Hill sharp as Rays top Kluber, Yanks
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rich Hill pitched six strong innings, Austin Meadows led a hit parade against Corey Kluber and New York’s bullpen, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 10-5 Friday to snap a four-game skid.
Hill, a 41-year-old lefty who’s played 17 seasons with 10 teams, allowed four runs and four hits — all with two outs in the third inning — before retiring his final 10 batters.
Hill (1-0) struck out seven without issuing a walk, and Tampa Bay scored five early runs off Kluber (0-1) in his second start for the Yankees. Meadows had three of the Rays’ 13 hits, one of five Tampa Bay players with a multihit game.
Aaron Hicks and D.J. LeMahieu homered for the Yankees. New York has dropped nine of 11 regular season meetings against the reigning AL champions.
The Rays’ home opener drew a socially-distanced crowd of 9,021 to Tropicana Field, where fans had not watched them since Oct. 8, 2019, Game 4 of that year’s AL Division Series against the Houston Astros.
With the teams standing along the first- and third-base lines for pregame introductions, the Yankees were forced to watch a video recap of Tampa Bay’s 2020 success, which included the Rays’ third AL East title, a victory over the Yankees in the ALDS and the franchise’s second pennant.
The salute was capped by the unveiling of two banners commemorating the latest division title and AL crown.
DODGERS 1, NATIONALS 0: Justin Turner homered in the sixth inning, and Los Angeles celebrated its World Series ring ceremony day with a victory at home. The Dodgers received their World Series championship rings in a pregame event in front of the fans who weren’t allowed inside Dodger Stadium in 2020 while their franchise won its seventh title.
GIANTS 3, ROCKIES 1: Johnny Cueto got within an out of a complete game, Brandon Crawford broke up a scoreless tie with a bases-loaded, two-run double in the seventh inning, and San Francisco won its home opener.
INDIANS 4, TIGERS 1: Franmil Reyes homered twice for Cleveland as Zach Plesac pitched seven dominant innings against visiting Detroit. The Tigers scratched starter Julio Teheran just before the first pitch. Teheran complained of tightness in his right triceps while warming up.
ANGELS 7, BLUE JAYS 1: Shohei Ohtani homered and drove in four runs, Andrew Heaney pitched six scoreless innings, and Los Angeles won on the road. Ohtani completed a four-run second with a three-run double to deep right-center off T.J. Zeuch. He also connected for a 422foot solo drive to center during Los Angeles’ three-run fifth.
BRAVES 8, PHILLIES 1: Ronald Acuna Jr. had four hits, including a long two-run homer that gave Atlanta the lead, and made a leaping catch to support Charlie Morton’s six strong innings, leading to a win against visiting Philadelphia. Morton (1-1) permitted one run and four hits. The veteran righthander struck out seven and walked one.
REDS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5 (10): Tucker Barnhart launched a single over center at the top of the 10th, allowing Eugenio Suarez to score the go-ahead run, and Cincinnati held on at Arizona.