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MLB roundup: Scores, top performances from Opening Day

Apr 1, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Chris Owings (12) celebrates with shortstop Trevor Story (27) after turning a double play in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Owings had three hits and scored three runs, Trevor Story and C.J. Cron had two hits apiece, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-5 in both teams’ season open Thursday at Denver.

Chi Chi Gonzalez (1-0) got the win with two innings in relief of German Marquez. Colorado’s starter allowed one run on six hits and walked six in four innings.

Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Gavin Lux and Corey Seager had two hits each for Los Angeles, which lost in the first game of its title defense.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (0-1) gave up five runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Padres 8, Diamondbacks 7

Jake Cronenworth tripled leading off the seventh inning and scored on a sacrifice fly to snap a tie and give host San Diego a win over Arizona in the teams’ season opener.

Reliever Emilio Pagan (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh to earn the win, and veteran Mark Melancon picked up the save in his Padres debut. Alex Young (0-1), who allowed a game-tying hit in the sixth before surrendering the winning run an inning later, took the loss.

The Padres tied the game in the sixth when Eric Hosmer singled home Tucupita Marcano — who drew a pinch-hit walk in his major league debut — for his third RBI of the game. Hosmer was 3-for-4 with a double and a homer.

Blue Jays 3, Yankees 2 (10 innings)

Randal Grichuk hit a tiebreaking double in the 10th inning, lifting Toronto over host New York in the season opener for both teams.

Jonathan Davis started as the Blue Jays’ runner at second base in the 10th when he ran for Rowdy Tellez. Davis easily scored when Grichuk lifted a 1-0 fastball from Nick Nelson (0-1) over right fielder Aaron Judge’s head.

Teoscar Hernandez hit a game-tying homer in the sixth off Gerrit Cole, and four Blue Jays relievers escaped trouble before Toronto went ahead.

Tigers 3, Indians 2

Miguel Cabrera smacked a two-run homer in the first inning and host Detroit blanked Cleveland until the ninth, holding on for a chilly Opening Day victory.

With snowflakes coming down, Cabrera clubbed an opposite-field homer with a runner on base. Unable to see if the ball went over the wall, Cabrera slid into second base before the second base umpire told him he could continue to circle the bases.

Matthew Boyd (1-0) started for Detroit and lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and four walks while striking out two. Cleveland’s Roberto Perez smashed a two-run homer with one out in the ninth off closer Gregory Soto, who held on for the save.

Brewers 6, Twins 5 (10 innings)

Orlando Arcia drove in the winning run in extra innings as host Milwaukee rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth to beat Minnesota.

Arcia hit a slow chopper off reliever Randy Dobnak (0-1) to second baseman Jorge Polanco with the infield in and nobody out to drive in Lorenzo Cain, who began the inning at second and then advanced to third on a single to right by Omar Narvaez.

Josh Hader (1-0) struck out the side in the top of the 10th to get the win. Milwaukee’s Travis Shaw had two hits and three RBIs and Yelich went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Pirates 5, Cubs 3

Ke’Bryan Hayes belted a two-run homer in his first at-bat of the season and Adam Frazier drove in two runs as Pittsburgh opened the season with a victory at Chicago.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) walked Frazier to start the game before Hayes silenced the limited-capacity crowd and became the youngest Pirates hitter to homer on Opening Day since Barry Bonds in 1988.

Chicago was held to two hits by seven pitchers and struck out 13 times.

Cardinals 11, Reds 6

Dylan Carlson’s three-run homer highlighted a six-run first inning, and Paul Goldschmidt had four hits as visiting St. Louis recorded a season-opening win over Cincinnati.

Nolan Arenado had two hits with an RBI in his Cardinals debut and Tyler O’Neill belted a two-run shot. St. Louis battered Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo for 10 runs (eight earned) with eight hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty allowed six runs and homers to Nick Castellanos (three hits) and Eugenio Suarez over 4 1/3 innings. Giovanny Gallegos, who struck out two in a perfect eighth inning outing, was credited with the victory.

Phillies 3, Braves 2 (10 innings)

Jean Segura hit the game-winning single to left field with two outs in the 10th inning to score Bryce Harper and lift host Philadelphia past Atlanta.

Segura and J.T. Realmuto had two hits apiece for the Phillies, who posted a walk-off victory on Opening Day for the first time since 2011. Connor Brogdon (1-0) earned the win in relief.

Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer and Ronald Acuna Jr. added two hits for the Braves. Nate Jones (0-1) took the loss in relief.

Royals 14, Rangers 10

Michael A. Taylor made his Royals debut with three hits and three RBIs as Kansas City defeated visiting Texas 14-10 on Opening Day. Taylor also threw out two runners at the plate.

The Royals set a club record for most runs in an opener, topping their previous high of 11 in 1979. Carlos Hernandez (1-0) picked up the win, the first of his career, and Wade Davis earned up the save. Kyle Cody (0-1) took the loss.

Both starting pitchers labored from the start, drawing action in the bullpen in the first inning as both teams scored five times in the opening frame. Texas’ Kyle Gibson didn’t make it out of the first. Kansas City’s Brad Keller got just one out in the second before being removed.

Rays 1, Marlins 0

Austin Meadows broke open a scoreless pitching duel with an eighth-inning homer, leading Tampa Bay to a win at Miami.

The Rays won despite getting just five hits, thanks to the work of four pitchers and the shot by Meadows. The left-handed hitter slugged a 2-0 fastball from right-hander Yimi Garcia (0-1), belting the pitch 419 feet to right-center with two outs in the frame.

Tampa Bay’s Tyler Glasnow was lifted after six innings, having retired the final 16 Marlins batters he faced. He struck out six, walked none and gave up just one hit. Ryan Thompson earned the win, pitching one scoreless inning.

–Field Level Media

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