Mikolas homers, earns victory in return to majors

CARDINALS 8, BREWERS 4

MILWAUKEE — Miles Mikolas won in his first big league game after a three-year stint in Japan, but left his biggest impression at the plate.

Hitting a home run to help spoil the Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener sure was special for the St. Louis Cardinals right-hander.

Paul DeJong connected for the second straight game, hitting his third homer this season, and Mikolas collected his first big league hit with a two-run homer in the Cardinals’ 8-4 win on Monday.

Mikolas (1-0) gave up a two-run homer to Eric Thames and solo shots to Lorenzo Cain and Manny Pina. But the 29-year-old righty benefited from the Cardinals’ own outburst at hitter-friendly Miller Park.

“I guess I figured if I’m going to give up some home runs, I might as well try to get one back, help my cause a little bit,” Mikolas joked.

It was a memorable return to the majors for Mikolas, and a disappointing opener for the Brewers. They lost for first time after opening the season with a three-game sweep at San Diego.

“Any pitcher home run, pitcher RBIs, it always feels tough to come back from that,” manager Craig Counsell said.

Mikolas gave up seven hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings in his first big league start since Aug. 25, 2014, when he pitched eight innings for the Texas Rangers in a 2-0 win over Seattle.

He played 37 games for San Diego and Texas in 2012-14. He was 4-6 on the mound and 0 for 4 at the plate.

The power started building in Japan, where Mikolas hit two home runs in three seasons.

He’ll savor his fifth-inning drive off Zach Davies (0-1) that broke a 2-all tie for a while.

“I might remember the home run just because that was a highlight of the day,” Mikolas said. “But looking back I’ll probably look at the mistakes I made as a pitcher ... and make myself better moving forward.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals 3B Jedd Gyorko left before the bottom of the seventh with a strained right hamstring. ... RHP Adam Wainwright (left hamstring strain) shagged fly balls and grounders during batting practice. Wainwright went on the disabled list on March 26 and is eligible to come off Thursday, which is the Cardinals’ home opener against Arizona. Asked how he felt, Wainwright

Monday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE

Philadelphia at New York Mets, ppd., snow St. Louis 8, Milwaukee 4 Cincinnati 1, Chicago Cubs 0 Washington 8, Atlanta 1

LA Dodgers at Arizona, (n) Colorado at San Diego, (n)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Tampa Bay at New York Yankees, ppd., snow Detroit 6, Kansas City 1

Toronto 4, Chicago White Sox 2 Houston 6, Baltimore 1

Texas at Oakland, (n)

Cleveland at LA Angels, (n)

INTERLEAGUE

Pittsburgh 5, Minnesota 4 Boston 7, Miami 3

said with a smile, “That’s what everybody wants to know. It’s a secret.”

Manager Mike Matheny didn’t rule out starting Wainwright for the home opener. “We didn’t take anything off the table,” Matheny said. “Just kind of take all the information in. Just see what happens.”

Rookie Tyler Mahle pitched one-hit ball for six innings, Raisel Iglesias struck out Anthony Rizzo with the bases loaded to end the eighth, and the Cincinnati Reds edged the Chicago Cubs for their first win of the season. Cincinnati was swept at home by Washington in a three-game series to open, falling to 0-3 for the first time since 2003. It also trailed in all

REDS 1, CUBS 0

27 innings — the Nationals scored in the first inning each time. After getting their traditional opening parade, the Reds finally got a lead, too, when Eugenio Suarez tripled in the fourth and scored on Adam Duvall’s groundout.

Bryce Harper hit a three-run homer and the quick-scoring Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves for the first 4-0 start to a season in their Washington history. Harper’s second-inning shot off Sean Newcomb (0-1) to center field gave the Nationals a 5-0 lead. He also drew four walks and scored three runs. For the fourth straight game as the road team, the Nationals scored in the first inning to give their starting pitcher a lead before his first pitch.

NATIONALS 8, BRAVES 1 AMERICAN LEAGUE TIGERS 6, ROYALS 1

Francisco Liriano pitched into the seventh inning in his Detroit debut and Victor Martinez drove in three runs to give the Tigers their first win of the season over the Kansas City Royals. The temperature was in the mid-30s at Comerica Park for a matchup between the last two winless teams in the American League. Some fans came dressed in Michigan winter gear — the Wolverines played Villanova hours later in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game. Liriano (1-0) allowed a run and four hits in 62/ innings. The 34-year-old lefty, signed as a free agent in February, struck out three and walked two while throwing 94 pitches.

Charlie Morton pitched six scoreless innings, Marwin Gonzalez homered and the Houston Astros unveiled their World Series banner before defeating the Baltimore Orioles in their home opener. Morton (1-0) allowed three hits and struck out six. The righthander picked up where he left off after getting the final 12 outs in Game 7 against the Dodgers to help secure Houston’s first championship.

ASTROS 6, ORIOLES 1

Brad Peacock pitched a perfect seventh and Will Harris allowed one hit in the eighth before Collin McHugh took over. The starter-turned-reliever allowed a homer to Trey Mancini and a double to Colby Rasmus before retiring the last three batters.

BLUE JAYS 4, WHITE SOX 2

Russell Martin hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, Josh Donaldson and Aledmys Diaz each had a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox for their third straight win. All six runs in the game came on homers. Welington Castillo went deep twice for the White Sox, his sixth career multihomer game and third straight against Toronto. Castillo hit five home runs against the Blue Jays in 2017, his highest total against any opponent.

INTERLEAGUE PIRATES 5, TWINS 4

Colin Moran hit a first-inning grand slam in his debut at PNC Park, Jameson Taillon tied a career high with nine strikeouts and the Pittsburgh Pirates held on for a victory over the Minnesota Twins in their home opener. Moran, part of a trade that sent Gerrit Cole to Houston in January, sent a full-count fastball from Lance Lynn into the seats above the Clemente Wall in right field to stake the Pirates to an early lead they nursed to just their third 4-0 start in 35 years.

Brian Johnson gave the Boston Red Sox their fifth solid start in five games, allowing one run in six innings in a victory over the Miami Marlins. All five Boston starters have allowed less than two runs, a franchise first to begin a season. Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts each hit his first home run of the season for the Red Sox, who doubled their season total. They scored 10 runs in their first four games but are 4-1 because they have allowed only 12 runs.

RED SOX 7, MARLINS 3