Span, Giants start big
HIGHLIGHTS
Denard Span homered and drove in five runs in his debut with his new team, and the visiting San Francisco Giants overcame a sluggish start from ailing ace Madison Bumgarner to drub the Milwaukee Brewers 12- 3 on Monday.
Span hit a three- run home run in the eighth inning, and Joe Panik and Buster Posey followed with solo shots. It was the first time the Giants had connected for three consecutive homers on Opening Day.
The Giants roughed up Brewers starter Wily Peralta for five runs and six hits in four innings to bail out Bumgarner, who left with a four- run lead after the fifth. He allowed three runs and five hits, struck out six and walked five.
Nationals 4, Braves 3
Daniel Murphy — who had homered earlier — doubled home the go- ahead run in the 10th inning in his debut with his new team to lift the Washington Nationals past the host Atlanta Braves, making Dusty Baker a winner in his first game as their manager.
The Nationals, who also got a homer from reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper, forced extra innings on a sacrifice fly by Michael Taylor in the ninth. The throw by center fielder Ender Inciarte beat baserunner Jayson Werth to the plate, but catcher A. J. Pierzynski dropped the ball.
Rangers 3, Mariners 2
The Texas Rangers used three walks, two errors and a bloop single by Prince Fielder to score three runs in the fifth inning, and Cole Hamels struck out eight in seven innings to defeat the visiting Seattle Mariners. The loss ended the Mariners’ streak of nine consecutive Opening Day victories.
Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager hit solo homers for the Mariners, but Felix Hernandez’s wildness and errors by Seager and Ketel Marte in the fifth helped the Rangers score all the runs they needed. Hernandez yielded three runs ( one earned) and one hit, struck out six and walked five in six innings.
Dodgers 15, Padres 0
Clayton Kershaw allowed one hit and struck out nine in seven innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers banged out 17 hits — eight of them for extra bases — on their way to an Opening Day rout of the host San Diego Padres.
Reports: Polanco gets new deal
Multiple outlets reported the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to terms with outfielder Gregory Polanco on a five- year, $ 35 million contract extension with team options for 2022 and 2023 that could raise the value of the deal to $ 60 million.