NATIONAL LEAGUE
The Houston Astros spoiled 49-year-old Jamie Moyer’s bid to become the oldest Major League pitcher to win a game on Saturday, cruising past the Colorado Rockies 7-3.
Jordan Schafer, the first batter Moyer faced, drilled the Colorado left-hander’s sixth pitch over the right field fence to start the Astros on the way to victory.
Photo: Reuters
Moyer gave up another solo homer, to J.D. Martinez in the fourth, before departing after five innings. He was tagged for five hits and four runs in taking the loss. He struck out two and walked one in his first appearance since 2010.
“You never like to lose,” Moyer told reporters. “Obviously run support will take care of itself. As a pitcher you’ve got to go out and do your job, and I put us behind the eight-ball with the first hitter of the game.”
Moyer’s appearance made him the second-oldest Major League pitcher to start a game. Hall of Famer Satchel Paige was 59 when he pitched for Kansas City in 1965.
Astros starter Lucas Harrell, who was 13 months old when Moyer made his Major League debut in 1986, allowed only three hits in seven shutout innings to pick up the win.
“If you can be a starting pitcher, not walk anybody and still be able to have the movement that he did, you’ve got to give him credit,” Michael Cuddyer, who homered in the eighth for Colorado’s first run, said of Harrell.
Houston’s Martinez also had an RBI single in the seventh as the Astros stretched their lead to 6-0 before Colorado scored one run in the eighth and two in the ninth.
NATIONALS 7, CUBS 4
In Chicago, Washington’s Adam LaRoche homered and matched a career high with four hits as the Nationals again rallied late with five runs in the eighth inning to beat the Cubs.
LaRoche drove a two-run shot in the fourth but the Cubs responded with three in the bottom half to go up 4-2.
However, Washington sent up 11 batters in the eighth and hammered Kerry Wood (0-1) and Carlos Marmol again after they faltered in a 2-1 loss on Thursday.
Ryan Mattheus (1-0) got the win.
METS 4, BRAVES 2
In New York, Lucas Duda homered twice, becoming the first player to take advantage of the pulled-in fences at Citi Field, as New York beat Atlanta.
David Wright had a homer and two singles, while Josh Thole lined a go-ahead single with two outs in the fifth inning off well-traveled Livan Hernandez.
Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (1-0) kept the Braves off-balance for six innings.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, GIANTS 4
In Phoenix, Arizona, Aaron Hill hit two homers as Arizona edged San Francisco.
Chris Young had a pair of run-scoring doubles for the Diamondbacks, who were comeback kings last season, but this year have been fast starters, scoring second runs in the opening two frames of their two opening games.
Hill drove in three of those: A solo homer off Madison Bumgarner (0-1) in the first inning and a two-run shot in the second. Young also hit the first of his RBI doubles in the first, giving starter Daniel Hudson (1-0) just enough cushion to open with a victory.
J.J. Putz worked a perfect ninth for his second straight save.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Pirates 2, Phillies 1 (10)
‧ Brewers 6, Cardinals 0
‧ Marlins 8, Reds 3
‧ Dodgers 6, Padres 5 (11)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, DETROIT, MICHIGAN
Prince Fielder hit his first two home runs with the Detroit Tigers and Miguel Cabrera added a pair of his own in a 10-0 rout of the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Fielder signed a US$214 million, nine-year deal with Detroit in the off-season, forming a powerful middle of the order with Cabrera that was on full display against Red Sox starter Josh Beckett (0-1).
Cabrera opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run shot, while Fielder added a solo homer in the fourth. They then hit back-to-back solo homers in the fifth.
Duane Below (1-0) got the win in relief after Detroit starter Doug Fister left in the fourth with a strain in his left side.
Beckett (0-1) allowed seven runs in 4-2/3 innings and the five homers he gave up equaled a career worst.
ROYALS 6, ANGELS 3
In Anaheim, California, Luke Hochevar was in command for six scoreless innings, guiding Kansas City past Los Angeles.
Hochevar (1-0) was charged with two runs over 6-1/3 innings in his season debut.
The Royals got solo homers from Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas.
Albert Pujols got his first hit with Los Angeles, a double in the fourth, while starting pitcher Dan Haren (0-1) gave up five runs over 5-1/3 innings.
BLUE JAYS 7, INDIANS 4 (12)
In Cleveland, Rajai Davis hit a two-run double in the 12th inning as Toronto beat the Indians in extra innings for the second consecutive game.
Davis’ hit off Tony Sipp (0-1) gave the Blue Jays a 5-3 lead and they held on to win another extra-inning game between the teams, who set a major league record by playing the longest opening-day game in history — a 16-inning marathon on Thursday.
Kelly Johnson homered for the Blue Jays, while Casey Janssen (1-0) pitched two innings for the win after starter Branden Morrow allowed only one run in seven innings.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ White Sox 4, Rangers 3
‧ Rays 8, Yankees 6
‧ Orioles 8, Twins 2
‧ Mariners 8, Athletics 7
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