Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves chases after hitting a three-run double against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Connor Brogdon in the eighth inning of an MLB opener, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
PHILADELPHIA — Matt Olson doubled three times, including a bases-loaded drive in a seven-run eighth inning that rallied the NL East champion Atlanta Braves past the Philadelphia Phillies 9-3 in the MLB season opener on Friday.
Michael Harris II had three hits and broke an eighth-inning tie with an RBI single against Jose Alvarado (0-1) that made it 3-2 and sparked a breakout inning. Alvarado allowed five runs and Connor Brogdon allowed two.
Pierce Johnson (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn Atlanta’s victory in a game delayed a day by rain.
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Brandon Marsh hit a two-run homer for the Phillies.
BREWERS 3, METS 1
NEW YORK — Christian Yelich homered, Freddy Peralta pitched six splendid innings and Milwaukee pitched a one-hitter to beat the New York Mets 3-1 in their controversial MLB season opener on Friday.
A @ChristianYelich rocket! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/HjsQounOsY
– MLB (@MLB) March 29, 2024
Peralta (1-0) struck out eight and walked none in his first Opening Day start, helping Pat Murphy to a win in his debut as Milwaukee manager after replacing Craig Counsell. The only hit the right-hander gave up was Starling Marte’s one-out homer in the second half.
RAYS 8, BLUE JAY 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Civale allowed one run in six innings and Brandon Lowe hit his fourth career grand slam to lead Tampa Bay to a victory against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Civale, a trade deadline acquisition who helped the Rays weather injury and make their fifth straight playoff appearance, limited the Blue Jays to George Springer’s solo homer and three singles before giving up a lead by five points in the bullpen.
Randy Arozarena’s RBI single made it 5-1 in the fifth. José Caballero scored a run in the sixth and reigning AL batting champion Yandy Díaz hit a two-run single in the eighth.
PIRATES 7, MARLINS 2
MIAMI – Ke’Bryan Hayes had an RBI single and double, and Pittsburgh used another strong pitching outing to beat Miami.
Michael A. Taylor and Connor Joe also doubled for the Pirates.
Starter Martín Pérez held the Marlins to one run in four innings, allowing six hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
Jake Burger scored Miami’s first run with a single in the third that scored Arraez, who remains hitless in the series. Burger had his second consecutive multi-hit game, but the Marlins were hurt by stranding seven double plays this season.
YANKEES 7, ASTROS 1
Oswaldo Cabrera of the New York Yankees, right, celebrates with first base coach Travis Chapman after hitting a two-run single during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, March 29, 2024 , in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
HOUSTON — Oswaldo Cabrera had four hits with a career-high three RBIs and Giancarlo Stanton added a solo homer to lead the New York Yankees past Houston.
Juan Soto had three hits and gave the Yankees the lead when he issued a loaded walk in a two-run seventh.
Jose Altuve hit a double and scored when Alex Bregman hit a two-out single on a fly to center that a diving Alex Verdugo deflected.
GIANTS 8, PADRES 3
SAN DIEGO — Matt Chapman homered twice, doubled and drove in five runs for San Francisco, which jumped Joe Musgrove early in the win over San Diego.
Kyle Harrison (1-0), a 22-year-old left-hander, had plenty of support to overcome impressive homers from Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis scored again against reliever Tyler Rogers.
Bob Melvin earned his first victory with the Giants after two seasons in charge of the Padres.
Chapman hit a two-run homer in the three-run opener, his first this season. He hit a huge two-run shot with one out in the ninth from the upper level of the four-story brick warehouse in the left field corner.
SAILORS 1, RED SOX 0
SEATTLE – George Kirby allowed just two hits and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings, JP Crawford homered and Seattle beat the Boston Red Sox.
Kirby (1-0) opened his season with another deep start after a strong 2023. Last year, he lasted at least six innings in 23 of his 31 starts.
Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta (0-1) nearly matched Kirby. Pivetta allowed one run on three hits in six innings, striking out 10 with no walks.
Andrés Muñoz got the final four takedowns to win the stoppage.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, ROCKIES 3
PHOENIX — Alek Thomas hit a three-run homer, Merrill Kelly had 6 2/3 quality innings and Arizona beat Colorado in MLB.
Thomas had his big moment in the sixth, connecting on a slider in the zone from Jake Bird, launching it deep into the right field seats for a 7-1 lead.
Joc Pederson had four hits, including a double. Ketel Marte added three hits, a walk and a stolen base.
Pederson had the first four-hitter in franchise history. Marte is the first to have back-to-back three-hit games to start the season.
Kelly (1-0) cruised through most of the night, allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight. The right-hander has thrown at least five innings in 30 consecutive regular season games, which ranks second among current MLB pitchers, behind Mitch Keller’s streak of 32 consecutive games.
The Diamondbacks started their scoring with back-to-back solo homers in the first from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Christian Walker.
Colorado’s Elías Díaz hit a solo homer in the second to cut the D-backs’ lead to 2-1. Charlie Blackmon had an RBI triple in the eighth and then scored on a wild pitch.
GOALKEEPING 6, ATHLETICS 4
First HR of the year for José Ramírez! 💪 pic.twitter.com/KGMzkB17eR
– MLB (@MLB) March 30, 2024
OAKLAND — José Ramirez hit his first home run of the MLB season, Andrés Giménez had three hits and Cleveland beat Oakland.
Ramirez hit a two-run homer as part of a three-run first inning for the Guardians. Giménez (3 for 3, two walks) had a pair of RBI doubles, while Will Brennan added an RBI single for Cleveland.
Cleveland left-hander Logan Allen earned the win in his 2024 debut, allowing three runs in five-plus innings, following a 2023 rookie campaign in which he posted a 3.81 ERA in 24 departures.
Oakland newcomer JD Davis hit two solo shots to record his first home runs since signing as a free agent on March 16. It was the third two-homer game of Davis’ career and first since July 17, 2021. A’s outfielder Esteury Ruiz and catcher Shea Langeliers added each sacrifice fly.
DODGERS 6, CARDINALS 3
LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts set a Dodgers record for leadoff homers and Teoscar Hernández added his first two long balls for Los Angeles in a win over St. Louis.
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Betts, in his fifth season with the Dodgers, broke a tie for first home runs with Davey Lopes, who played for Los Angeles 1972-81.
Bobby Miller (1-0) had a career-high 11, allowing two hits and a walk in six innings, and Evan Phillips pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Zack Thompson (0-1) allowed five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Cardinals fell to 0-2. Nolan Gorman hit a two-run double in a three-run eighth.
