White Sox’s Davidson hits three HRs to lead rout of Royals
Matt Davidson became the fourth player in major league history to homer three times on opening day, the White Sox went deep six times total and Chicago routed the Kansas City Royals 14-7 on Thursday to spoil their 50th anniversary celebration.
Tim Anderson also homered twice and Jose Abreu went deep for the White Sox, who picked up James Shields (1-0) in a big way after the former Royals ace surrendered four runs in the first inning.
Of the four players with three-homer opening days, three have done it against the Royals, while the six homers by Chicago on opening day matched the big league record set by theMets in 1988.
Jose Abreu also went deep for the White Sox, who picked up James Shields (1-0) in a big way after the former Royals ace surrendered four runs in the first inning. Shields wound up lasting six innings, holding Kansas City without a hit after that shaky first. STANTON STARTS YANKEE TENURE WITH A BANG» Giancarlo Stanton began his Yankees career with the hardest-hit, opposite-field home run since Major League Baseball began tracking exit velocity in 2015, doubled and hit a second homer into the center-field party deck in the ninth.
Stanton’s four RBIs led the Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 and gave Aaron Boone in a win in his first game as a professional manager.
Luis Severino (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the Yankees, who won their opener for the first time since 2011.
CHAMPS OPEN WITH AWIN » World Series MVP George Springer hit a leadoff homer in the season opener for the second year in a row, Justin Verlander pitched six scoreless innings and the Houston Astros started their championship defensewith a 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers.
Jake Marisnick also homered for the Astros, whose 57th year as a franchise began with them as reigning World Series champs for the first time.
Verlander (1-0) struck out five, walked two and allowed only four singles. He is 6-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his six regular-season starts since his last-minute approval of a trade from the Tigers last Aug. 31.
CUBS’ HA PP STARTS SEASON WITH A HOMER» The baseball season began with a bang as Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs hit a home run on the very first pitch of the year, connecting against Miami’s Jose U re na at Marlins Park. Happ tagged a 95 mph fastball and sent it far over the right field fence.
Happ’s homer was part of a three-run first inning for the Cubs. New Marlins CEO Derek Jeter watched his team instantly fall behind from his seat two rows back of the Miami dugout.
HERNANDEZ SHINES» Felix Hernandez pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Nelson Cruz hit a two-run home run in the first inning as the Mariners held off the Indians 2-1. Hernandez became just the seventh pitcher to start at least 10 straight opening days. He allowed two hits in 5 1/3 innings, only being pulled due to a limited pitch count after be in ghit by a line drive during spring training and missing some time.