Moran, Marte carry Pittsburgh over Cincinnati
PIRATES 14, REDS 3
PITTSBURGH — Rookie Colin Moran had four hits and three RBI, and Starling Marte hit a bases-loaded triple to lead the streaking Pittsburgh Pirates over the Cincinnati Reds 14-3 on Friday night.
Moran’s two-run single with two outs in the third inning just dropped in front of diving center fielder Billy Hamilton and put the Pirates ahead for good at 4-2. Marte’s triple keyed a six-run sixth inning that included Corey Dickerson’s two-run double as Pittsburgh extended its lead to 10-2 while playing through a steady rain.
Pittsburgh is off to a 6-1 start following an offseason in which the Pirates traded five-time All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen and ace pitcher Gerrit Cole.
Dickerson had three hits, including a triple, and Jordy Mercer had two doubles among his three hits. The Pirates had 15 hits, including two each by Marte and Josh Harrison. Harrison also drove in two runs and Josh Bell drew three walks.
Gregory Polanco hit a two-run double during a four-run seventh that made it 14-2. He has six extra-base hits and 11 RBI in seven games.
Trevor Williams (2-0) scattered 2 runs over 5 1/3 innings despite allowing 10 hits.
BRAVES 8, ROCKIES 3 Brandon McCarthy pitched six solid innings and delivered a tworun double that chased German Marquez in the fifth inning of Atlanta’s victory over Colorado on a frigid Friday that marked the second-coldest game in Coors Field history. It was 27 degrees when the Rockies’ home opener began after an hour-long delay caused by sleet and snow. That was just 4 degrees warmer than when these teams met in Denver on April 23, 2013, in the coldest first-pitch temperature in major league history.
BREWERS 5, CUBS 4 Orlando Arcia had a game-ending single with one out in the ninth, and host Milwaukee defeated Chicago with the help of two-run home runs by Eric Thames and Travis Shaw. With the score 4-4, Manny Pina drew a one-out walk of Mike Montgomery (0-1), and pinch-hitter Hernan Perez hit a slow roller to third and dove into first as the throw from Kris Bryant skipped past Victor Caratini for an error that allowed Pina to advance to third. Arcia followed with an opposite-field flare to right that set off a celebration near second base.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 3, ROYALS 2 Michael Brantley singled home two runs in his first at-bat this season and Carlos Carrasco worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, leading Cleveland in its chilly home opener over Kansas City. Brantley missed Cleveland’s first six games while on the disabled list recovering from offseason ankle surgery. But just hours after being activated, the two-time All-Star delivered in the first inning against Danny Duffy (0-2), who managed to hang around until the sixth.
BLUE JAYS 8, RANGERS 5 Russell Martin homered and hit two RBI singles to back six solid innings from Marco Estrada, and visiting Toronto beat Texas. Martin’s drive to left field for an 8-0 lead in the sixth came right after Yangervis Solarte connected on a solo shot. It was the second home run of the season for both in a game delayed 36 minutes at the start by rain. Estrada (1-0) took a two-hit shutout into the sixth before Shin-Soo Choo hit a home run for the third consecutive game. After two singles and a walk with two outs, Estrada got Robinson Chirinos on a flyout on the right-hander’s 105th and final pitch.
INTERLEAGUE
ORIOLES 7, YANKEES 3 (14) Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in the 14th inning, Manny Machado homered twice and visiting Baltimore held off the injury-depleted New York Yankees. The Yankees saw four players make early exits. Starter CC Sabathia left with a hip soreness, star catcher Gary Sanchez limped off with a possible leg cramp right before Alvarez struck, third baseman Brandon Drury was lifted for migraines and second baseman Tyler Wade was removed because of flu-like symptoms.
PADRES 4, ASTROS 1 Jose Pirela had three hits, including a tiebreaking, two-run double in the fifth inning that helped visiting San Diego beat Houston. The game was tied 1-1 when Austin Hedges doubled off Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1) with one out in the fifth and Manuel Margot followed with a single. Pirela doubled to rightcenter for a 3-1 lead. Eric Hosmer, who has an 11-game hitting streak in Houston, hit a two-out double in the ninth off Ken Giles and scored on a double by Villanueva.