered and the Seattle Mariners bounced back from a blowout loss to Kansas City with an 8-3 rout of the Royals on Tuesday night.

Hernandez (2-1), who was shelled his last time out in San Francisco, allowed three runs, six hits and a walk in 52/ innings. His only big mistake 3 came in the fourth, when Mike Moustakas turned on a 2-1 pitch and sent a two-run homer screaming into the right-field fountains.

But that was also just about the only offense the Royals could muster, one night after they piled up 10 runs to back a near-no-hit performance by Jakob Junis and their bullpen.

Eric Skoglund (0-1) was hardly as efficient or effective. The lanky left-hander allowed five runs, six hits and two walks in 42/ innings. 3 He was clearly rusty from a nearly monthlong layoff caused by rainouts and weather problems, hitting the first batter he faced and three in all.

Royals pitchers have plunked six Seattle hitters through the first two games of the series.

Jean Segura had three hits and drove in two runs, and Mitch Haniger and Kyle Seager also had two RBIs as the Mariners put together a pair of three-run innings to pull away.

The Royals tried to rally in the sixth, when they loaded the bases against Dan Altavilla. But the Mariners’ reliever struck out Paulo Orlando to preserve their 8-3 advantage.

RED SOX 14, YANKEES 1 Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on a monster night, leading Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox over the New York for their ninth straight victory. Betts went 4 for 4, scoring five runs and driving in four. His third career slam capped a nine-run burst in the sixth inning that turned the first matchup of the season between the AL East rivals into a rout. Sale (1-0) allowed one run in six innings, scattering eight hits. He struck out eight without a walk.

INDIANS 2, TIGERS 1 Roberto Perez hit a leadoff home run in the eighth inning against reliever Alex Wilson, lifting the Cleveland Indians over the Detroit Tigers. Perez belted a 2-0 pitch to center field that landed in the seats in front of the bullpen to give Cleveland its ninth straight win over Detroit. The Indians are 29-10 against the Tigers since the start of the 2016 season. Jose Ramirez’s two-out homer in the first put Cleveland ahead, a lead that lasted until Jeimer Candelario’s seventh-inning double. It was Detroit’s first run in 23 innings. BLUE JAYS 2, ORIOLES 1 Aaron Sanchez lost his no-hit bid when Baltimore’s Tim Beckham led off the eighth inning with a sharp grounder through the legs of third baseman Josh Donaldson, and Curtis Granderson hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth to carry the Toronto Blue Jays over the Orioles. Seeking to throw the second no-hitter in Blue Jays history, Sanchez walked four and hit a batter before it all came apart. After Beckham’s double, Anthony Santander singled to right and rookie Chance Sisco followed with an RBI double to make it 1-all. Sanchez (1-1) got the victory, though, when Granderson hit a sidearmed fastball from Darren O’Day (0-1) over the right-field scoreboard. It was his first homer since signing as a free agent with Toronto this past offseason.

Tuesday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pittsburgh 8, Chicago Cubs 5 Washington 4, Atlanta 1 Philadelphia 6, Cincinnati 1 N.Y. Mets 8, Miami 6 Milwaukee at St. Louis (n) San Diego 5, Colorado 2 Arizona at San Francisco (n)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Tampa Bay 6, Chicago White Sox 5 Cleveland 2, Detroit 1 Toronto 2, Baltimore 1 Boston 14, N.Y. Yankees 1

L.A. Angels 11, Texas 1 Minnesota 4, Houston 1 Seattle 8, Kansas City 3

INTERLEAGUE

Oakland at L.A. Dodgers (n)

RAYS 6, WHITE SOX 5 Blake Snell pitched one-hit ball and struck out 10 through six innings and the Tampa Bay Rays kept the White Sox winless at home this season, beating Chicago. The White Sox dropped to 0-5 at Guaranteed Rate Field. That matched Chicago’s five-game home skid to start 1975 at Comiskey Park. Carlos Gomez hit a solo homer and Joey Wendle, Wilson Ramos, Adeiny Hechavarria and Daniel Robertson each drove in a run as Tampa Bay won its second straight following an eight-game slide. Jose Abreu hit a three-run homer off Rays closer Alex Colome, capping a four-run rally in the ninth. After a two-out walk, Colome held on for his third save in five chances. Snell (1-1) didn’t allow a hit until Tyler Saladino’s double bounced over the left-center field wall with one out in the fifth inning. TWINS 4, ASTROS 1 Jake Odorizzi grinded through six innings for his first win with Minnesota, leadoff man Brian Dozier walked a career-high four times and the Twins beat the Houston Astros. Odorizzi (1-0) struggled with control on another cold night in Minnesota but eventually settled in during his first home start since being acquired from Tampa Bay in February. He allowed a run on five walks and five hits. Minnesota took advantage of Dallas Keuchel’s control problems to scratch across three runs in the first two innings. Keuchel (0-2) gave up three runs, five hits and four walks in four innings. He struck out six and left after 101 pitches.

ANGELS 11, RANGERS 1 Mike Trout and Andrelton Simmons each homered, Albert Pujols had two more hits in his push to 3,000 and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers. The Angels, who went ahead to stay with a three-run first, improved to 9-3 for the first time since 1982. They lead the majors with their 79 runs, 128 hits and 20 home runs. Angels rookie twoway sensation Shohei Ohtani grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth after not playing in the series opener Monday night, a day after he threw seven scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts against Oakland. Ohtani could be the DH for the finale in Texas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

METS 8, MARLINS 6 Yoenis Cespedes snapped a slump with a two-run double to break a tie in the ninth inning, giving the New York Mets the best 10-game start in franchise history when they beat Miami. The Mets (9-1) earned their seventh consecutive victory, their longest winning streak in two years. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a pair of solo homers for the Mets, who blew a three-run lead and then came from behind. For the second night in a row, the teams drew the smallest crowd in the seven-season history of Marlins Park. Attendance was 6,516. The score was 6-all in the ninth when Amed Rosario reached on a throwing error by third baseman Brian Anderson. PADRES 5, ROCKIES 2 Joey Lucchesi got his first major league win thanks to a go-ahead three-run homer from Hunter Renfroe in the seventh inning, and the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies. Lucchesi (1-0) shut down

Colorado in his third career start. He struck out eight and allowed just two unearned runs before leaving two batters into the seventh. Austin Hedges also homered, Jose Pirela had three hits and Brad Hand pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Padres outfielder Manuel Margot left in the ninth inning after getting hit in the ribs by Scott Oberg’s fastball.

NATIONALS 4, BRAVES 1 Stephen Strasburg threw eight scoreless innings, Ryan Zimmerman had a two-run triple and the Washington Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves. A night after Washington starter Max Scherzer stymied the Braves with a two-hit shutout, Strasburg (2-1) was nearly as effective against Atlanta. Strasburg allowed three hits and two walks while striking out eight, at one point retiring 12 in a row. He didn’t allow a runner past second base. Ryan Madson allowed a two-out RBI double in the ninth to Dansby Swanson, but escaped the jam to earn his first save.

PIRATES 8, CUBS 5 Ivan Nova pitched seven solid innings, Francisco Cervelli hit a threerun homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates ruined the Chicago Cubs’ home opener with a victory. Not even the presence of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 98-year-old chaplain of the Loyola basketball team, could help the Cubs. She threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field. Corey Dickerson had three hits and two RBIs and Starling Marte also connected as Pittsburgh won for the fourth time in five games. The Pirates’ 8-2 record is their best 10-game start since 1992, and they are a perfect 4-0 on the road for the first time in 15 years. PHILLIES 6, REDS 1 Aaron Nola pitched eight stellar innings and Scott Kingery hit a grand slam, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Nola (1-0) gave up three hits while striking out six and walking three as Philadelphia won for the fourth time in five games. The Reds have lost three in a row. Nola threw 103 pitches, two starts after rookie manager Gabe Kapler’s disputed decision to lift the Phillies ace through 68 pitches with a lead in a season-opening loss at Atlanta.