Major League roundup
Pirates lose to Reds, fall to worst start in 32 years CINCINNATI (AP) – Felipe Lopez homered twice and drove in three runs Friday night, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a rain-delayed 7-6 victory that extended the Pittsburgh Pirates’ worst start in 32 years.
The Pirates are 0-5 for the first time since 1974, when they lost their first six games. The 1955 club dropped its first eight, setting the franchise record for futility.
Pittsburgh finished last in the NL Central a year ago, 33 games out. The Pirates retooled their everyday lineup, adding former Reds Sean Casey and Joe Randa, but are 41/2 games out of first place less than a week into the season.
Casey hit a two-run homer off left-hander Eric Milton (1-0), but the Pirates couldn’t cobble together a rally against the pitcher who led the NL in runs and homers allowed last season. Milton gave up six hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out three in seven innings.
Pittsburgh did get back into it with three runs in the ninth. One scored when left fielder Adam Dunn let Ryan Doumit’s single get past him for an error, and pinch-hitter Craig Wilson delivered a two-run homer off David Weathers. But Kent Mercker struck out Jeromy Burnitz with two on for his first save.
Cincinnati finished fifth last year because its pitching staff was the NL’s worst. Milton was the biggest disappointment in the bunch, losing 15 games and giving up a major league-leading 40 homers.
In his first start of 2006, he waited through a delay of 2 hours, 25 minutes before the first pitch, then came through with one of his best performances for the Reds. He didn’t allow a runner to reach second base until the sixth.
Left-hander Paul Maholm (0-1) had control problems on a cool, drizzly night. He set a career high by walking five batters, and three of them scored. Lopez homered in the third following a walk, and Austin Kearns completed the rally with a two-run double that landed near a puddle on the right-field warning track.
Lopez hit John Grabow’s first pitch for another homer leading off the seventh, the second two-homer game of his career. David Ross added a solo shot in the eighth off Matt Capps.
Cubs 5, Cardinals 1
CHICAGO – Greg Maddux pitched neatly into the seventh inning, Derrek Lee hit his second homer of the season and the Chicago Cubs won their home opener.
A week shy of his 40th birthday, Maddux earned his 319th career victory. He sent the Cardinals to their first loss of the season after a three-game sweep at Philadelphia.
Indians 11, Twins 6
CLEVELAND – Casey Blake hit a two-out grand slam, Travis Hafner homered twice and Paul Byrd pitched long enough to win a start he had waited 15 years for, helping the Cleveland Indians roll to an 1 home-opening win.
Back at sold out Jacobs Field for the first time since their final-week collapse in 2005, the Indians began to erase some of the bitter memories of a 1-6 record down the stretch that cost them a playoff spot despite 93 wins.
Red Sox 14, Orioles 8
BALTIMORE – Daniel Cabrera walked six batters in the first inning, and Boston got 16 hits to back an efficient pitching performance by Matt Clement in a victory over Baltimore.
Trot Nixon homered and drove in four runs for the Red Sox, who led 11-0 before the Orioles finally got a runner past first base in the seventh inning.
Devil Rays 9, Blue Jays 8
TORONTO – Jonny Gomes hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning and Tampa Bay rallied from a six-run deficit to beat Toronto.
Ty Wigginton, Travis Lee and Damon Hollins also homered for the Devil Rays.
Toronto’s Reed Johnson tied a major league record by getting hit by a pitch three times. Gomes was the last big leaguer to get hit three times on Aug. 15 against the New York Yankees.
Tigers 5, Rangers 2
ARLINGTON, Texas – Chris Shelton pushed his major league-leading home run total to five with a two-run drive and Detroit remained the AL’s only unbeaten team with a victory over Texas.
Tigers starter Mike Maroth (1-0) gave up one run and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings. Relievers Jason Grilli, Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney combined to allow one run and three hits over the final 3 2-3 innings. Rodney worked the ninth for his second save.
Royals 11, White Sox 7
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Doug Mientkiewicz, Angel Berroa and John Buck had two RBIs apiece, and Kansas City made up a six-run deficit to beat Chicago.
The first five White Sox batters scored against Jeremy Affeldt. But Jon Garland (0-1), who is coming off an 18-win season and was 11-4 lifetime against the Royals, gave up 10 hits and nine runs in 5 1-3 innings.