Freeman, Buehler push L.A. to victory

Freddie Freeman reached base three times and scored a run in his Dodgers debut, helping Walker Buehler and Los Angeles beat the Rockies 5-3 Friday in Denver.

Freeman struck out in his first at-bat. He was then hit by a pitch, walked and lined a sharp single before taking a called third strike in the eighth.

The first baseman and 2020 NL MVP signed a six-year, $162 million deal with Los Angeles after leading the Atlanta Braves to a World Series championship last season.

Colorado’s big offseason acquisition, former Giant Kris Bryant, had a double and a walk but struck out against Craig Kimbrel with a runner on to end the game. Bryant agreed to a seven-year, $182 million contract to be a big bat in the top of the order.

Buehler pretty much picked up right where he left off in 2021, getting the win in allowing two runs and four hits in five innings with five strikeouts. The All-Star right-hander is coming off a 16-4 season where he finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting.

Yankees 6, Red Sox 5: Josh Donaldson capped his Yankees debut with an RBI single in the 11th inning, lifting host New York over Boston.

Donaldson, acquired from Minnesota last month, grounded a single up the middle against rookie Kutter Crawford in the 11th to score Isiah KinerFalefa.

Tigers 5, White Sox 4: Javier Baez wound up with a winning RBI single on a game-ending replay reversal in his Detroit debut. With two out and a runner on third in the ninth inning, Baez hit a drive to right off Liam Hendriks that sent AJ Pollock to the wall. Pollock appeared to make a juggling catch, but the ball struck the wall first.

White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito left the game because of abdominal tightness on his left side after striking out six in four innings of onehit ball.

Rays 2, Orioles 1: Wander Franco had three hits, Francisco Mejia snapped an eighthinning tie with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly and AL East champion Tampa Bay beat visiting Baltimore.

Mariners 2, Twins 1: Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray threw seven impressive innings in his Seattle debut, Mitch Haniger homered and the Mariners opened with a win in Minneapolis.

Braves 7, Reds 6: Cincinnati rallied for three runs in the ninth off Kenley Jansen but fell short as host Atlanta held on to win.

Brewers-Cubs postponed: The game between NL Central teams at Wrigley Field was postponed due to a wintry mix of precipitation in the forecast. The game was rescheduled for a split doubleheader on May 30.

Briefly: Rachel Balkovec become the first woman to manage an affiliate of a Major League Baseball team, running the Class A Tampa Tarpons, a Yankees farm team, in Lakeland, Fla . ... The Mariners signed Gold Glove shortstop J.P. Crawford to a $51 million, five-year contract. Crawford, 27, had agreed last month to a $4.85 million, one-year deal and would have been eligible for free agency after the 2024 season . ... Joe Davis, who took over from Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully on Los Angeles Dodgers telecasts, was named Fox Sports’ lead baseball playby-play announcer, succeeding Joe Buck, who left Fox for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”