Atlanta Braves’ Matt Olson follows through after hitting a three-run double off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Connor Brogdon during the eighth inning of an opening-day MLB game, 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 Friday’s MLB season opener.
Michael Harris II had three hits and snapped an eighth-inning tie with an RBI single off José Alvarado (0-1) that made it 3-2 and ignited a breakout inning. Alvarado allowed five runs and Connor Brogdon gave up two.
Pierce Johnson (1-0) tossed a scoreless seventh to earn the win for Atlanta 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 threw a one-hitter to beat the New York Mets 3-1 in their contentious MLB season opener 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 victory in his debut as Milwaukee manager after he replaced Craig Counsell. The only hit the right-hander gave up was Starling Marte’s one-out homer in the second.
RAYS 8, BLUE JAYS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida— Aaron Civale allowed one run over six innings and Brandon Lowe hit his fourth career grand slam to lead Tampa Bay to a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Civale, a trade deadline acquisition who helped the Rays withstand injuries and make their fifth straight playoff appearance, limited the Blue Jays to George Springer’s solo homer and three singles before turning over a five-run lead to the bullpen.
Randy Arozarena’s RBI single made it 5-1 in the fifth. José Caballero drove in a run in the sixth and defending AL batting champion Yandy Díaz tacked on a two-run single in the eighth.
PIRATES 7, MARLINS 2
MIAMI– Ke’Bryan Hayes had a single and an RBI double, and Pittsburgh used another solid 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 through four innings, allowing six hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
Jake Burger drove in Miami’s first run with a single in the third that scored Arraez, who remains hitless in the series. Burger had his second straight-multi hit game, but the Marlins have been hurt by grounding into seven double plays this season.
YANKEES 7, ASTROS 1
New York Yankees’ Oswaldo Cabrera, 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 a career-high four hits with three RBIs and Giancarlo Stanton added a solo homer to lead the New York Yankees over Houston.
Juan Soto had three hits and put the Yankees ahead when he drew a bases-loaded walk in a two-run seventh.
Jose Altuve hit a leadoff double and scored when Alex Bregman singled with two outs on a ball 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, who jumped on Joe Musgrove early in a win over San Diego.
Kyle Harrison (1-0), a 22-year-old lefty, got plenty of run support to overcome impressive home runs by Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis homered again off reliever Tyler Rogers.
Bob Melvin got his first win with the Giants after two seasons managing the Padres.
Chapman hit a two-run homer in the three-run first, his first this season. He hit a massive two-run shot with one out in the ninth off the top level of the four-story brick warehouse in the left-field corner.
MARINERS 1, RED SOX 0
SEATTLE — George Kirby allowed just two hits and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings, J.P. Crawford homered and Seattle beat 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 over six innings, striking out 10 without a walk.
Andrés Muñoz got the final four outs to earn the save.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, ROCKIES 3
PHOENIX — Alek Thomas hit a three-run homer, Merrill Kelly delivered 6 2/3 quality innings and Arizona beat Colorado in the MLB.
Thomas had his big moment in the sixth, connecting on a slider up 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-hit debut in franchise history. Marte is the first to have back-to-back, three-hit games to start the season.
Kelly (1-0) cruised for most the night, giving up one run on three hits while striking out eight. The right-hander has thrown at least five innings in 30 straight regular-season outings, which ranks second among current MLB pitchers, behind Mitch Keller’s 32-game streak.
The Diamondbacks got their scoring started 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 later scored on a wild pitch.
GUARDIANS 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) hit a pair of RBI doubles, while Will Brennan added an RBI single for Cleveland.
Cleveland southpaw Logan Allen earned the win in his 2024 debut, allowing three runs over five-plus innings, after a 2023 rookie campaign where he posted a 3.81 ERA in 24 starts.
Oakland newcomer J.D. Davis hit two solo shots to record his first homers since being signed as a free agent on March 16. It marked the third two-homer game of Davis’ career and first since July 17, 2021. A’s outfielder Esteury Ruiz and catcher Shea Langeliers each added sacrifice flies.
DODGERS 6, CARDINALS 3
LOS ANGELES— Mookie Betts set a Dodgers record for leadoff home runs and Teoscar Hernández added his first two long balls for Los Angeles in a victory over St. Louis.
Betts, in his fifth season with the Dodgers broke a tie for leadoff homers with Davey Lopes, who played for Los Angeles 1972-81.
Bobby Miller (1-0) struck out 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) gave up five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Cardinals dropped to 0-2. Nolan Gorman had a two-run double in a three-run eighth.