Rangers batter Astros behind two three-run HRs
ARLINGTON, Texas — Adolis Garcia homered and drove in four runs, Texas left-hander Cody Bradford allowed only two singles pitching into the eighth inning and the World Series champion Rangers beat the Houston Astros 10-2 on Friday night in the first meeting of the instate rivals since last year in the American League Championship Series.
The Rangers led 5-0 in the second after Garcia’s three-run shot, his AL-leading fourth home run in seven games this season. He pushed his RBI total to 10 with a two-out single that made it 7-0 in the fifth, an inning before Marcus Semien also hit a three-run home run.
Semien had three hits and walked twice for the Rangers, who finished with 16 hits and six walks.
Jose Altuve led off the game with a single, and the Astros didn’t have another hit until Jeremy Pena’s two-out single in the eighth. That was the last batter faced by Bradford (1-0), who struck out four and walked none.
Houston had won eight consecutive games at Globe Life Field, including three ALCS games in a series when the visiting team won all seven games. The Astros also swept a three-game series last September, outscoring Texas 39-10 and homering 16 times.
ROYALS 2, WHITE SOX 1 MJ Melendez broke an eighth-inning tie with a single to help Kansas City beat Chicago. With one out, Melendez hit a soft liner to left off Michael Kopech (0-1) to score pinch-runner Dairon Blanco. Chris Stratton (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the victory, and James McArthur got a game-ending double-play grounder for his first save. TIGERS 5, ATHLETICS 4 Gio Urshela’s two-out double in the eighth inning brought in the go-ahead run and Detroit defeated Oakland its home opener. Matt Vierling and Mark Canha hit home runs for Detroit. Spencer Torkelson doubled twice, scored two runs and drove in another for the Tigers, who are off to a 6-1 start. Detroit has won three regulation games by one run apiece. Its three other victories have come in extra innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5 (10) Travis d’Arnaud singled off the left-field wall to drive home the winning run in the 10th inning and Atlanta, which scored twice in the ninth, rallied late to beat Arizona. The hit by d’Arnaud off Scott McCough (02) knocked in pinch-runner Forrest Wall from second base. Wall scored easily as d’Arnaud began celebrating after rounding first.
GIANTS 3, PADRES 2 Thairo Estrada doubled home Matt Chapman for the winning run with one out in the ninth inning, and San Francisco gave new Manager Bob Melvin a win in their home opener against his former franchise by beating San Diego.
METS 3, REDS 2 Edwin Diaz pitched out of trouble in the ninth inning to earn his first save since October 2022, and New York held off Cincinnati. Jeff McNeil hit his first home run of the season and Jose Quintana provided a solid start as the Mets won their second consecutive one-run game after opening 0-5. PHILLIES 4, NATIONALS 0 Bryce Harper, still hearing boos at Nationals Park all these years later, doubled twice and singled in a run to back Aaron Nola’s 5 2/3 scoreless innings, helping Philadelphia beat Washington.
INTERLEAGUE
BREWERS 6, MARINERS 5 Andres Munoz walked four batters in the ninth inning to bring home the winning run in Milwaukee’s victory over Seattle. After the Mariners scored twice in the top of the inning to tie it, Munoz (0-1) opened the bottom half by walking Sal Frelick, Jake Bauers and Brice Turang to load the bases. After Jackson Chourio struck out looking, William Contreras walked on a 3-1 pitch that was ruled just off the outside corner to score Frelick. ORIOLES 5, PIRATES 2 Ryan O’Hearn, Gunnar Henderson and Cedric Mullins homered, Grayson Rodriguez pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and Baltimore beat Pittsburgh to spoil a Pirates home opener that was played through occasional snow flurries. Rodriguez (2-0) gave up home runs to Oneil Cruz and Jared Triolo among six hits. ROCKIES 10, RAYS 7 Ryan McMahon hit a walk-off grand slam after committing an error in the ninth inning that allowed Tampa Bay to score the go-ahead run, and Colorado rallied for a victory in its home opener. McMahon sent the first pitch he saw from reliever Jason Adam over the fence in right-center to set off a roar from the sellout crowd at Coors Field. After leading 6-2 in the ninth, the Rockies let the Rays take a 7-6 lead as Ben Rortvedt scored the tiebreaking run when McMahon made a throw in the dirt from third base that converted first baseman Kris Bryant couldn’t scoop.