NATIONAL LEAGUE
World No. 1 golfer Yani Tseng was thrilled to have had the chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field before the New York Mets game against the Washington Nationals on Monday, but she was not terribly happy with the result.
“I was really excited to throw out the first ball. I just regret that after practicing for a while, the ball I threw was still off target,” said Tseng, who was invited to the game as part of Taiwan Heritage Night festivities.
Photo: Reuters
Having played on many pressure-packed stages as the world’s top women’s golfer, Tseng said she gained a new appreciation for the challenge baseball pitchers face.
“I can sense now how nervous Wang Chien-ming must feel when he is on the mound and how good a pitcher he is,” she said.
Tseng made a rare trip to New York in between tournaments hoping to see New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin and the Washington Nationals’ Wang in action, but was disappointed because both athletes are sidelined with injuries. She wished both a speedy recovery, but said making a full recovery was really difficult and required daily therapy, icing and stretching, as well as the need to overcome mental barriers to be fully confident when returning to action.
Photo: EPA
Tseng said she was very proud of Wang and Lin because of their good performances, and she voiced her support for them, not as the world’s No. 1 golfer, but as a Taiwanese because “I’m just another sports fan.”
“As long as there are Taiwanese players, I’ll come to cheer them on,” Tseng said.
At Taiwan Heritage Night, Tseng was a popular draw herself, shaking hands with and signing autographs for hundreds of fans, many of whom were carrying the Taiwanese national flag and baseball caps. One fan even asked Tseng to sign a NT$100 bill.
On the field, Daniel Murphy singled home the winning run in the ninth as New York took advantage of a throwing error by reliever Henry Rodriguez to beat Washington 4-3.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit his first major league homer for the Mets, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2007. Jon Rauch (1-0) worked two hitless innings for his first win with New York.
Pinch-hitter Mike Baxter drew a leadoff walk from Rodriguez (0-1) in the ninth. Ruben Tejada put down a sacrifice bunt and Baxter advanced to third on a wild throw to first.
Baxter was initially waved home, but a late stop sign caused him to slip and scramble back to third. Murphy followed with his winning single.
Meanwhile, Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson said that Wang is recovering well, but that he would probably have to practice in the bullpen a few more times before returning to the mound.
Johnson said there was no timetable for his return, adding that the team was watching him closely.
CARDINALS 7, REDS 1
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Matt Holliday, David Freese and Yadier Molina homered during the Cardinals’ big first inning to help the defending World Series champions to a big win over the Cincinnati Reds.
St Louis improved to 4-1 with an offense that has not missed Albert Pujols so far.
Only 20 pitches into the game, Reds starter Homer Bailey (0-1) trailed 4-0. It was the second time this season that St Louis hit three homers in an inning. Molina also doubled home a pair of runs in the eighth.
Jake Westbrook (1-0) overcame an early bout of wildness, allowing only three hits and one unearned run in seven innings. The right-hander slimmed down in the offseason and had an impressive spring training, getting the sink back on his fastball.
Bailey retired the first two Cardinals then came apart. Holliday homered, Lance Berkman walked and Freese homered. Molina also homered on the next pitch.
After the bad opening inning, Bailey settled in and allowed only two more hits into the sixth.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Marlins 6, Phillies 2
‧ Giants 7, Rockies 0
‧ Astros 8, Braves 3
‧ Brewers 7, Cubs 5
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Reuters and AP, Arlington, Texas
Prized Japanese pitching prospect Yu Darvish did not set the world on fire in his Major League Baseball debut, but he shrugged off a rough start to lead the Texas Rangers to an 11-5 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.
Texas bid in excess of US$51 million just to land exclusive negotiating rights with Darvish, then handed the 25-year-old a six-year deal worth a reported US$60 million.
However, the Rangers’ new acquisition did not start out smoothly in front of the expectant home fans, walking two batters and unleashing a wild pitch during a rocky first inning in which Seattle scored four times.
“Today, when I stepped on the mound for the first time, I was very calm. Mentally I was calm, but my body felt like it wanted to go and go,” Darvish told reporters through an interpreter. “My mind and my body weren’t on the same page.”
After allowing a fifth run in the second, the big right-hander settled and went on to finish with eight hits and four walks, striking out five in 110 pitches over 5-2/3 innings.
The Rangers’ (3-1) offense needed little time to warm up, Nelson Cruz hitting a three-run homer in the third to tie the game. Mitch Moreland smacked a two-run shot in the fourth and Josh Hamilton also homered.
Ian Kinsler added a three-run blast in the eighth inning to bury the Mariners (3-2).
“Our goal is to do what it takes to win the game and tonight that meant score runs,” Kinsler said.
Texas announced they had signed Kinsler to a five-year contract extension worth US$75 million beginning next year.
Seattle second-year pitcher Hector Noesi lasted just three innings in the loss.
Kyle Seager had three RBIs for the Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki added three hits against countryman Darvish.
YANKEES 6, ORIOLES 2
In Baltimore, Maryland, the New York Yankees finally won for the first time this season, using four hits by Derek Jeter and an effective pitching performance by Ivan Nova to defeat the Baltimore Orioles.
Andruw Jones homered for the Yankees, who averted the fourth 0-4 start in the club’s history — the first since 1973. New York began the season by losing three straight to Tampa Bay.
Nova (1-0) allowed two runs and 10 hits (six for extra bases) in seven innings, striking out seven with no walks.
Orioles starter Brian Matusz (0-1) threw 96 pitches in laboring through four innings. He gave up four runs, six hits and four walks in absorbing his 10th straight loss over two seasons.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 2
‧ Angels 5, Twins 1
‧ White Sox 4, Indians 2
‧ Athletics 1, Royals 0
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