Major League Baseball returned for 2023 with a range of highlights, surprises and impressive performances from Opening Day.
Oneil Cruz homered shortly after a pitch clock violation helped him and later hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning for Pittsburgh in its 4-3 win at Cincinnati.
There were two pitch-clock violations, committed by Reds starter Hunter Greene in the third and Pirates starter Mitch Keller in the fourth. Both at-bats ended with home runs.
Greene committed the Reds´ first clock violation, turning an 0-2 count to 1-2 against Cruz leading off the third. Cruz hit a tying, solo homer on a 3-2 pitch.
Rob Zastryzny (1-0) was the winner and David Bednar got the save. Buck Farmer (0-1) took the loss.
Oneil Cruz starred for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a road win over the long-suffering Cincy Reds
RANGERS 11, PHILLIES 7
Robbie Grossman and Brad Miller homered in a big comeback after Jacob deGrom struggled in his debut as Texas beat the 2022 NL champions, Philadelphia.
Grossman hit a three-run homer that tied the game at 5-5 in the middle of a nine-run outburst in the fourth inning. An inning later, Miller became the first Rangers player in 11 years to homer in consecutive season openers — his two-run shot made it 11-6.
While deGrom struck out seven without a walk, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner allowed five runs on six extra-base hits in his 3 2/3 innings.
The Phillies’ Aaron Nola also allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings. Cole Ragans (1-0) faced three batters, allowing a walk and an RBI single, but got the win. Gregory Soto (0-1) took the loss.
Rangers new recruit Jacob deGrom failed to star during the team’s comeback win in Arlington
ORIOLES 10, RED SOX 9
Adley Rutschman became the first catcher in major league history with five hits on opening day as Baltimore survived a wild ninth inning to beat Boston.
Rutschman homered in his first at-bat and finished 5-for-5 with a career-best four RBIs and a walk on a chilly day at Fenway Park. Ramon Urias hit a two-run homer for Baltimore, which finished with 15 hits, nine walks and five stolen bases.
Kyle Gibson (1-0) allowed four runs and six hits over five-plus innings. Leading off the eighth, Boston´s Rafael Devers became the first player in major league history to be called out on a pitch clock violation.
Orioles reliever Bryan Baker still allowed three runs in the eighth and closer Félix Bautista gave up two more – one unearned – in the ninth before he struck out Adam Duvall to earn the save.
Corey Kluber (0-1) struggled in his Fenway debut, surrendering five runs on six hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Adley Rutschman created history for the Orioles as they held on to win at Boston Thursday
METS 5, MARLINS 3
Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double, sending Max Scherzer and New York past Miami.
Scherzer (1-0) coughed up a three-run lead but threw six solid innings in a matchup with NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. New York improved to 41-21 on opening day — the best record in baseball.
Garrett Cooper tied it 3-all in the sixth with a two-run homer off Scherzer. Marlins newcomer Luis Arraez hit an RBI double.
Nimmo had three RBIs from the leadoff spot after re-signing with the Mets in the offseason for $162 million over eight years. His double off reliever Tanner Scott (0-1) put the Mets ahead 5-3 in the seventh, propelling them to their 41st win in the past 53 openers.
David Robertson, filling in for injured closer Edwin Díaz, got three outs for the save.
The New York Mets continued their strong history of winning Opening Day games in Miami
BLUE JAYS 10, CARDINALS 9
George Springer had five hits and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in three runs as Toronto won its fourth straight opener despite the Cardinals’ Tyler O´Neill tying a major league record by homering on opening day for the fourth straight season.
Making his Cardinals debut, catcher Willson Contreras left after the eighth inning because of an injured knee sustained when he was hit by a 102.7 mph Jordan Hicks pitch.
Springer combined with Baltimore´s Adley Rutschman to become the first pair of players with five hits each on opening day since at least 1901.
Bo Bichette had four hits and Matt Chapman three for the Blue Jays, who outhit the Cardinals 19-15 and set a team record for hits in an opener.
Toronto overcame a 9-8 deficit in the ninth against Ryan Helsley (0-1). Springer tied the score with an RBI single and Guerrero followed with a sacrifice fly.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in three runs as the Blue Jays won its fourth straight opening game
CUBS 4, BREWERS 0
Dansby Swanson had three hits in his Chicago debut and Marcus Stroman worked six scoreless innings, breezing past baseball´s first pitch-clock violation.
Swanson’s first hit with his new team was an RBI single that sparked a four-run third. He tacked on two more singles and played his usual solid defense at shortstop.
Swanson signed a $177 million, seven-year contract with Chicago in free agency, leaving the Atlanta Braves after seven seasons.
Stroman (1-0) struck out eight and walked three. Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes (0-1) gave up four runs on four hits and three walks in five innings.
Marcus Stroman shined during his debut for Chicago despite falling victim to the pitch clock
BRAVES 7, NATIONALS 2
Travis d’Arnaud had four hits as Atlanta beat the error-prone Washington Nationals.
Braves starter Max Fried departed in the fourth inning with left hamstring discomfort. He gave up one run in 3 1/3 innings. Lucas Luetge (1-0), one of five Braves relievers, was credited with the win.
Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams made three errors. Washington lefty Patrick Corbin (0-1) picked up right where he left off the past two seasons, lasting just one batter into the fourth and departing with a 6.00 ERA after giving up four runs, two earned.
Victor Robles fell to the dirt in the ninth inning in what was a trying day for the Nationals squad
TWINS 2, ROYALS 0
Pablo Lopez and four Minnesota relievers combined on a two-hitter to beat Kansas City at breezy Kauffman Stadium.
Trevor Larnach and pinch-hitter Donovan Solano each drove in a run.
Lopez (1-0) allowed both Royals hits while striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings, outpitching former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke (0-1). Jhoan Duran worked the ninth for a save.
The Minnesota Twins didn’t have their most convincing performance but still got the win
RAYS 4, TIGERS 0
Shane McClanahan pitched six sharp innings, Jose Siri and Wander Franco homered and Tampa Bay opened its silver anniversary season with a win.
Miguel Cabrera, beginning what he has said will be his last season, had a double for Detroit that moved him into a tie with Ichiro Suzuki for 23rd on the all-time hit list with 3,089.
McClanahan (1-0) gave up four hits, struck out six and walked one. Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley drove in runs charged to Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1).
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan stole the show during his six innings on the mound
MARINERS 3, GUARDIANS 0
Ty France hit a three-run homer for Seattle in the bottom of the eighth as the Pacific Northwest franchise squeezed past Cleveland.
The Guardians had an opportunity to tie the game if Josh Bell could’ve hit one over the fences, but he ground out in the ninth to seal a Mariners win.
Reliever Matt Brash made Cleveland’s fall over his own feet during the top of the seventh in one of the nastiest strikeouts you will see all season.
Ty France (C) – Seattle’s hero on the night – was doused in a Gatorade bath by Tom Murphy (L)
YANKEES 5, GIANTS 0
Aaron Judge followed his record-setting 2022 by homering on his first swing as Yankees captain, starting New York to a 5-0 opening day win over the San Francisco Giants.
Aaron Judge picked up where he left off last regular season, hitting the season’s first homer
WHITE SOX 3, ASTROS 2
White Sox outfielder Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the ninth inning to lift Chicago over the defending World Series champion Astros.
Andrew Vaughn (R) and Reynaldo Lopez managed to close out the Opening Day win for CHI
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk