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Dodgers give Torre triumphant debut

NATIONAL LEAGUE

AFP AND AP, LOS ANGELES AND MIAMI

Brady Penny threw six-and-two-third scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked San Francisco 5-0 Monday in their Major League Baseball season opener, one the Giants would like to forget.

The opener was the first since 1992 for the Giants without Barry Bonds in the lineup, San Francisco having dumped him after he broke the all-time US home run record last year. Bonds faces charges related to the BALCO steroid scandal.

Jeff Kent homered while Rafael Furcal had three hits and knocked in a run for the Dodgers, who bashed out 11 hits to win manager Joe Torre's debut for the Dodgers after leaving the New York Yankees after last season.

The National League victory marked the start of the Dodgers' 50th season in Los Angeles after leaving Brooklyn.

Dodgers outfielder Juan Pierre, who had played in 434 games in a row, did not play on Monday, bringing an end to what had been the longest active streak of consecutive games.

Mets 7, Marlins 2

Johan Santana struck out eight in seven dominant innings, David Wright hit a three-run double and New York opened its season by beating the Florida Marlins 7-2 in the National League on Monday.

Santana -- traded from Minnesota and who signed a US$137.5 million, six-year contract -- didn't need much help in his anticipated debut.

The Mets took command with their biggest inning on an opening day, scoring six runs in the fourth against Mark Hendrickson.

Nationals 11, Phillies 6

At Philadelphia, Washington took its late-inning act on the road.

Nick Johnson's tiebreaking RBI double off Tom Gordon highlighted a five-run ninth inning and the Nationals beat Philadelphia.

Reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins hit a tying, two-run homer in the seventh, but the Phillies' bullpen blew it.

Brewers 4, Cubs 3, 10 innings

At Chicago, the start of the Cubs' 100th season since winning the World Series ended like so many seasons at Wrigley Field -- with a loss.

Tony Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and Milwaukee won.

Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-3, hitting a tying, three-run homer in the ninth off Eric Gagne, but it wasn't enough for the Cubs, who haven't even reached the World Series since 1945.

Diamondbacks 4, Reds 2

At Cincinnati, defending NL West champion Arizona opened the season the way it spent much of the last one: Winning a close one.

Brandon Webb pitched six innings, and the light-hitting Diamondbacks piled up three solo homers in a victory that dampened Dusty Baker's debut as Cincinnati's manager.

Pirates 12, Braves 11

At Atlanta, Tom Glavine's homecoming was long forgotten by the time Pittsburgh finally got the win over Atlanta.

Xavier Nady hit his second homer of the game, a three-run shot in the 12th inning, and the Pirates overcame a horrific ninth to ruin the Braves home opener.

Padres 4, Astros 0

At San Diego, Jake Peavy beat his friend Roy Oswalt with his bat as well as his arm as San Diego blanked Houston.

The reigning NL Cy Young pitching award winner hit an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, and pitched seven innings of three-hit ball to lead the San Diego Padres to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros in a season opener on Monday night.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AP, DETROIT

The frugal Kansas City Royals held on to beat the US$138 million Detroit Tigers 5-4 in 11 innings and give Trey Hillman a win in his major league debut as manager on Monday.

The Royals, with a payroll among Major League Baseball's smallest at US$58 million, rallied from a three-run deficit and held off a late comeback with Tony Pena Jr's two-out, tiebreaking single in the 11th inning.

Miguel Cabrera hit a homer in his Detroit debut, helping the star-studded home team lead 3-0 through five innings, but Justin Verlander had a lackluster start to spoil the party.

Rays 6, Orioles 2

At Baltimore, a whirlwind offseason of change carried over into opening day for Tampa Bay, when the Rays reversed an annoying trend at the expense of Baltimore.

James Shields pitched seven innings of five-hit ball, Eric Hinske homered and the Rays coasted.

Indians 10, White Sox 8

At Cleveland, defending AL Central champion Cleveland won with familiar late-inning drama.

Casey Blake hit a three-run double in the eighth inning to beat Chicago. The Indians won 23 times in their final at-bat last season.

The teams combined for five homers, including a pair of two-run drives by Chicago's Jim Thome off C.C. Sabathia.

Twins 3, Angels 2

At Minneapolis, Carlos Gomez made a strong first impression for Minnesota with Torii Hunter watching from the other side.

Gomez on Monday formally replaced Hunter as the center fielder and went 2-for-3, stealing two bases and scoring two runs including the tiebreaking run in the fifth on a single by Michael Cuddyer, giving Livan Hernandez and the Twins enough offense to beat Los Angeles with a snowstorm swirling outside the Metrodome.

Mariners 5, Rangers 2

At Seattle, the largest opening-day crowd in Safeco Field history of 46,334 watched the Seattle offense wake up after Erik Bedard left his Mariners debut.

Adrian Beltre hit a go-ahead groundout in the sixth inning, Jose Lopez had a two-run double in the seventh and the Mariners beat the Texas. Bedard allowed three hits, including Michael Young's solo home run, in five innings and struck out five.
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