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MLB roundup: Freddie Freeman homers, leads Dodgers past Braves

[April 19, 2022] Freddie Freeman's first home run with his new team came in his first at-bat against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to seven games with a 7-4 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves on Monday.

In the first matchup of 2022 between teams that met in each of the past two National League Championship Series, the Dodgers took control with a five-run fourth inning that included a three-run double from Trea Turner.

After going seven perfect innings in his season debut Wednesday at Minnesota, Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw gave up a two-out single in the first inning to Austin Riley. Kershaw (2-0) wound up allowing four runs on six hits over five-plus innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. Kershaw improved to 100-40 with a 2.23 ERA in 195 career regular-season starts at Dodger Stadium.

Guillermo Heredia and Ozzie Albies homered off Kershaw. Atlanta starter Huascar Ynoa (0-2) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Matt Olson, Freeman's replacement at first base for the Braves, had three hits to raise his batting average to .452 in the early part of the season.

A's 5, Orioles 1

Frankie Montas limited Baltimore to two hits over six innings and Oakland took advantage of two errors to break a tie en route to a victory in its home opener.

Sheldon Neuse had two hits, including one in a four-run sixth, as the A's finally returned home after opening with 10 straight on the East Coast. Montas (2-1) walked two and struck out five.

Orioles reliever Joey Krehbiel (1-1) took the loss despite the fact all three runs charged to him were unearned.

Padres 4, Reds 1

Manny Machado hit a two-run, first-inning homer and Sean Manaea held visiting Cincinnati to one run over six innings as San Diego handed the Reds their seventh straight defeat.

Cincinnati's lone run came on a first-inning homer by Tommy Pham, who hit .226 while with the Padres the last two seasons. Pham had three of the Reds' six hits.

Machado had three hits and Austin Nola added two for the Padres, who have won two in a row. Manaea (2-1) gave up one run on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts, leaving him with a 1.42 ERA through three starts for the Padres.

Brewers 6, Pirates 1

Christian Yelich hit a game-breaking grand slam and Eric Lauer allowed one run over six innings to pace host Milwaukee to a victory over Pittsburgh.

Yelich's first homer of the season capped a five-run fourth inning that put Milwaukee in front by five in the opener of the three-game series. Lauer (1-0) gave up five hits, including Diego Castillo's solo home run, while striking out five and walking one.

Zach Thompson (0-1) allowed six runs on six hits in four innings for the Pirates, striking out five and walking four as well as throwing a run-scoring wild pitch.

Twins 8, Red Sox 3

Jorge Polanco had two hits with four RBIs and a run scored, Gio Urshela added three more hits and Dylan Bundy pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball as Minnesota beat host Boston in the annual Patriots' Day game.

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Apr 18, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Edwin Rios (43) after scoring in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Polanco and Kyle Garlick each hit two-run home runs, while Carlos Correa also had two hits for the Twins, who broke the game open with a four-run eighth inning. Bundy (2-0) allowed just five hits and struck out six, limiting a Boston offense that scored a combined 12 runs over the previous two games.

For the Red Sox, Xander Bogaerts had three hits with an RBI, while Christian Vazquez and Alex Verdugo each had two hits. Vazquez hit a home run and drove in a pair of runs.

Cubs 4, Rays 2

Ian Happ rapped a tiebreaking, seventh-inning single as Chicago opened a seven-game homestand with a win over Tampa Bay.

Keegan Thompson (2-0) pitched 3 2/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief with five strikeouts. David Robertson worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to go 4-for-4 in save situations. Patrick Wisdom hit a homer, and Nick Madrigal went 2-for-4 as the Cubs won their second consecutive game.

The Rays' Josh Lowe went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base, and Yandy Diaz had two hits. Starting pitcher Shane McClanahan hurled six innings and 80 pitches. The left-hander allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits, while striking out a career-high nine without a walk.

Astros 8, Angels 3

Yordan Alvarez slugged a pair of two-run home runs in his return to the lineup as Houston claimed its home opener by beating Los Angeles.

Alvarez, sidelined for five games due to health and safety protocol, bashed a two-out homer into the upper deck in right field off Angels right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1) in the first inning and later delivered a two-run blast in the seventh. It marked his ninth career multi-homer game.

Tyler Wade knocked in two runs for the Angels, who had won five of six games.

Rockies 4, Phillies 1

Charlie Blackmon homered to back six shutout innings from Chad Kuhl as Colorado beat Philadelphia in Denver.

Kuhl (1-0) gave up just two hits while fanning four. Randal Grichuk hit a two-run double, C.J. Cron and Sam Hilliard had two hits each and Alex Colome picked up his first save for Colorado. The Rockies won for the third time in four games.

Aaron Nola (1-2) pitched solidly into the sixth inning for the Phillies, who lost their second straight game. No Philadelphia hitter had more than one hit.

--Field Level Media

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