Ohtani wins MLB pitching debut as Angels beat A’s 7-4
— Shohei Ohtani won his major league pitching debut, throwing three-hit ball over six innings and leading the Los Angeles Angels past the Oakland Athletics 7-4 on Sunday.
The two-way star from Japan took the mound three days after he was the designated hitter in the opener. Reaching the upper-90s (mph) with his fastball and showing a nifty splitter, Ohtani struck out six and retired 14 of his final 15 batters.
Ohtani didn’t hit while pitching. Albert Pujols was the DH and went 0 for 5.
Ohtani (1-0) pounded his glove following a 1-2-3 shutdown fifth. He walked one, and the only damage against him came on Matt Chapman’s three-run homer in the second.
Mike Trout hit a tying double in the fifth and Justin Upton followed with a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Keynan Middleton earned his first save.
Daniel Gossett (0-1) allowed four runs in four innings for Oakland.
Astros 8, Rangers 2
In Arlington, Gerrit Cole struck out 11 over seven innings in his Houston debut, and the defending champion Astros finished a solid opening weekend with a victory over Texas.
The hard-throwing right-hander, acquired in an offseason trade after he was the opening day starter for Pittsburgh last year, allowed two hits to help the Astros take three of four from their state rivals.
The first hit off Cole (1-0) was slugger Joey Gallo’s opposite-field homer just over the tall wall in left field in the first inning against a four-man outfield.
Derek Fisher had a tying triple in the fifth and scored the go-ahead run on George Springer’s sacrifice fly against Mike Minor (0-1), making his Texas debut and first major league start since 2014.
Carlos Correa doubled home two runs in the seventh, and AL MVP Jose Altuve had three hits to finish 9 for 16 in the series. Evan Gattis had three hits and three RBIs, including a pair of run-scoring doubles.
Blue Jays 7, Yankees 4
In Toronto, Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth to rally Toronto past New York.
After connecting off reliever Tommy Kahnle in the seventh, Smoak brought the crowd of 29,091 to its feet with his second career slam, a drive against David Robertson (0-1).
Smoak went 3 for 4 with a walk and six RBIs as Toronto gained a series split, winning the final two games.
Smoak’s other grand slam also came against the Yankees, in 2015.
Tyler Clippard (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning, and Seung Hwan Oh finished for his first save.
Nationals 6, Reds 5
In Cincinnati, Bryce Harper hit two home runs, leadoff man Adam Eaton capped his big opening series with a two-run drive and Washington beat Cincinnati for a three-game sweep under new manager Dave Martinez.
The Nationals are 3-0 for the fourth time in their history. They last swept an opening series in 2014.
Eaton returned from a knee injury that wiped out most of his 2017 season and figured prominently in all three victories, going 8 for 13 with two doubles, two homers, five RBIs and six runs.
Anthony Rendon homered off Sal Romano (0-1).
Gio Gonzalez (1-0) gave up five hits and one run while pitching into the seventh inning.
Sean Doolittle allowed Phil Gosselin’s two-run homer in the ninth before earning his second save.
Dodgers 9, Giants 0
In Los Angeles, Cody Bellinger hit the Dodgers’ first home run of the season and Rich Hill threw six spotless innings as Los Angeles gained a series split with rival San Francisco.
All four games in the season-opening set were shutouts.
Yasiel Puig had an RBI double and two singles for the defending NL champions. Enrique Hernandez added two hits, including a two-run double.
Hill (1-0) allowed five hits and walked three, striking out five.
Chris Stratton (0-1) was charged with three runs in 5 1/3 innings for the slumping Giants, who became the first major league team since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles to total no more than two runs in the first four games of a season.
It’s the first time the Giants have failed to score more than one run in any of their first four games.
After losing the first two 1-0, the Dodgers turned the tables with two shutouts of their own and scored a combined 14 runs.
The home run by Bellinger, last season’s NL Rookie of the Year, ended an 0-for-11 start to his season.
Mariners 5, Indians 4 Twins 7, Orioles 0 Cardinals 5, Mets 1 Red Sox 2, Rays 1 Marlins 6, Cubs 0 Pirates 1, Tigers 0, 1st game Pirates 8, Tigers 6, 2nd game