Randy Arozarena homered in the first inning as Tampa Bay set a major league record by going deep in each of its first 21 games, then hit a 10th-inning single for his fourth RBI that gave the Rays a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
Tampa Bay is 18-3, the best start in the major leagues since the 2003 New York Yankees. The Rays are 12-0 at Tropicana Field, the best start at home since the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers won their first 13 games.
Arozarena hit a two-run homer in first off Dylan Cease, and the Rays surpassed the previous mark of homers in the first 20 games by the 2019 Seattle Mariners.
Arozarena’s RBI single against Kenya Middleton put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2 in the fifth, but pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets tied the score with a eighth-inning homer against Jason Adam.
‘Randy’s been so clutch for us all year,’ Rays starter Shane McClanahan said. ‘It’s been fun to watch.’
Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena hits an RBI single against the Chicago White Sox during the tenth inning
Arozarena celebrates with Rays manager Kevin Cash after hitting the game winning RBI single against the Chicago White Sox during the 10th inning
Arozarena celebrates with teammates after hitting an RBI walk-off single to defeat the Chicago White Sox 4-3, the 21st game in a row which Tampa Bay has hit a homer in
With the score 3-3, in the 10th Jimmy Lambert (1-1) intentionally walked Wander Franco with one out and a runner on second, and Arozarena lined a first-pitch single to right for his team-high 22nd RBI.
‘We liked the match up.’ White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. ‘We liked the Lambert, Arozarena match up. We were good with it.’
Garrett Cleavinger (1-0) worked a perfect 10th before a crowd of 22,333, the largest at the Trop since opening day. Eloy Jiménez and Yasmani Grandal also homered for the White Sox, who have lost eight of 10. Chicago, at 7-14, dropped to its most game under .500 since ending the 2019 season at 72-89.
‘We’re playing hard, we’re competing, we had a chance to win both games,’ Grifol said. ‘We’ve got a good team. We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing.’
The White Sox dropped the series opener 8-7 Friday night when the Rays scored three times in the ninth.
PADRES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3
Fernando Tatis Jr. connected for his first homer since 2021, Ha-Seong Kim had a crucial two run single and the San Diego Padres rallied for a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
The Padres took the lead in the first inning on Tatis’ first homer since his return from an 80-game drug suspension on Thursday. The 24-year-old turned on an 0-2 fastball from Merrill Kelly, hitting it into the left-center stands, just out of the reach of a leaping Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Matt Carpenter’s two-out double brought home Xander Bogaerts to make a 2-0.
Tatis missed all of last season, first because of a broken left wrist. When he was about to return, he was hit with his PED suspension for a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Clostebol.
The young star is 2 for 13 at the plate in his first three games this season.
Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a solo home run in the first inning at Chase Field
RANGERS 18, ATHLETICS 3
Adolis García hit three home runs and then two late doubles, driving in eight runs as the Texas Rangers routed the Oakland Athletics 18-3 on Saturday night.
All three of García’s homers were two-run shots, and his first double also scored two to give the 30-year-old Cuban slugger a career high for RBIs to go with his first three-homer game.
García’s final at-bat came against infielder Jace Peterson in the eighth. Because of position switches, Texas reliever Josh Sborz batted ahead of García and took three of four pitches for a strikeout.
The line-drive double down the left-field line from García could have scored Travis Jankowski, but he jogged to third, preserving Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez’s club record of nine RBIs in a game set in 1999.
‘I was just looking for a certain pitch in a certain zone and wasn’t trying to do too much and overthink,’ García said through an interpreter of his final two at-bats. ‘Just try to make good contact.’
García had the second three-homer game in the major leagues this season. Trayce Thompson did it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 10-1 win over Arizona on April 1.
He has seven home runs and 28 RBIs this season.
Rangers’ Adolis Garcia (53) celebrates with third base coach Tony Beasley (27) after a two run home run in the first against the Athletics in Arlington, Texas
ASTROS 6, BRAVES 3
Astros starter Framber Valdez marvels at how talented Yordan Álvarez is. He watched for the second consecutive night as Álvarez delivered a big blow against the Atlanta Braves.
‘Obviously, he’s having an excellent season,’ Valdez said through a translator. ‘He’s a great hitter, a power hitter, contact hitter. He’s a guy that saves us a ton and contributes to the team a ton and we know what he can do.’
Álvarez and Kyle Tucker each hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning off Kyle Wright, and Houston beat Atlanta 6-3 for its third straight victory on Saturday night.
Álvarez’s sixth long ball of the season came one night after he hit a go-ahead, two-run shot in the ninth inning for the decisive runs in a 6-4 win.
Álvarez, who finished third in the AL MVP voting last year for the World Series champion Astros, connected against Wright on a 414-foot homer that sailed into the Chop House restaurant in right field to make it 2-1.
Astros’ Yordan Alvarez watches after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning vs. Atlanta
BREWERS 5, RED SOX 4
Rowdy Tellez has no explanation for his uncanny level of success against the Boston Red Sox.
Tellez continued to torment the Red Sox on Saturday night, homering for the second straight game while helping the Milwaukee Brewers win 5-4.
Tellez, who faced Boston more frequently while playing for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2018-21, has 14 homers and 29 RBIs in 37 career games against the Red Sox.
‘I don’t know,’ Tellez said. ‘They’re just the unfortunate team, I guess. Somebody’s always got to have one team to do better against than the others, and I guess the Sox are mine.’
Tellez entered Saturday with a 1.183 career OPS against the Red Sox. He hasn’t hit more than eight homers against any other team.
His two-run shot off Garrett Whitlock in the third inning Saturday gave the Brewers an early 3-0 lead. The 412-foot blast over the center-field wall on a 3-2 changeup capped an eight-pitch plate appearance.
Yu Chang and Rafael Devers hit two-run homers for the Red Sox. Devers’ blast was his AL-leading eighth of the season. Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich went 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI.
The Brewers, who had fallen 5-3 to the Red Sox on Friday, still haven’t lost back-to-back games all season.
Rowdy Tellez, of the Brewers, hits a two-run home run in the third inning against the Red Sox
PIRATES 2, REDS 1
Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a key triple and Rich Hill got through five innings for the win as the streaking Pittsburgh Pirates extended their winning streak to six games Saturday night with a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The Pirates raised their record to 15-7 for their best start since 1992, the last time they won a division title. It is also Pittsburgh’s longest winning streak since an 11-game run in 2018.
The Pirates are coming off consecutive seasons of at least 100 losses and have finished last in the NL Central four years in a row.
‘I think it’s a considerable difference (from last year), the fact that we’re finding ways to win games,’ manager Derek Shelton said. ‘We had talked about it over the last couple years: With young teams, they have to find ways to win like that.’
Bryan Reynolds had two doubles and a sacrifice fly, while Hayes and Tucupita Marcano added two hits each for the Pirates.
The Reds got two hits apiece from Stuart Fairchild and Jose Barrero but have managed just six runs during their five-game losing streak.
Pirates starting pitcher Rich Hill delivers during the first inning of against the Reds
YANKEES 3, BLUE JAYS 2
The latest clash between Gerrit Cole and Alek Manoah morphed into the newest chapter in Anthony Volpe’s storybook start.
Cole and Manoah pitched scoreless ball after a chirpy buildup, and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Saturday on pinch-hitter DJ LeMahieu’s walkoff bases-loaded single in the ninth inning.
Volpe hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Yimi García and pinch-hitter Danny Jansen hit a two-run homer in the ninth against Wandy Peralta after a leadoff walk to Alejandro Kirk. Anthony Rizzo doubled off Jordan Romano (2-1) starting the bottom half.
Intrigue began even before the first pitch. Just as Cole was about to start the game, he was forced to wait, crouching behind the mound as Manoah and Kirk slowly walked from the Blue Jays bullpen down the left-field line to the dugout.
‘Didn’t notice,’ Cole said.
Cole allowed four hits in 5 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks, extending his scoreless streak to 20 2/3 innings and lowering his ERA to 0.79.
Yankees’ Anthony Volpe hits a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Blue Jays
DODGERS 9, CUBS 4
James Outman and Max Muncy each homered twice as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 9-4 on Saturday.
Muncy hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Mark Leiter Jr. and a solo drive in the ninth off Brad Boxberger, tying the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso for the major league lead with 10 home runs. Muncy has homered nine times in the last 12 games.
‘Every guy is important, but Max is always in the middle of things, so when he is going well it seems like we put up good numbers,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Outman was 4 for 5 with four RBIs, hitting a solo shot in the second off Hayden Wesneski (1-1) and a two-run homer in the ninth against Boxberger. Outman leads rookies with a .314 batting average, seven homers and 19 RBIs and 1.121 OPS..
‘James has carried us a lot. He’s gotten some big hits obviously. It’s just an opportunity that presented itself essentially the last couple of days of spring training and he’s taken advantage of it, earning more opportunities,’ Roberts said.
Los Angeles rebounded from a 13-0 loss Friday.
Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia throws during the sixth inning against the Cubs in Chicago
PHILLIES 4, ROCKIES 3
Nick Castellanos leads the National League in doubles, tops all right fielders in assists and his daring leads off third base have created runs and excitement in Philadelphia.
But the power-hitting outfielder just wasn’t going deep.
So Castellanos finally took care of the 0 in the HR column, with authority – and kept the streaking NL champs inching back to .500.
‘I just want to do my job, man,’ Castellanos said.
Castellanos hit his first two home runs of the season and Cristian Pache also went deep for the first time this season to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
Castellanos hit a solo shot off Kyle Freeland (2-2) in the second inning and the go-ahead solo homer again off Freeland for a 4-3 lead in the sixth and helped the Phillies (10-12) win for the fifth time in seven games.
Phillies’ Nick Castellanos hits a home run against Rockies’ Kyle Freeland during the sixth inning
MARLINS 6, INDIANS 1
Garrett Hampson drove in two runs and Luis Arraez and Bryan De La Cruz each had three hits as the Miami Marlins completed a doubleheader sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 3-2 win in the second game Saturday night.
Hampson’s single in the sixth scored Jon Berti and put Miami ahead for good at 2-1, helping spoil Cleveland manager Terry Francona’s 64th birthday. The Marlins won both games of a doubleheader for the 12th time in franchise history.
Braxton Garrett (1-0) worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run, and A.J. Puk pitched a dicey ninth for his fourth save. Puk hit Andrés Giménez with a pitch and walked Gabriel Arias with no outs before retiring the next three batters.
Arraez went 4 for 8 on the day and is hitting a major league-best .444 as he seeks a second straight big league batting title.
Guardians right-hander Zach Plesac (1-1) gave up three runs in five innings. Oscar Gonzalez had two hits and an RBI for Cleveland, which also dropped both games of a twin bill Tuesday at Detroit.
De La Cruz had two hits and homered in the first game when Miami cruised to a 6-1 victory over ace Shane Bieber and the Guardians. Arraez added a two-run single.
Marlins’ Jean Segura, right, celebrates with Jon Berti after scoring on a fielder’s choice by Jacob Stallings during the second inning of a doubleheader against the Guardians
GIANTS 7, METS 4
Opening day starter Logan Webb stopped his four-game losing streak, holding the Mets hot offense to two runs in seven innings and leading the San Francisco Giants over New York 7-4 on Saturday.
Webb (1-4) struck out eight and walked one for his first win since signing a $90 million, five-year contract for 2024-28, a deal announced April 14.
San Francisco (7-13) avoided losing 14 of its first 20 games, which would match the worst opening in team history.
New York lost for the second time in nine games on their 10-game California trip.
The Giants, who were shut out Friday and have struggled to score all season, spotted Webb to a 4-0 lead in the first, when Brandon Crawford hit a three-run homer. Wilmer Flores also homered for San Francisco, which is batting just .205 against left-handers but reached lefty David Peterson (1-3) for seven runs in five innings.
San Francisco also had a good day on the bases and in the field. Leadoff hitter Thairo Estrada legged an infield single to ignite a first-inning rally. In the second, he stole second after a single and scored the club’s sixth run by dashing home from third ahead of Pete Alonso’s throw on a Michael Conforto groundball.
Giants’ David Villar, right, is tagged out at second by Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, left, on a steal attempt during the seventh inning a baseball game in San Francisco
ORIOLES 5, TIGERS 1
Once Kyle Gibson made it through the first inning, it was smooth sailing.
Gibson tied a career high with 11 strikeouts in the latest impressive outing by a Baltimore starter, and Ramón Urías hit a three-run double to lift the Orioles to their fifth straight victory, 5-1 over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.
Gibson (4-0) allowed two hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked two in the first to load the bases with one out, then retired the next 11 Detroit hitters.
‘At times everything was working. At times, like the first inning, not much was working at all,’ Gibson said.
Zach McKinstry hit a solo homer off Gibson in the seventh for the first run allowed by a Baltimore starter since the first inning Sunday. James McCann homered for the Orioles.
Urías was ejected by plate umpire Vic Carapazza after he was called out on strikes to end the fifth. He’d already made an impact though. With two outs in the third, he cleared the bases with a double to right field to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead.
Orioles pitcher Kyle Gibson throws to a Tigers batter during the first inning in Baltimore
NATIONALS 10, TWINS 4
Joey Meneses tied a career high with four hits, CJ Abrams hit his first home run since Washington acquired him in a trade last summer and the Nationals beat the Minnesota Twins 10-4 on a cold Saturday.
Washington (7-13) won consecutive games for only the second time this season after a pair of games at Colorado on April 7 and 8. The Nationals had 15 hits, reaching double digits for the seventh time.
‘Basically, it motivates and takes the pressure off the team knowing that we already won the series,’ Meneses said through a translator. ‘You feel a little bit more relaxed and hopefully, tomorrow, we’ll keep playing the same way with the same confidence.’
Mason Thompson (2-1) allowed an unearned run and two hits over 2 1/3 innings with four strikeouts in relief of Chad Kuhl, who needed 96 pitches to get 11 outs. Wearing short sleeves, Kuhl gave up one run, three hits and four walks.
The gametime temperature of 35 degrees was the coldest for the Nationals since the team moved to Washington from Montreal for the 2005 season. The previous low was 37 on Friday night.
‘If we keep playing like this, I hope it’s 20 degrees for, like, the next four months,’ Nationals manager Dave Martinez joked.
Nationals’ Joey Meneses swings for a strike during the first inning against the Twins, Saturday
ROYALS 11, ANGELS 8
The Kansas City Royals scored five runs in the ninth inning to rally from a two-run deficit and post an 11-8 victory over the host Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Backup catcher Matt Thaiss hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Angels an 8-6 lead, one of four homers by the Angels in the game. Hunter Renfroe hit two and Mike Trout hit one.
The Royals, however, rallied in the ninth against Angels reliever Jose Quijada (0-1), tagging the left-hander with his first blown save and loss of the season.
The Royals appeared to tie the game at 8-8 on Kyle Isbel’s two-run homer, but it was overturned after a replay review showed the ball hit the yellow line atop the right field fence.
The Royals, though, tied the game anyway when Edward Olivares followed with an RBI single. Kansas City took the lead later in the inning when MJ Melendez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and it tacked on two more runs on a two-out single by Hunter Dozier.
Royals reliever Jose Cuas (1-0) got the victory. Scott Barlow pitched the bottom of the ninth for his second save.
Royals left fielder Edward Olivares is greeted in the dugout after crossing the plate for the winning run in the ninth
MARINERS 5, CARDINALS 4
Eugenio Suarez’s two-run single with two outs in the seventh inning broke a tie and the Seattle Mariners went on to defeat the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 Saturday night.
Jarred Kelenic and Teoscar Hernandez homered for the Mariners, who’ll try to sweep the three-game interleague series Sunday afternoon.
Tommy Edman hit a solo homer in the ninth for the Cardinals.
Mariners reliever Matt Brash (2-2) struck out three batters in the top of the seventh and earned the victory. Paul Sewald worked the ninth for his sixth save of the season.
With the game tied 3-3, Kolten Wong led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk off St. Louis reliever Zack Thompson (1-1). J.P. Crawford followed with a single to right field.
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) gestures to third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) after scoring a run during the seventh inning
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk