MLB roundup: Rays make it 12 straight wins to open season

 

[April 13, 2023]  Taj Bradley won his major league debut with five solid innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays extended their winning streak to a dozen games with a 9-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Rays' run of 12 consecutive victories to start the season is the third-best mark in modern-era major league history, trailing the 13-win streaks turned in by the Milwaukee Brewers (1987) and Atlanta Braves (1982). Bradley (1-0) allowed three runs and five hits while whiffing eight and walking one.

Randy Arozarena stroked a three-run homer and had four RBIs for Tampa Bay, and Wander Franco had three doubles, two runs, two RBIs and a stolen base. Christian Bethancourt and Vidal Brujan each went 2-for-3.

Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox, and Reese McGuire had three hits and two runs. Alex Verdugo, Justin Turner and Enrique Hernandez each went 2-for-4. In his third start of the season, Boston's Chris Sale (1-1) was hit hard, yielding six runs (five earned) on seven hits. He fanned six and walked two.

Blue Jays 4, Tigers 3 (10 innings)

George Springer singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th, and Toronto came back to defeat visiting Detroit.

Toronto scored two in the ninth to tie the game, two innings after Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run home run that gave Detroit a 3-1 lead in the seventh. Nick Maton had a solo shot in the fourth for the Tigers, who have lost six in a row.

Detroit left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez allowed one run, seven hits and one walk in six innings, striking out three. Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed three runs and five hits while striking out 11 in eight innings, as neither starter factored into the decision. Jordan Romano (2-0) allowed only a walk in the top of the 10th to earn the win.

Astros 7, Pirates 0

Jose Urquidy allowed two hits over six innings as Houston drubbed host Pittsburgh in the rubber match of the three-game series.

Urquidy (1-0) allowed three walks and struck out two for the Astros. Alex Bregman belted a three-run homer, Corey Julks added a solo shot and Jose Abreu had an RBI double for Houston.

Pittsburgh starter Rich Hill (0-2) took the loss despite yielding just two runs on five hits to go along with two walks in six innings.

Mets 5, Padres 2

Brandon Nimmo finished with three hits and two RBIs, and Tylor Megill combined with four relievers on a six-hitter for host New York, which beat San Diego to take of three in their series.

Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hit the tying and go-ahead solo homers while Tommy Pham had an RBI single for the Mets, who have won four of six. Megill (3-0) gave up two runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in five innings.

Juan Soto hit a long two-run homer in the first for the Padres, who lost a series for the first time this season.

Diamondbacks 7, Brewers 3

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a three-run homer among his three hits to lead Arizona past Milwaukee in the rubber match of a three-game series in Phoenix.

Drey Jameson made his first start of the season and pitched four scoreless frames, allowing three hits and striking out four, leaving with a 5-0 lead. Kyle Nelson (2-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He fanned three.

Janson Junk (0-1) made his Brewers debut while filling in for an injured Brandon Woodruff, taking the loss while going 4 2/3 innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out two.

Twins 3, White Sox 1

Sonny Gray pitched five shutout innings and Ryan Jeffers scored two runs to lead host Minnesota over Chicago to take two of three in the series in Minneapolis.

Gray (2-0) allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five while lowering his ERA to 0.53. Jhoan Duran picked up his third save.

Lenyn Sosa homered, and Luis Robert Jr. and Seby Zavala had doubles for the White Sox, who lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Yankees 4, Guardians 3

Oswaldo Cabrera hit a go-ahead single with one out in the ninth inning off Emmanuel Clase to lift visiting New York over Cleveland.

The Yankees' rally started when Giancarlo Stanton legged out an infield single and took second base after shortstop Amed Rosario committed a throwing error. After Clase (1-1) struck out Franchy Cordero, Cabrera roped a slider off the base of the right field wall to plate pinch runner Gleyber Torres.

Guardians starter Peyton Battenfield allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in 4 2/3 innings in his major league debut.

Mariners 5, Cubs 2

Jarred Kelenic homered for the third straight game and Teoscar Hernandez added a solo blast as visiting Seattle posted a win over Chicago.

Logan Gilbert (1-1) allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings for Seattle, which avoided a three-game sweep and concluded its six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark. Ty France extended his hitting streak to 10 games with two hits and an RBI and a run.

Apr 12, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley (45) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago trailed 5-1 before Cody Bellinger belted a solo homer against Paul Sewald in the ninth inning. Seattle took the lead for good with two runs in the third to snap Cubs starter Marcus Stroman's scoreless streak at 14 innings. Stroman (2-1) pitched six innings, giving up two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out six.

Cardinals 7, Rockies 4

Nolan Gorman hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, Tyler O'Neill homered among his two hits, and St. Louis beat host Colorado in Denver.

Nolan Arenado also went deep, Paul Goldschmidt had two doubles, Andre Pallante (1-0) pitched around a blown save and Ryan Helsley earned his third save.

Jurickson Profar homered and Charlie Blackmon had two hits for Colorado. The Rockies finished their homestand 3-4.

Braves 5, Reds 4

Eddie Rosario hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to spark Atlanta to a win over visiting Cincinnati to sweep the three-game series.

It was Atlanta's first three-game series sweep of Cincinnati since 2014. Kirby Yates (1-0), who pitched one inning of scoreless relief, earned the win. A.J. Minter, who blew the save in the first game of the series, pitched a perfect ninth and picked up his second save.

Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision. Cincinnati's Hunter Greene worked six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits to go along with a season-high 10 strikeouts. Atlanta's Spencer Strider pitched five innings and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.

Marlins 3, Phillies 2 (10 innings)

Bryan De La Cruz hit an RBI single down the first base line in the top of the 10th inning to lift Miami over host Philadelphia.

De La Cruz had three hits and two RBIs and Jorge Soler hit a solo home run for the Marlins, who won two of three in the series. Marlins starter Edward Cabrera allowed seven hits and two runs with four strikeouts and one walk in five innings. A.J. Puk (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

Philadelphia's Bryson Stott had two hits and an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Stott has nine multi-hit games this season for the Phillies. Gregory Soto (1-2) took the loss. The Phillies went down in order in the bottom of the 10th with the automatic runner stranded at second base.

Angels 3, Nationals 2

Logan O'Hoppe's RBI single in the sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie, and four Los Angeles relievers combined for four scoreless innings on the way to a victory over Washington in Anaheim, Calif.

Griffin Canning made the start on the mound for the Angels, his first major league appearance since July 2, 2021, before a stress fracture of his lower back sidelined him. He got a no-decision but pitched well, giving up two runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter while throwing 69 pitches.

After the Nationals took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth, the Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning. Washington starter MacKenzie Gore nearly escaped, striking out Gio Urshela and O'Hoppe. But Brett Phillips followed with a walk, driving in a run and tying the game at 2-2.

Royals 10, Rangers 1

MJ Melendez drove in three runs, Bobby Witt Jr. recorded his first three-hit night of the season and Kansas City snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory in Arlington, Texas.

Kansas City starter Brad Keller (2-1) impressed, limiting Texas to just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over 6 2/3 innings. The only blemish on the night for Keller was giving up a solo homer to Nathaniel Lowe in the first inning.

After that, KC controlled the game. The Royals scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead, the last two coming on a two-run double by Melendez off Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi (1-2) allowed six runs on 10 hits with no walks and seven strikeouts over five innings. Rangers reliever Taylor Hearn gave up four runs in the seventh.

A's 8, Orioles 4

Carlos Perez had three hits, including a home run, and Oakland ended a six-game losing streak with a win at Baltimore.

Brent Rooker homered, singled and had three RBIs for Oakland, which plated eight runs for the second straight game. Chad Smith (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the win.

Rooker and Jace Peterson opened the Oakland eighth with singles off Keegan Akin (0-1). Cionel Perez replaced Akin and Aledmys Diaz loaded the bases with a bunt single. Jesus Aguilar's sacrifice fly put the A's ahead 5-4, and Oakland scored runs on a safety squeeze and Perez's RBI single to take control for good.

--Field Level Media

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