Villar goes deep twice, Giants hit 7 HRs to rout White Sox
CHICAGO (AP) - David Villar hit two of San Francisco´s seven home runs, Anthony DeSclafani tossed six scoreless innings and the Giants pounded the Chicago White Sox 12-3 on Monday.
Villar hit a solo homer in the fifth and a grand slam in the ninth. Joc Pederson, Michael Conforto, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski and Bryce Johnson also went deep for San Francisco, which hit its most home runs since July 2, 2002, at Colorado. The team record of eight was set at Milwaukee on April 30, 1961, when Willie Mays hit four.
The Giants broke out in a big way after being shut out twice while losing two of three in their opening series at Yankee Stadium, and spoiled Chicago´s first home game under manager Pedro Grifol.
Pederson was also robbed of a two-run drive by center fielder Luis Robert Jr.
Conforto and Estrada went back-to-back in the fifth, and so did Yastrzemski and Villar to make it 7-0.
DeSclafani (1-0) picked up his first win since Oct. 1, 2021. The 32-year-old right-hander was limited to five starts last season because of a right ankle injury.
San Francisco Giants' David Villar smiles as he celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam during the ninth inning of the Chicago White Sox season home opening baseball game in Chicago, Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The five home runs allowed by Michael Kopech (0-1) tied White Sox record.
ANGELS 7, MARINERS 3
SEATTLE (AP) - Shohei Ohtani hit his second home run of the season, Taylor Ward added a two-run shot and Los Angeles topped Seattle.
Ohtani drove a 1-1 pitch from George Kirby (0-1) an estimated 431 feet into the right-center seats in the fifth inning for a 4-2 lead. Kirby gave up only one long ball during the final three months last season.
Luis Rengifo had a pair of RBI singles, both scoring Jake Lamb. Mike Trout was on base five times with a single, three walks and a hit by pitch.
After losing on opening night, the Angels have won three straight while the Mariners have dropped four in a row after winning their opener.
Ryan Tepera (1-0) won in relief of Reid Detmers.
PADRES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Pinch-hitter David Dahl and Kim Ha-seong hit consecutive home runs to start the bottom of the ninth inning as San Diego stunned Arizona.
The Padres won their third straight game and became the first team in major league history with a walk-off win on back-to-back homers by its No. 8 and No. 9 batters, according to OptaSTATS.
The Diamondbacks took a 4-3 lead on Evan Longoria´s homer in the top of the ninth, two innings after rookie Corbin Carroll tied the game with a leadoff shot.
But the Padres came right back with Dahl´s leadoff drive and Kim´s long ball off Scott McGough (0-1), his first game-ending hit in the majors.
Tim Hill (1-0) got the win after getting two outs in the ninth.
Juan Soto also hit his first home run of the season for the Padres.
BREWERS 10, METS 0
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Brewers rookie Brice Turang hit a grand slam for his first major league homer, capping a seven-run fifth inning that sent Milwaukee past New York in its home opener.
Brian Anderson also homered and Freddy Peralta (1-0) pitched six innings of two-hit ball as the Brewers won their third straight. Shut out in its first 16 innings this season, Milwaukee has scored 22 runs in its last 20 innings.
The day started poorly for the Mets when Carlos Carrasco (0-1) received a pitch-clock violation before throwing his first pitch. That set the tone for the rest of an afternoon in which they compiled more clock violations (four) than hits (three). New York has lost 14 of its last 17 games in Milwaukee.
Bryse Wilson worked three innings for his second career save.
TWINS 11, MARLINS 1
MIAMI (AP) - Max Kepler hit a leadoff homer, Joey Gallo added a three-run shot and Minnesota routed Miami to remain unbeaten this season.
Trevor Larnach also went deep and Tyler Mahle (1-0) struck out seven in five solid innings for the Twins, who swept their opening series in Kansas City and are 4-0 for the ninth time in franchise history. The last time was 2017.
Johnny Cueto (0-1) exited with right biceps tightness in the second inning after giving up two home runs in his Marlins debut.
Kepler left in the fourth with knee soreness.
RAYS 6, NATIONALS 2
WASHINGTON (AP) - Luke Raley homered twice, Drew Rasmussen pitched six shutout innings and Tampa Bay defeated Washington for the first 4-0 start in team history.
Isaac Paredes also went deep for the Rays, who have outscored their opponents 27-5. Raley had his first career multi-homer game.
Rasmussen (1-0) allowed two singles and didn´t walk a batter while striking out seven.
Trevor Williams (0-1) gave up four runs - three earned - over five innings in his Nationals debut.
Jeimer Candelario homered and Dominic Smith had two hits for Washington.
REDS 7, CUBS 6
CINCINNATI (AP) - Jason Vosler hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning and Cincinnati held off Chicago.
It was the second home run of the season for Vosler, a non-roster invite to spring training. After entering as a pinch-runner in the second, he connected off Drew Smyly (0-1).
Cody Bellinger launched an early three-run homer for his first hit with the Cubs. Eric Hosmer´s two-run double off Alex Young (1-0) put Chicago ahead 6-4 in the fifth.
Derek Law stranded two runners in the ninth to earn his first save since 2019. The Reds are 3-1 after starting 3-22 last season.
YANKEES 8, PHILLIES 1
NEW YORK (AP) - Gleyber Torres hit his 100th career homer and reached base five times, Anthony Rizzo added a two-run shot and New York blew out winless Philadelphia.
The defending NL champion Phillies are 0-4 for the first time since 2016. The only team to win a World Series after starting 0-4 was the 2021 Atlanta Braves.
Nestor Cortes (1-0) allowed one run and seven hits over five innings and made a key defensive play in his season debut. Franchy Cordero made his first start for the Yankees and hit a two-run double in a five-run fifth.
Taijuan Walker (0-1), making his Philadelphia debut after signing a $72 million, four-year contract, allowed four runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. Alec Bohm had three hits for the Phillies, who have been outscored 37-12.
PIRATES 7, RED SOX 6
BOSTON (AP) - Bryan Reynolds hit two solo homers, Jason Delay added another and Pittsburgh edged Boston.
On a mild evening when the teams combined for six home runs, Masataka Yoshida hit his first since joining the Red Sox from Japan. Yoshida and Triston Casas each had a two-run drive, and Rafael Devers added a solo shot.
Duane Underwood Jr. (1-0) worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings and David Bednar got his second save.
Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford (0-1) needed 32 pitches to get through the first inning and lasted four. He yielded seven runs and eight hits, including three homers.
ROYALS 9, BLUE JAYS 5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Brady Singer pitched five effective innings, MJ Melendez hit a two-run homer and Kansas City beat Toronto for its first victory of the season.
Nicky Lopez had a two-run triple and Bobby Witt Jr. delivered a pair of RBI singles as the Royals opened a 7-0 lead in the fourth against José Berríos (0-1) and gave Matt Quatraro his first win as manager.
Singer (1-0) allowed just two hits - doubles by Matt Chapman - with three walks and three strikeouts. He is 7-0 with a 1.68 ERA in his last 10 starts at Kauffman Stadium dating to June 26 last year.
ORIOLES 2, RANGERS 0
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Texas outfielder Josh Smith was taken to a hospital after he was hit in the face by a pitch against Baltimore.
Smith, a left-handed batter, was struck on the right side of his face by a slider from Danny Coulombe. Gunnar Henderson and Jorge Mateo homered for the Orioles, and Tyler Wells provided a lift with five hitless innings in relief.
Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish exited with a bruised foot after he was struck by Jonah Heim´s line drive in the second. Coulombe (1-0) then got four outs before Wells entered.
Felix Bautista pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Texas' only hit was a second-inning single by Josh Jung. It was the first loss for the Rangers in four games under new manager Bruce Bochy.
Jon Gray (0-1) allowed four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out seven.
BRAVES 8, CARDINALS 4
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a three-run homer and finished a triple shy of the cycle to power Atlanta past St. Louis.
Ozzie Albies smacked a two-run homer and Austin Riley added a solo shot for the Braves.
Paul Goldschmidt, the 2022 NL MVP, hit his first home run of the season but the Cardinals stranded 11 runners.
Charlie Morton (1-0) gave up three runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings in his 21st career start against St. Louis.
Jake Woodford (0-1) went 4 1/3 innings and allowed six runs - including three homers.
TIGERS 7, ASTROS 6, 11 INNINGS
HOUSTON (AP) - Matt Vierling made a sprawling, bases-loaded catch and hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the 11th inning as Detroit rebounded from a meltdown in the ninth to beat Houston for its first win after an 0-3 start.
Detroit wasted a 4-0 lead but Riley Greene´s seventh-inning homer off Bryan Abreu put the Tigers ahead 5-4. Vierling´s backhand grab in right field on Mauricio Dubón's two-out liner stopped Houston´s four-run rally in the fifth.
Yordan Alvarez homered and drove in four runs for the Astros.
Vierling, acquired from Philadelphia in an offseason trade, went deep in the 11th off Héctor Neris (0-1) and finished with four hits.
Trey Wingenter (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th, and Garrett Hill got his first save since 2017 at Santa Rosa Junior College.
Detroit avoided its first 0-4 start since 2008.
DODGERS 13, ROCKIES 4
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jason Heyward slammed a two-run homer as part of a seven-run rally with two outs in the fifth inning that carried Los Angeles past Colorado on a chilly, windy night.
J.D. Martinez hit a two-run single for the Dodgers, and rookie James Outman tripled twice to drive in three runs. Heyward connected on his first homer for Los Angeles and finished with three RBIs.
Will Smith and Chris Taylor each hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who rapped out 13 hits. Yency Almonte (1-0) got the win with one inning of relief.
Rockies starter Ryan Feltner (0-1) gave up five runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
GUARDIANS 12, ATHLETICS 11, 10 INNINGS
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - José Ramírez hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning after his RBI triple in the eighth gave Cleveland the lead, and the Guardians rallied to beat Oakland.
Cleveland added an insurance run on a wild pitch by Trevor May (1-1), which the Guardians needed when the Athletics got one back in the bottom of the 10th on Esteury Ruiz´s double. Eli Morgan earned the save.
Seth Brown hit a tying, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase (1-0).
Josh Naylor homered and hit an RBI single for the Guardians, who won their fourth straight after losing at Seattle on opening day.
Jace Peterson hit a three-run homer and Ramón Laureano added a two-run drive, but the A´s squandered an early 6-2 lead for James Kaprielian.
Xzavion Curry pitched five innings in relief of Cleveland starter Zach Plesac, who was knocked out after allowing six runs on seven hits in one inning.
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San Francisco Giants' David Villar hits a solo home run during the fifth inning of the Chicago White Sox season home opening baseball game in Chicago, Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
