Suzuki’s bat sends streaking Cubs to victory
Chicago makes it five wins in a row after starting with consecutive losses
Seiya Suzuki had three RBIs and Michael Busch homered against his former team, helping the Chicago Cubs earn a 9-7 victory Friday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dansby Swanson also connected as Chicago earned its fifth consecutive win after dropping the first two games of the season. Ian Happ added a key two-run triple on a windy, sunny day at Wrigley Field, and Nick Madrigal had two hits.
Suzuki got the better of countryman Shohei Ohtani, who hit a two-run homer in his first game against the Cubs, but Suzuki lined a two-run double in the Cubs’ five-run second and a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
The international flavor continues Saturday when Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers.
“The great players from around the world competing on the same field. That’s awesome,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
Teoscar Hernandez had three hits and four RBIs for Los Angeles, which had won four in a row and six of seven before Friday.
Dodgers right- hander Bobby Miller was tagged for five runs and four hits in 1 2/ 3 innings on his 25th birthday.
“I just was kind of guiding my off-speed to the plate,” Miller said. “I wasn’t really ripping it like I normally do.”
Other games
Blue Jays 3, Yankees 0: Pinch-hitter Ernie Clement hit a tiebreaking solo home run for Toronto while New York’s Juan Soto went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the Yankees’ home opener. Yusei Kikuchi and four relievers combined on the six-hit shutout with Yimi Garcia getting the win.
Tigers 5, Athletics 4: Gio Urshela’s two-run double in the eighth inning drove home the tiebreaking and go-ahead runs as Detroit won its home opener. Matt Vierling and Mark Canha homered for the Tigers and Spencer Torkelson had two doubles, scored two runs and drove in another.
Rockies 10, Rays 7: Ahead 7-6 to start the bottom of the ninth, Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks walked the bases full and Ryan McMahon won it for Colorado with a grand slam. The Rays, who started the 2023 season with a 13game winning streak, fell to 35.
Giants 3, Padres 2: Thairo Estrada’s RBI double with one out in the bottom of the ninth drove home Matt Chapman with San Francisco’s winning run. Jordan Hicks struck out five in seven innings and Camilo Doval stranded two runners in the top of the ninth with consecutive strikeouts.
Mets 3, Reds 2: New York used Jeff McNeil’s first homer of the season to spoil Cincinnati’s home opener despite getting only four hits. Mets closer Edwin Diaz pitched out out trouble in the ninth inning to earn his first save since October 2022. at Cincinnati, 6:40 p.m. Phillies 4, Nationals 0:
Bryce Harper, who still gets booed by Washington fans, delivered two doubles and a single for Philadelphia to back Aaron Nola’s 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Another former Nationals player, Kyle Schwarber, contributed a two-run single.
Braves 6, Diamondbacks 5: Jarred Kelenic’s pinch-hit double in the bottom of the ninth tied the game and Travis d’Arnaud’s single in the 10th scored pinch-runner Forrest Wall with the winning run.
Royals 2, White Sox 1: MJ Melendez’s RBI single in the eight gave Kansas City the lead and James McArthur earned the save by getting Andrew Vaughn to ground into a game-ending double play.
Rangers 10, Astros 2: Texas got home runs from Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia and Cody Bradford pitched six shutout innings before giving way to the bullpen as Houston fell to 2-6.
Brewers 6, Mariners 5: Seattle reliever Andres Munoz walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, then pushed the winning run across for Milwaukee with his fourth base on balls of the inning. Christian Yelich homered and drove in four for the Brewers and Willy Adames had a homer and three RBIs.
Note
The New York Yankees placed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga on the 60-day injured list with a right flexor strain. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said an MRI revealed a “significant forearm strain.”