AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Texas Rangers raised their American League championship flag and then delivered a reminder of last year’s spirit by rallying for a 9-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
Pinch-hitter David Murphy delivered a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth inning.
Photo: AFP
His slicing liner off Daniel Bard (0-1) kicked up chalk when it landed on the left-field line. That sent Rangers newcomers Mike Napoli and Yorvit Torrealba home to break a 5-5 tie.
Murphy then scored on a double by Elvis Andrus before another double by AL MVP Josh Hamilton.
Texas’ Napoli, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz all homered off Jon Lester.
Photo: Reuters
Darren Oliver (1-0) got the victory despite allowing a tying homer to David Ortiz in the top of the eighth.
MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 2
In Oakland, California, Felix Hernandez pitched his 14th career complete game and the first in the majors this year as Seattle beat Oakland.
Chone Figgins hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning off Craig Breslow (0-1), while Ichiro Suzuki drove in a run and stole two bases as the Mariners won their opener under new manager Eric Wedge to end a five-game skid in Oakland. Suzuki moved within one hit of tying Edgar Martinez’s franchise record of 2,247.
Hernandez (1-0) dazzled after allowing Josh Willingham’s two-run homer in the first. The previous pitcher to throw a complete game on opening day was Ben Sheets for Milwaukee in 2007 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to STATS LLC.
WHITE SOX 15, INDIANS 10
In Cleveland, Ohio, Chicago built a huge lead then held off Cleveland’s scrappy comeback in their season opener.
The White Sox splurged during the offseason in an attempt to win the AL Central after finishing second to Minnesota last year, and the club’s US$125 million payroll looks like money well spent — so far.
Carlos Quentin homered and drove in five runs, while Adam Dunn homered and had four RBIs in his debut for Chicago.
The White Sox built a 14-0 lead after four innings, roughing up Cleveland ace Fausto Carmona (0-1) for 10 runs in three innings.
Chicago added eight runs in the fourth inning and starter Mark Buehrle (1-0) took a comfortable win.
BLUE JAYS 13, TWINS 3
In Toronto, the hosts handed Minnesota their third straight season-opening loss.
J.P. Arencibia — who also hit two homers in his major league debut last year — homered twice and drove in five runs for the Blue Jays.
Jose Bautista, baseball’s reigning home run king, went back-to-back with Adam Lind in the fifth as the Blue Jays, who led the majors with 257 home runs last season, wasted no time in resuming their power-packed attack, much to the delight of a sellout crowd of 47,984.
Twins slugger Justin Morneau, playing for the first time since sustaining a season-ending concussion during a game in Toronto last July 7, went 0 for 4 and grounded into a double play.
Toronto’s Ricky Romero (1-0) improved to 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA in four career starts against Minnesota.
Three of Toronto’s four homers came off Carl Pavano (0-1), who gave up seven earned runs in four-plus innings.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Orioles 4, Rays 1
‧ Royals 2, Angels 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PHILADELPHIA
The Philadelphia Phillies rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to pip the Houston Astros 5-4 on Friday.
Trailing 4-2 to start the ninth, the Phillies got going when Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard started with singles off Astros closer Brandon Lyon (0-1). After one out, Rollins stole third and Ben Francisco lined an RBI single. Carlos Ruiz followed with a single and Wilson Valdez hit a tying single that kept the bases loaded with one out.
Pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr then sent a shot over the drawn-in center fielder for the winning run, kicking off a celebration after he touched first base.
Philadelphia’s Ryan Madson (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless inning in relief.
DODGERS 4, GIANTS 3
In Los Angeles, Rafael Furcal singled in the go-ahead run to highlight a three-run sixth inning that lifted Los Angeles over San Francisco.
Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (1-0) allowed five hits in six innings, struck out four and walked one. Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save.
Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez (0-1) gave up seven hits in 5-2/3 innings, struck out eight and walked three.
MARLINS 6, METS 2
In Miami, Josh Johnson took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, setting up Florida’s triumph over the New York Mets.
John Buck hit a grand slam in his Florida debut, Logan Morrison also homered and Gaby Sanchez added an RBI single for the Marlins, who played their 19th and final opener at Sun Life Stadium. The team will move into a new ballpark next year.
The Mets couldn’t get a hit against Johnson (1-0) until the seventh, when he gave up three hits and two runs, leaving the game and getting an ovation from the crowd of 41,237, Florida’s largest since a visit by the Yankees in June 2009.
New York starter Mike Pelfrey (0-1) gave up five runs and four walks in 4-1/3 innings.
PIRATES 6, CUBS 3
In Chicago, Pittburgh stated the season under new manager Clint Hurdle with a victory over Chicago.
Neil Walker hit a grand slam off Ryan Dempster (0-1) on a full count. Andrew McCutchen also homered for the Pirates.
Pittsburgh starter Kevin Correia (1-0) pitched into the seventh inning, allowing two earned runs.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ D-backs 7, Rockies 6, 11 inn
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