First day with a full slate of games, which means the season is really underway now. This is the standard in baseball, and I think it's appropriate to reiterate here that I am hoping to keep up with the workload, but if I can't, I apologize in advance. With that, we'll start the games in...
Cleveland, with the Indians hosting the Toronto Blue Jays. Brandon Morrow and Ubaldo Jimenez will pitch. Cleveland began in the fifth inning as Jason Kipnis hit a two-run homer run, also bringing in Casey Kotchman. Toronto tied it in the seventh inning on a Brett Lawrie 2-RBI single, scoring Kelly Johnson and Adam Lind. The Blue Jays took the lead in the ninth with a solo home run by Johnson. The Indians evened it in the bottom of the inning with Asdrubal Cabrera's solo shot. Toronto gained a 5-3 lead in the twelfth inning as Rajai Davis hit a 2-RBI double to score Edwin Encarnacion and Lawrie, followed by Davis coming all the way home with a Colby Rasmus single carving the path, and finishing the rally was a Johnson single to finish the trip for Rasmus. Cleveland attempted a comeback in the bottom of the twelfth as Travis Hafner singled Cabrera home, but they got no farther than 7-4. Casey Janssen picked up the win while Tony Sipp was stuck with the loss.
West a little, the Chicago Cubs host the Washington Nationals. Gio Gonzalez and Matt Garza get the starts. Chicago struck first in the first inning when Joe Mather darted home on a wild pitch. Washington gained the lead with a two-run homer by Adam LaRoche in the fourth inning, also scoring Ian Desmond. The Cubs answered in the bottom of the inning on Reed Johnson's triple that scored Geovany Soto and Marlon Byrd, and he finished his trip around the bases when Mather hit a single. The Nationals got one back in the eighth inning when Danny Espinosa hit a solo home run, backed it up to take the lead on a Chad Tracy single scoring both Ryan Zimmerman and LaRoche, followed by Roger Bernadina doubling in Jayson Werth, and then Steve Lombardozzi singled to push in pinch runner Brett Carroll for a five-run inning. The final held at 7-4, with Ryan Mattheus getting the win, Henry Rodriguez picked up the save, and Kerry Wood was the losing pitcher.
Farther east, the New York Mets welcome the Atlanta Braves. Jair Jurrjens and R.A. Dickey throw today. New York drew first blood with a David Wright solo home run in the first inning. The Mets added on in the fourth inning with Lucas Duda hitting a solo shot. Atlanta answered in the fifth inning with a two-run blast for Martin Prado, knocking in Michael Bourn as well. New York regained the lead on a Josh Thole single that allowed Ike Davis to score in the bottom of the fifth. The Mets padded their lead with another solo home run by Duda. This made it 4-2, a final, with Dickey getting the win, Frank Francisco converting the save, and Jurrjens taking the loss.
Westward to Detroit, with the Tigers bringing in the Boston Red Sox. Josh Beckett and Doug Fister go head-to-head on the mound. Detroit struck first with a Miguel Cabrera two-run homer, also scoring Austin Jackson. The Tigers added an insurance run in the fourth as Prince Fielder blasted a solo home run, and Alex Avila padded the lead farther with his two-run blast that brought around Delmon Young. Fielder continued the Detroit offensive in the fifth with another home run, this time taking Cabrera with him. The Tigers scored again in the sixth inning as Jackson grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing safe passage for Jhonny Peralta to score. Detroit struck once again with a seventh inning grounding into a fielder's choice by Peralta, eventually resulting in Young scoring as Jarrod Saltalamacchia committed an error, and they followed it up with Andy Dirks' single to score Avila. Detroit would win 10-0, with the win going to Duane Below and the loss to Beckett.
Across the lake, the Milwaukee Brewers host the St. Louis Cardinals. Adam Wainwright and Zack Greinke are given the ball. Milwaukee started the scoring here on a second inning Corey Hart solo shot. The Brewers added a run in the sixth inning as Aramis Ramirez doubled to score Rickie Weeks, and he came all the way home with Hart's second home run of the game. Milwaukee struck again in the eighth with a Weeks solo home run, and a Carlos Gomez double to allow Ryan Braun safe passage home. The final was 6-0, with a win for Greinke and a loss for Wainwright.
On the west coast, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Kansas City Royals. Luke Hochevar and Dan Haren will be pitching. Kansas City started with a Jeff Francouer single to score Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer in the first inning. The Royals struck again in the second inning with Cain hitting a sacrifice fly to allow safe passage home for Humberto Quintero. Kansas City scored again in the fifth when Eric Hosmer went yard with a solo shot. The Royals scored again in the sixth with Mike Moustakas blasting a solo home run of his own. Los Angeles finally got on the board in the seventh when Bobby Abreu doubled to bring home Kendrys Morales, and Vernon Wells followed up with a groundout that allowed Torii Hunter to dart home. Kansas City added insult to injury when Chris Getz darted home on an error in the eighth inning. The Angels only got to 6-3 before falling in the ninth, as Abreu hit a sacrifice fly to get Morales home. Hochevar got the win while Haren had the loss.
Backtracking to the desert, where the Arizona Diamondbacks host the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner and Daniel Hudson get to call to start. Arizona began with a first inning Aaron Hill solo home run, and they backed it up as Chris Young's double brought in Justin Upton. Hill went yard again for the Diamondbacks in the second inning, this time taking the pitcher Hudson home with him. San Francisco started assessing the damage and working on repairs in the fourth with a two-run homer of their own, off Pablo Sandoval's bat, with Melky Cabrera also scoring. Arizona took one back as Young doubled in another run, this time as Miguel Montero crossed home. The Giants charged back with a Brett Pill two-run homer run, also scoring Brandon Belt. They couldn't quite tie it, falling 5-4. Hudson had the win, J.J. Putz picked up a clean save, and Bumgarner was handed the loss.
East again to Houston, with the Astros welcoming the Colorado Rockies. Jamie Moyer and Lucas Harrell take their turns in the rotation. Houston began with a Jordan Schafer lead-off solo home run. The Astros added on in the fourth inning with J.D. Martinez hitting a two-run homer, also scoring Brian Bixler. Houston scored again in the fifth inning as Schafer sacrificed to allow Marwin Gonzalez to cross the plate. In the sixth inning, the Astros added on with a Chris Snyder single that brought in Chris Johnson. Houston continued to put them in one at a time with a seventh inning Martinez single driving in Travis Buck. Colorado broke up the shutout with a solo shot by Michael Cuddyer in the eighth inning. The Astros took it back as Johnson scored on a passed ball. The Rockies tried making a comeback in the ninth inning with Troy Tulowitzki's triple that got Dexter Fowler across the plate before he was brought around by a Todd Helton groundout, leaving the final at 7-3. The win belonged to Harrell, while Moyer suffered the loss.
Up to the second part of the battle of Pennsylvania today, as the Pittsburgh Pirates bring in the Philadelphia Phillies as the Penguins did for the Flyers earlier in the day. Cliff Lee and Jeff Karstens are on the hill. Philadelphia struck first on a Hunter Pence single to bring around Shane Victorino. In the sixth inning, Pittsburgh tied it with a Yamaico Navarro run on a wild pitch. The Pirates won 2-1 in the tenth inning as Alex Presley singled in pinch-runner Michael McKenry. Juan Cruz picked up the win while Joe Blanton was pinned with the loss.
Down the coast, the Baltimore Orioles host the Minnesota Twins. Francisco Liriano will duel with Tommy Hunter. Baltimore drew first blood on a second inning Adam Jones solo shot. The Orioles padded their lead in the third with Robert Andino singling Ronny Paulino home after a Josh Willingham error and J.J. Hardy's groundout into a double play providing ample time for Andino to dash home. Baltimore scored a few more in the fourth inning, beginning with a 2-RBI Andino single that sent Mark Reynolds and Paulino in, followed by Nolan Reimold using a single to get Andino all the way home. The Orioles got back to scoring in the seventh inning with solo home runs by Nick Markakis and Matt Wieters. Minnesota broke up the shutout in the eighth inning when Jamey Carroll grounded into a fielder's choice, paving the way home for Ben Revere, followed by Joe Mauer doing the same for Alexi Casilla. The final stuck at 8-2, with Hunter getting the win while Liriano takes the loss.
Inland a bit, the Cincinnati Reds bring in the Miami Marlins. Ricky Nolasco and Mat Latos get the manager's approval to start. Miami busted things open with a fourth inning Giancarlo Stanton double to bring around Emilio Bonifacio. Cincinnati shot back in the bottom of the inning with a two-run blast from Joey Votto, also scoring Zack Cozart. The Marlins tied it in the fifth wit ha solo home run from Omar Infante, and took the lead with Stanton's single that allowed Jose Reyes and Bonifacio to score. Miami padded the lead in the seventh inning when Hanley Ramirez went yard, bringing in Bonifacio with him. The Marlins extended the lead in the eighth with a two-run homer for John Buck, knocking in Infante. The Reds got one back as Cozart hit a solo shot in the bottom of the inning. This made the final 8-3, with Nolasco earning the win and Latos taking the loss.
In Florida now, the Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees. Hiroki Kuroda goes up against David Price pitching. Tampa Bay led off with a first inning Luke Scott single to bring around both Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce. The Rays extended the lead with a second inning Carlos Pena single that scored Jose Lobaton. Tampa Bay added on in the third inning with a solo shot for Joyce. New York found the scoreboard with an Andruw Jones single that knocked in Curtis Granderson, before coming all the way home when Eduardo Nunez singled him in. The Rays replied in the sixth inning with Scott doubling to score Ben Zobrist, and then he came home with a Jennings single helping him get there. Tampa Bay did some more damage in the seventh inning as Joyce singled to bring in both Evan Longoria and Pena. The Yankees tried to make a comeback in the ninth inning with Raul Ibanez hitting a sacrifice fly to drive in Granderson, and Nick Swisher hitting a 3-run home run that also brought in Russell Martin and Eric Chavez, but it still wasn't enough and they lost 8-6. Price earned the win, Fernando Rodney recorded the last out for the save, and Kuroda was given the loss.
West to Texas again, as the Rangers welcome the Chicago White Sox. Jake Peavy and Derek Holland will be entertaining the batters. Chicago struck early with a Paul Konerko single to score Alejandro De Aza. Texas tied it with a Mike Napoli single that knocked in Michael Young in the second inning. The White Sox broke the tie in the third inning with a Konerko double scoring both Brent Lillibridge and Adam Dunn. The Rangers shot back in their half of the inning with an Elvis Andrus single bringing in Ian Kinsler, and he came home on an Adrian Beltre sacrifice fly. Chicago took a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning as Alex Rios hit a solo home run, which was the decisive run. Matt Thornton had the win, Hector Santiago picked up the save with a clean inning of work, and Joe Nathan took the loss.
Farther to the west, the San Diego Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Capuano and Dustin Moseley will play from the mound. Los Angeles was on the board in the first inning with a Matt Kemp sacrifice fly paving the way for Dee Gordon to come home. The Dodgers added on in the third inning as Kemp singled in Gordon before coming home himself on an Andre Ethier double that also scored Mark Ellis. Los Angeles extended the lead again in the fifth inning on a solo home run for A.J. Ellis. San Diego would tie things up in the fifth inning as Chase Headley, Jesus Guzman, and Nick Hundley walked to force in Jason Bartlett, Cameron Maybin, and Chris Denorfia, followed by Headley coming in on a wild pitch and Orlando Hudson producing the tying run with his single to score Guzman. The Dodgers gained the lead again in the eleventh inning as Gordon hit a single that allowed A.J. Ellis to dart home. This held up for a 6-5 win, with Todd Coffey picking up the W, Javy Guerra notching the save, and Anthony Bass taking the loss.
Finally, we end the day in Oakland, with the Athletics bringing in the Seattle Mariners. Felix Hernandez and Bartolo Colon are the starting pitchers. Seattle led off with a first inning Dustin Ackley groundout to get Chone Figgins home. The Mariners extended the lead with a fourth inning Ichiro triple to score Ackley, and then he came home when Justin Smoak singled, followed by Miguel Olivo singling in Smoak, Munenori Kawasaki singling in Kyle Seager, and Figgins doubling in both Olivo and Kawasaki, for a 6-run rally. Oakland made a feeble response in their half of the inning, as Seth Smith hit a sacrifice fly to score Coco Crisp. The Athletics got another back in the fifth inning with a solo home run by Jemile Weeks. Seattle replied in the sixth with a solo shot by Michael Saunders. Oakland fired back in their half of the inning as Kurt Suzuki doubled in Josh Reddick and Smith. The Athletics pulled within one on a Yoenis Cespedes three-run homer run in the seventh inning, also scoring Eric Sogard and Crisp. They couldn't find an equalizer though, and the Mariners held on to win 8-7. The win was awarded to Hernandez, Brandon League pitched a clean ninth inning for the save, and Colon was stuck holding the loss.
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