Major league roundup: Angels’ Ohtani doesn’t get an out in return to mound
Shohei Ohtani didn’t record an out in the two-way star’s long-awaited return to the mound for the Los Angeles Angels, allowing the first six Oakland batters to reach base before his day was done in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics on Sunday.
The right-hander from Japan gave up Marcus Semien’s leadoff single and three straight walks before a mound visit and Mark Canha’s two-run single. Robbie Grossman singled in another run, and Angels manager Joe Maddon replaced Ohtani (0-1) with Matt Andriese down 4-0.
The Angels wasted a big day by Mike Trout, who hit a three-run homer in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fifth. David Fletcher wound up with four hits.
Minnesota 14, Chicago White Sox 2: Jake Cave hit a grand slam, Nelson Cruz homered twice and Kenta Maeda was strong in his debut with his new team, helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 14-2.
Cruz added two doubles and drove in seven runs for the reigning AL Central champion Twins, who won two of three. Maeda (1-0), a Japanese right-hander who was traded in February from the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowed two runs and struck out six in five innings.
Seattle 7, Houston 6: Kyle Lewis hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning to lift the Seattle Mariners over the Houston Astros 7-6, snapping a 15-game losing streak in the series.
The Mariners trailed by 1 entering the eighth before Shed Long Jr.’s run-scoring single tied it at 5 with one out.
Long stole second base with two outs before Lewis, who homered in the first two games, knocked a ball thrown by Chris Devenski (0-1) into right field to score two and put the Mariners on top.
Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 5: Kevin Kiermaier’s first hit of the season, a two-run triple into the right field corner in the 10th inning, gave the Tampa Bay Rays a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Tampa Bay’s defensive whiz delivered the second walkoff hit of his career after the Rays scored twice in the ninth to force extra innings, then fell behind again 5-4 when Blue Jays pinch-runner Santiago Espinal stole third base and scored on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s sacrifice fly off Chaz Roe (1-0).
Cleveland 9, Kansas City 2: Starting for the first time since he was diagnosed with leukemia last year, Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 in six-plus innings and José Ramírez homered twice as Cleveland clobbered the Kansas City Royals 9-2 to win two of three in the delayed season-opening series.
Baltimore 7, Boston 4: Rio Ruiz and Anthony Santander hit two-run home runs to help the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-4. José Iglesias added four hits for the Orioles, who took the final two games of the season-opening series.
National League
Miami 11, Philadelphia 6: The Miami Marlins scratched right-hander Jose Urena from his scheduled start Sunday in Philadelphia and delayed their postgame trip home amid concerns about a possible coronavirus outbreak within the team.
No reason was given for Urena being scratched in the series finale, which Miami won 11-6.
Manager Don Mattingly said the Marlins decided to wait until Monday to leave Philadelphia, and they planned to arrive in Miami hours before their home opener against Baltimore. The trip might be made while multiple players remain in Philadelphia.
Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas each hit three-run homers for Miami.
Miami catcher Jorge Alfaro went on the injured list hours before the season opener Friday at Philadelphia. The Marlins didn’t give a reason but said they expected Alfaro to return this season.
The team’s precarious health raised anew doubts about MLB’s ability to finish the season during a pandemic. In Cincinnati, Reds second baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Nick Senzel felt sick Sunday, a day after a teammate went on the injured list because he tested positive for COVID-19.
Chicago Cubs 2, Milwaukee 1: Tyler Chatwood pitched three-hit ball over six innings, Willson Contreras homered and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 to take two of three in their opening series.
Interleague
Colorado 5, Texas 2: Trevor Story’s big day for Colorado back home in Texas came after a big downer for his hometown team.
Story homered twice after two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber left his Texas debut with shoulder tightness, and the Rockies beat the Rangers, 5-2.
N.Y. Yankees 3, Washington 2: Gleyber Torres helped the New York Yankees prevent the Washington Nationals from tooting their own horn.
Yes, the reigning World Series champs had an actual, honest-to-goodness trumpet in their dugout. Alas, their bullpen blew a lead, so the Nationals never got the chance to jazz up a victory celebration with the brass instrument.
Facing two of Washington’s top relievers, Torres homered in the seventh inning to begin the rally from a two-run hole, then tacked on a go-ahead single in the eighth, lifting New York to a 3-2 victory for wins in two of three games in the season-opening series.
Detroit 3, Cincinnati 2: C.J. Cron hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Detroit Tigers got to Cincinnati’s bullpen for the second straight day in a 3-2 victory over the Reds.