Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Juan Soto throws out tying run at plate in 9th inning of Yankees’ debut, 5-4 win over Astros
Long lauded for his prowess at the plate, Juan Soto wowed on defense Thursday in his New York Yankees debut.
Soto threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning after starting New York’s comeback from a four-run deficit in a season-opening 5-4 win over the Houston Astros.
“That was a Yankee classic right there,” New York captain Aaron Judge said. “Juan’s debut, that was pretty special out of him. Come up, get his first hit, first at-bat, he takes a walk. Then come up there and, biggest moment of the game and just be cool, calm and collected and deliver a strike home.”
Oswaldo Cabrera homered and Judge doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Yankees went ahead.
Mauricio Dubón and Yordan Alvarez singled off Clay Holmes to give the Astros two on with one out in the ninth.
Kyle Tucker lined a single to right and Soto, an AllStar acquired from San Diego in a December trade, made a one-hop 87.6 mph throw slightly up the thirdbase line. Catcher Jose Trevino made a sweep tag and caught Dubón’s left arm just before the runner’s finger touched the plate. Umpire James Hoye’s call was upheld in a video review.
“I just prepare before that happens,” Soto said. “My mindset was just try to make a great throw to the plate and let (Trevino) do whatever he wants to do.”
Judge raved about the work of his new teammate, a three-time All-Star who can become a free agent after the season.
“That just speaks volumes of the type of player he is and the type of presence he has in the box and also in the field,” Judge said.
Soto was asked if it bothers him that people don’t talk about his defense.
“Not at all,” he said. “I got to do stuff so they can start talking. Like stuff like I did today . ... They’re going to be talking about my defense later on.”
Alex Bregman grounded into a forceout as Holmes got the save.
Joe Espada, in his first game since replacing Dusty Baker as Astros manager, tapped former closer Ryan Pressly to pitch the seventh in the reliever’s first appearance in that inning since the 2021 World Series.
Judge greeted him with a double to the left-field corner and scored the goahead run on a sacrifice fly by Alex Verdugo, who like Soto was making his Yankees debut.
Chas McCormick hit a two-run single in a threerun first and Jake Meyers homered in the second off Nestor Cortes, who was limited to one major league appearance after May because of a strained left rotator cuff.
Jonathan Loáisiga (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
Astros starter Framber Valdez was charged with three runs in 4 2/3 innings, getting double plays to end three of the first four innings.
“Command wasn’t on all day but he still executed pitches when he needed to,” Espada said. “Then at the end there... in the fifth, he just kind of lost the zone a bit. But he competed. He gave us a chance and it was just not the way we wanted to end his outing today.”
Cabrera hit a tying home run off Rafael Montero in the sixth.
Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth, his 214th time hit — 60 more than any other active player.
The Yankees debuted a new road uniform for the first time since 1973. It wasn’t a big change but did remove the white piping from around the letters and numbers on their jerseys.
Houston reliever Bryan Abreu served the first of a two-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Texas star Adolis García in last year’s AL Championship Series.
Twins 4, Royals 1
KANSAS CITY, MO. >> Pablo Lopez allowed one run over seven innings, Royce Lewis homered before leaving with an injury, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 on Thursday to begin defense of their AL Central crown.
Carlos Correa added three hits and two RBIs to back a near-peerless performance by Lopez, who picked up where he left off last postseason. The righthander allowed four hits and struck out seven without a walk in his first opening-day start.
The lone run Lopez (10) allowed was a homer to Maikel Garcia, the first batter he faced.
Brock Stewart worked the eighth for Minnesota. Griffin Jax earned the save by handling the ninth.
Cole Ragans (0-1) set a Royals record for opening day with nine strikeouts in just six innings. But the 26-year-old left-hander, who arrived in a midseason trade with Texas last year, also allowed two runs on five hits and two walks.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid began the festivities on a sun-splashed afternoon by
hauling the club’s latest Lombardi Trophy to the mound, where team owner Clark Hunt and president Mark Donovan held two other Super Bowl trophies. Then Reid, who worked as a vendor at Dodger Stadium as a teen, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett.
Tigers 1, White Sox 0
CHICAGO >> Tarik Skubal pitched six innings of threehit ball and the Detroit Tigers opened a promising season on a winning note, beating the Chicago White Sox 1-0 on Thursday.
Skubal and three relievers combined to retire the final 17 batters. The White Sox did not advance past first base and wasted a terrific start by Garrett Crochet.
Javier Báez singled and scored on Andy Ibáñez’s sacrifice fly in the third. The Tigers finished with six hits.
Skubal (1-0) picked up right where he left off last year. The 27-year-old lefthander struck out six without a walk in his first opening-day start, after going 4-0 with a 0-90 ERA in his final five outings a year ago.
Shelby Miller pitched a perfect seventh. Andrew Chafin worked 1 1/3 innings before Jason Foley earned the save by striking out Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert Jr.