Pujols hits No. 680 in Cardinals’ win over Royals
INTERLEAGUE CARDINALS 6, ROYALS 5
ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols homered for the first time since returning to St. Louis and Andrew Knizner hit a three-run shot as the Cardinals defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Tuesday night.
Nolan Arenado also went deep for St. Louis, which has won 20 of 27 interleague games against the in-state Royals since 2017.
Salvador Perez homered twice and Michael A. Taylor also connected for Kansas City, which has allowed 33 runs in losing its last three games.
The 42-year-old Pujols, who also singled twice in a 3-for-4 performance, signed with St. Louis on March 28 for his final season. The star slugger played for the Cardinals from 2001-11, helping them win two World Series.
In the first inning, Pujols slammed the first pitch he saw from Daniel Lynch over the wall in left field, much to the delight of the crowd, which chanted his name before he stepped out of the dugout for a curtain call.
Pujols has 680 home runs and 3,304 hits over a 21-year career.
His drive came on the very next pitch after Arenado clocked a tworun shot. Arenado has three homers and nine RBI this season.
Knizner, making his first start of the season, ripped a long drive just inside the left-field foul pole in the fourth to put the Cardinals ahead to stay, 6-3.
Jordan Hicks (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of hitless relief. St. Louis starter Dakota Hudson permitted 3 runs and 5 hits over 4 innings in his second start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2020.
Giovanny Gallegos got his first save of the season.
Lynch (0-1) allowed 6 runs and 9 hits over 5 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
St. Louis Manager Oliver Marmol returned after missing the previous two games with the flu.
ROCKIES 4, RANGERS 1 Kris Bryant got his first two RBI in a Colorado uniform and the Rockies stretched their winning streak to four games. GUARDIANS 10, REDS 5 Jose Ramirez hit a grand slam and drove in six runs, rookie Steven Kwan reached base three more times, and Cleveland spoiled Cincinnati’s home opener. Trevor Stephan (Arkansas Razorbacks) pitched one scoreless inning for the win.
BREWERS 5, ORIOLES 4 Andrew McCutchen hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, Devin Williams pitched out of his own jam in the eighth, and Milwaukee held on for the win. ANGELS 4, MARLINS 3 Pinch-runner Tyler Wade slid home when Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas bobbled Max Stassi’s grounder in the ninth inning, and the Angels swept a two-game interleague series with Miami.
AMERICAN LEAGUE RAYS 9, ATHLETICS 8 (10) Manuel Margot hit a game-ending single during Tampa Bay’s two-run 10th inning for the victory. YANKEES 4, BLUE JAYS 0 Aaron Hicks hit a two-run homer and made a jumping catch in his first left-field start in four years, leading the Yankees to the victory.
WHITE SOX 3, MARINERS 2 Luis Robert hit his first homer of the season, a tiebreaking drive in the sixth inning that led the White Sox to their third consecutive victory. Robert connected against Matt Brash (0-1), a 23-year-old righthander making his major league debut.
RED SOX 5, TIGERS 3 Rafael Devers had three hits and two RBI, helping the Red Sox rally for the win.
NATIONAL LEAGUE BRAVES 16, NATIONALS 4 Marcell Ozuna homered twice for Atlanta, and Ozzie Albies drove in three runs.
CUBS 2, PIRATES 1 Seiya Suzuki homered twice, Drew Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) pitched five scoreless innings and the Cubs spoiled the Pirates’ home opener. Smyly (1-0) permitted three hits and walked none in his Cubs debut. The left-hander agreed to a one-year contract last month.
METS 2, PHILLIES 0 Tylor Megill delivered his second straight scoreless start for the Mets, and Brandon Nimmo homered.