AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Boston Red Sox snapped their longest opening-season drought since 1945 by beating the New York Yankees 9-6 with the help of a solo home run and three RBIs from Dustin Pedroia.
The 27-year-old second baseman hit a first-inning homer as the Red Sox won their first game of this season in the 100th home opener ever held at Fenway Park.
Photo: EPA
Their 0-6 start was their worst since the Red Sox went on a 0-8 tailspin to begin the 1945 regular season.
“I just came in here thinking, ‘We need to find a way to win. I don’t care how we do it. I don’t care if it’s the ugliest win of all time. We need that win,’” Pedroia said.
Boston’s 12 hits and nine runs helped make up for a shaky start by pitcher John Lackey, who is now 1-1 on the season. Lackey gave up six runs in five innings, but still managed to get he victory.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth inning for the save as the Red Sox won their seventh consecutive home opener.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s run-scoring double broke a 6-6 tie in the fifth inning for Boston, who also scored five runs in the bottom of the second.
Boston added on two more runs in the seventh inning on a two-run single by J.D. Drew off Yankee pitcher Boone Logan.
“It seems like guys were calm, weren’t jumping at the ball,” Pedroia said. “This is our park. We were on the road six days and we didn’t get comfortable.”
The Yankees scored a run in each of the first five innings before being held scoreless in the last four innings.
TIGERS 5, ROYALS 2
In Detroit, Michigan, Victor Martinez hit a three-run double in his first home at-bat for the Tigers, helping his new team to a win over Kansas City.
Martinez, who signed with Detroit in November, cleared the bases in the first inning with a drive to the gap in right-center field. Jhonny Peralta drove in two runs for the Tigers, who looked sharp in their home opener after losing four of six to start the season.
Max Scherzer (2-0) allowed one run on seven hits in six innings. The Tigers took advantage of an erratic outing by Kyle Davies (0-1), who allowed five runs on six hits in 3-2/3 innings.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Rays 9, White Sox 7
‧ Blue Jays 3, Angels 2
‧ Indians 12, Mariners 3
‧ Rangers vs Orioles rained out
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BLOOMBERG AND AP, NEW YORK
At Citi Field in New York, the Mets lost their home opener 6-2 to the Washington Nationals.
Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann hit a two-run single to right in the second inning to give Washington a 2-0 lead against the Mets, who got a run in the fourth when Ike Davis scored David Wright on a sacrifice fly.
“I don’t know what happened there,” said Zimmermann, a .167 career hitter with four runs batted in. “I was trying to get the barrel on the ball.”
Michael Morse walked with the bases loaded to score Jayson Werth in the fifth for Washington. Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run single, while Ian Desmond grounded out to score Danny Espinosa three innings later for the Nationals (3-4).
Zimmermann (1-1) gave up six hits and two runs, while striking out four in 5-1/3 innings for the win.
“I was battling pretty much all day” Zimmermann said. “I handed it over to the bullpen and they did an awesome job.”
R.A. Dickey (1-1), who split the nail on his index finger in the first inning, got the loss, allowing six hits and three runs, while walking five over five innings as the Mets (3-4) fell to 31-19 in home openers.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Giants 5, Cardinals 4, 12 inn
‧ Marlins 4, Astros 3
‧ Braves 6, Phillies 3
‧ Cubs 7, Brewers 4
‧ Pirates 4, Rockies 3, 14 inn
‧ Diamondbacks 13, Reds 2
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