The Detroit Tigers, in a major turnaround from last season, won their fourth straight game by thumping the Minnesota Twins 10-6 in their home opener on Thursday.
Detroit, a woeful 43-119 last year, an American League record for ineptitude, began the season by sweeping the Blue Jays in Toronto.
The Tigers last started the season 4-0 in 1985 when manager Alan Trammell was beginning his ninth of 20 seasons at shortstop for Detroit.
Bobby Higginson was the hitting hero on Thursday, driving in four runs with a double and triple.
It looked like the same old Tigers in the early going, the Twins putting up three quick runs, all charged to eventual winner Nate Cornejo (1-0).
Minnesota, 44-12 against Detroit the previous three campaigns, maintained that margin until the sixth inning when Higginson and company went to work.
Alex Sanchez homered to start things off. Fernando Vina scampered home on an infield out for a second run and then Higginson doubled to right center to plate two more and give Detroit its first lead.
Higginson tripled his next time up to score two more runs, capping off a five-run seventh for Detroit.
The Twins, who never threatened after that, picked up home runs from Jose Offerman, Jacque Jones and Rob Bowen, the latter a two-run shot.
Aaron Fultz (0-1) took the loss after replacing starter Carlos Silva in the seventh.
YANKEES 3, WHITE SOX 1
In New York, the Yankees won their seventh successive home opener, Jorge Posada driving in the winning and insurance runs and newcomer Javier Vazquez surrendering only two hits in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
INDIANS 6, ROYALS 1
In Kansas City, Jeff D'Amico tossed seven innings of four-hit ball as the Cleveland Indians swept past the Royals 6-1.
ANAHEIM ANGELS 5, MARINERS 1
In Seattle, the Mariners fell to 0-3 as the Anaheim Angels did all their scoring in their last at-bats to record a 5-1 win, four of the runs charged to closer Shigetoshi Hasegawa.
ORIOLES 3, BOSTON RED SOX 2
In Baltimore, Larry Bigbie drew a bases-loaded walk in the last of the 13th inning to plate Javy Lopez with the winning run as the Orioles edged the Boston Red Sox 3-2.
In the National League, Sean Casey drove in three of the first four runs as the host Cincinnati Reds broke fast to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 in the National League (NL) despite a big game from slugger Sammy Sosa on Thursday.
The loss dropped the Cubs, who have not been below .500 since last July, to 1-2. Cincinnati improved to 2-1.
Casey put the Reds on the board with a bases-loaded double to deep right in the opening inning. That brought home Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr, who collected two singles to raise his average to .375.
Two innings later, Casey grounded out to plate Griffey again and send Austin Kearns to third. Kearns subsequently scored the game-winning run on a passed ball.
All four runs were charged to loser Matt Clement (0-1).
Sosa, who began the season by going 0-for-9, gave the Cubs hope with a run-scoring double in the fourth and a two-run homer in the sixth, the 540th of his career.
The homer was served up by winner Jose Acevedo (1-0), who surrendered five hits, all for extra bases, in his six innings on the mound.
PADRES 4, GIANTS 3
In San Diego, the Padres pushed across two runs in the 10th inning to defeat the San Francisco Giants 4-3 in the first game played at Petco Park.
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