Benches empty in Angels-Red Sox game: MLB capsules
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Bobby Abreu hit a go-ahead two-run single and Vladimir Guerrero hit his first home run of the season, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a testy 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Dustin Moseley (1-0) was charged with three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings, striking out three in the finale of a tragic and somber season-opening homestand for the two-time defending AL West champions. Brian Fuentes got three outs for his second save.
The Angels won the series opener on Friday night following an emotional tribute to teammate Nick Adenhart, the 22-year-old rookie pitcher who was killed early Thursday along with two friends when the car they were in was broadsided by a van driven by a suspected drunken driver.
Josh Beckett (1-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings for Boston.
There was tension from the start between the two American League heavyweights.
The benches cleared in the first inning after the Angels took exception when Beckett threw a pitch over Abreu's head just as time was being called by plate umpire Paul Schreiber.
Indians 8, Blue Jays 4
CLEVELAND -- Anthony Reyes pitched six innings and the Indians earned their first victory of the season.
Travis Hafner and Mark DeRosa each hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who avoided their worst start in 95 years. Cleveland lost its first six games in 1914.
The Washington Nationals are the majors' only remaining winless team at 0-6.
Blue Jays starter David Purcey struck out 10 over 4 2-3 innings. The left-hander also walked six and allowed five runs and four hits.
Vernon Wells hit a two-run homer for Toronto.
Reyes became the first Indians starter to pitch six innings. The Blue Jays had scored a major league-high 42 runs in winning five of their first six games, but managed only four runs and three hits against the right-hander.
Rays 11, Orioles 3
BALTIMORE -- James Shields pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Evan Longoria hit his major league-leading fifth home run and Tampa Bay averted a three-game sweep.
Longoria went 3-for-5 to up his batting average to .481. He has five straight multihit games and at least one RBI in five of his six starts.
Ben Zobrist, Jason Bartlett and Carlos Pena also homered for the Rays, who got 17 hits. All four home runs came off Brian Bass, who allowed seven runs in 3 1-3 innings of relief.
Shields (1-1) struck out three and walked one. Dan Wheeler allowed one hit in the eighth before Grant Balfour was tagged for three runs in the ninth.
Adam Eaton (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits over four innings in his debut with Baltimore.
Mariners 1, Athletics 0
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Erik Bedard allowed three hits pitching into the ninth inning and Mike Sweeney doubled in a run in the seventh for Seattle.
Bedard (1-0) was within two outs of his second career shutout when he was lifted for David Aardsma, who struck out Jason Giambi and got Jack Cust to line out with a pair of runners aboard for his second save.
Trevor Cahill (0-1) retired 11 consecutive batters before Adrian Beltre singled up the middle with one out in the seventh, breaking up the rookie's bid for a no-hitter. After Russell Branyan flew out, Sweeney drove in the game's only run with a double to center.
Royals 6, Yankees 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- John Buck homered and drove in three runs, helping Kansas City rally to avoid a three-game sweep.
The Royals scored three runs with two outs in the eighth inning off Jose Veras and Phil Coke (0-1), spoiling a solid start by Joba Chamberlain in his season debut.
Joakim Soria earned his third save by striking out the side in the ninth. Juan Cruz (1-0) worked a perfect eighth for the win, helped by a diving catch in right field from Willie Bloomquist.
Chamberlain held the Royals to three runs -- one earned -- and four hits in six innings. He struck out five, walked one and hit two batters with pitches.
Gil Meche went seven innings for the Royals, allowing four runs and six hits.
Tigers 6, Rangers 4
DETROIT -- Brandon Inge homered and hit a two-run single in a six-run eighth inning as the Tigers rallied to complete a three-game sweep.
Carlos Guillen also had a two-run double for Detroit, which trailed 4-0 after seven innings. Placido Polanco went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Miguel Cabrera had two hits.
Brandon Lyon (1-1) threw two perfect innings and Fernando Rodney got three outs for his second save in as many days. Detroit relievers have pitched seven innings in the last two games without allowing a baserunner.
Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler hit two-run homers for Texas, which wasted a terrific start by Kevin Millwood. The right-hander threw seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out six. C.J. Wilson (0-1) got the loss.
Marlins 2, Mets 1
MIAMI -- Josh Johnson's dominant outing was just enough to beat Johan Santana.
Johnson pitched a five-hitter for his second complete game in 45 career starts and the Florida Marlins scored two unearned runs to edge Santana and the Mets 2-1 Sunday, handing the New York ace his first loss since June 28.
While Johnson retired 15 batters in a row, Santana was just as good. The left-hander struck out 13 in seven innings, allowing only three hits. But left fielder Daniel Murphy dropped a two-out flyball in the second for an error that led to both Florida runs.
Santana (1-1) had made 18 starts in a row without a loss, winning 10 consecutive decisions.
Johnson (2-0) struck out seven, walked one and threw 113 pitches in a fast-paced pitchers' duel that took only 2 hours, 4 minutes.
The Marlins totaled only three hits but ended their season-opening homestand at 5-1, the best start in franchise history. The Mets play their home opener Monday night against San Diego at new Citi Field.
Reds 2, Pirates 0
CINCINNATI -- Aaron Harang threw a three-hitter, Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer and Cincinnati overcame a triple play by Pittsburgh to get the victory.
Harang (1-1) faced just three batters over the minimum while pitching his sixth shutout and 12th complete game. The right-hander threw 108 pitches, 80 for strikes. It was the first complete-game shutout of the year in the majors.
Pittsburgh's Ian Snell (0-2) gave up two runs and five hits over six innings.
Cincinnati had a chance to add to its lead in the eighth inning with Jay Bruce on first and Brandon Phillips on second. Edwin Encarnacion hit a blooper into short left that was easily caught by Jack Wilson, who threw to Freddy Sanchez at second base to double up Phillips. By then, Bruce was already at second, and Sanchez threw to first baseman Adam LaRoche to complete the triple play.
It was the first triple play for the Pirates since Aug. 10, 1993, at St. Louis, and the first time the Reds had hit into a triple play since April 21, 2007, against Philadelphia.
Cardinals 3, Astros 0
ST. LOUIS -- Kyle Lohse threw a career-best three-hitter, retiring 24 in a row after giving up a single on his first pitch, and St. Louis completed a three-game sweep.
Khalil Greene had three hits and an RBI, and Ryan Ludwick extended his hitting streak to 16 games with an RBI single for the Cardinals, who went 5-2 on their opening homestand and limited the opposition to two or fewer runs in three of the last four.
Houston has lost four in a row and has scuffled to a 1-5 start while totaling 16 runs.
Lohse (2-0) threw his fifth career shutout, and first since May 28, 2007, against Pittsburgh while he was with the Cincinnati Reds.
Wandy Rodriguez (0-1) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings for Houston.
Padres 6, Giants 1
SAN DIEGO -- Chris Young pitched seven strong innings to beat Tim Lincecum, and Nick Hundley had a career-high four hits for the Padres.
Young (2-0) allowed an unearned run and four hits. The right-hander, who retired the first 12 batters, struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Lincecum (0-2) had another rough outing after he tied his career low by lasting just three innings in Monday's season-opening 10-6 win over Milwaukee. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner gave up four runs and a career-high 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings.
San Diego has won four straight to raise its record to 5-2, the first time the Padres have been three games over .500 since the end of the 2007 season.
The Giants have lost three straight and four of five.
Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1
PHOENIX -- Randy Wolf tossed two-hit ball into the eighth inning, outpitching Dan Haren to lead the Dodgers to the victory.
Wolf (1-1) helped Los Angeles take two of three in an early season series between teams expected to contend in the NL West. The left-hander allowed one run, struck out five and walked two in seven-plus innings.
Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.
Haren (0-2) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings. In his first start, Haren allowed one run in seven innings but lost 3-0 to the Colorado Rockies.
Braves 8, Nationals 5
ATLANTA -- Chipper Jones drove in two runs, including a tiebreaking single, and Atlanta handed Washington its sixth straight loss to start the season.
Jair Jurrjens (2-0) gave up five hits and walked five in 5 1-3 innings but allowed only four runs, three earned, to help the Braves sweep the three-game series and improve to 5-1.
Washington is the only winless team in the majors.
The Braves scored their first five runs on two-out rallies in the fourth and fifth to beat Scott Olsen (0-2), who gave up six hits and five runs in five innings.
Rafael Soriano pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.
Elijah Dukes had two hits and drove in three runs for Washington.
Phillies 7, Rockies 5
DENVER -- Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs connected for a tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth inning to lead Philadelphia to the win.
Chase Utley tied it at 5 with a two-run homer in the eighth and Ryan Howard had three hits for the Phillies, who won the last two of the three-game series. Utley went 2-for-3 and scored three times.
Ryan Madson (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth and Brad Lidge, the last of six Philadelphia pitchers, finished for his second save.
Pedro Feliz hit a leadoff double in the ninth against Huston Street (0-1). Feliz was sacrificed to third before Stairs, batting for Madson, went deep for his first of the season and 15th career pinch-hit drive.
Colorado put two men on in the ninth, but Lidge got Troy Tulowitzki to ground out to end the game.