MLB: Major League Baseball's Opening Day off to a flier

Shane Bieber struck out 14 batters to set an Opening Day franchise record and lift the host Cleveland Indians to a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday. Bieber (1-0), who was last year’s All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, scattered four hits over six innings before exiting after 97 pitches. His strikeout total eclipsed the Opening Day club record set by Gary Bell, who fanned 12 against Detroit on April 19, 1960. Oscar Mercado had a run-scoring single and Cesar Hernandez followed with an RBI double during a two-run fifth inning for the Indians, who won 12 of the 19 meetings against their American League Central rival in 2019. Danny Duffy (0-1) retired nine in a row at one point before running into trouble in the fifth inning for the Royals, who fell short in the debut of manager Mike Matheny.

Cubs 3, Brewers 0: Kyle Hendricks became the first Chicago starter in 46 years to go the distance on Opening Night, firing a three-hit shutout

Astros 8, Mariners 2: Michael Brantley clubbed a three-run home run in support of Justin Verlander, who worked six solid innings to pace Houston past visiting Seattle. Brantley drove home Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman by drilling a 2-1 splitter from Seattle’s Zac Grotz into the right field seats with one out in the fifth inning. Grotz entered in relief of Marco Gonzales (0-1), who departed after surrendering an RBI single to Altuve that tied the game 2-2 earlier in the inning. Verlander (1-0), making his 12th career Opening Day start, proved effective and efficient. He surrendered just three hits to go along with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Padres 7, Diamondbacks 2: Eric Hosmer drove in a franchise Opening Day-record six runs with a pair of two-out, three-run doubles to lead San Diego over visiting Arizona. Padres starter Chris Paddack (1-0) held Arizona scoreless on four hits over six innings. After getting double plays to escape of jams in each of the first two innings, Paddack retired 12 of the last 13 hitters he faced. Madison Bumgarner (0-1) ended his Diamondbacks debut allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four.

Red Sox 13, Orioles 2: JD Martinez and Kevin Pillar each drove in three runs as Boston rolled past visiting Baltimore. Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) stepped in for Boston and was solid as the fill-in starter with Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez unavailable. He gave up one run on five hits in six innings, not allowing that run until his last frame. Non-roster invitee Tommy Milone (0-1) was the fill-in starter for Baltimore. Milone substituted for 2019 All-Star John Means (arm fatigue). Milone lasted just three innings, giving up four runs on four hits.

Cardinals 5, Pirates 4: Yadier Molina drove home a key run in his 16th consecutive Opening Day start as St Louis held off visiting Pittsburgh. Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (1-0) allowed two runs in seven innings to earn the victory. He picked up where he left off last season, when he went 7-2 with a 0.91 ERA over his last 15 starts. Tyler O’Neill and Dexter Fowler hit solo homers off Pirates starter Joe Musgrove (0-1), who allowed three runs in his 5 2/3 innings.

Blue Jays 6, Rays 4: Cavan Biggio slugged a three-run homer as Toronto produced consecutive three-run innings to beat Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg. The Blue Jays tallied three times in the fourth inning before Biggio hit the team’s first homer with a three-run shot off Tampa Bay ace Charlie Morton (0-1) in the following frame.

Dodgers 9, Giants: 1 Max Muncy hit two home runs, and Ross Stripling tossed seven strong innings as Los Angeles won for the second time in two nights, beating visiting San Francisco. Stripling (1-0) gave up one run on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings. Muncy and Corey Seager each had three hits for the Dodgers. Justin Turner and Will Smith added two RBIs apiece. San Francisco went with an opener Friday as Tyler Anderson was announced a few hours before game time. Anderson (0-1) tossed 1 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits with three walks and no strikeouts.

Rangers 1, Rockies 0: Lance Lynn tied a franchise record with nine strikeouts by an Opening Day starter, Rougned Odor drove in the only run of the game, and Texas held on to beat Colorado to open its new stadium in Arlington. Lynn (1-0) allowed just two hits and walked four over six innings and threw 108 pitches. Jose Leclerc threw six straight balls to start the ninth but rebounded to strike out two and nailed down the save for Texas. David Dahl had all three of Colorado’s hits and German Marquez (0-1) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning in his first Opening Day start.

Mets 1, Braves 0: Yoenis Cespedes, appearing in his first game in 734 days, hit a home run in the seventh inning to snap a scoreless tie and lift host New York over Atlanta. Cespedes, who hadn’t played since July 20, 2018, due to two heel surgeries and a broken right ankle, homered deep into the left field seats on the second pitch he saw from Chris Martin (0-1). Seth Lugo (1-0), who threw two one-hit innings in relief of starter Jacob deGrom, earned the win. Justin Wilson had a one-hit eighth, and Edwin Diaz worked around a one-out walk to Freddie Freeman in the ninth to earn the save.

Twins 10, White Sox 5: Max Kepler smacked two solo home runs, Jake Cave, Jorge Polanco and Luis Arraez had two-run singles, and visiting Minnesota opened the season with a victory against Chicago. The teams combined for 10 runs, 10 hits and three home runs in the first two innings, as starting pitchers Lucas Giolito of the White Sox and Jose Berrios of the Twins struggled. Twins reliever Trevor May (1-0) was the winner in relief, logging one walk and one strikeout in one scoreless inning. May followed a shaky start from Berrios, who gave up five runs in four innings.

Marlins 5, Phillies 2: Jesus Aguilar homered, Corey Dickerson and Miguel Rojas each added two hits, and Miami defeated host Philadelphia. Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara tossed 6 2/3 effective innings, giving up three hits and two runs, one earned, while striking out seven and walking two. Alcantara (1-0), the club’s lone All-Star last season, threw 87 pitches, 56 for strikes. Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola, who was making his third straight Opening Day start, lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed five hits and four runs. Nola (0-1) struck out seven and walked one.

Reds 7, Tigers: 1 Sonny Gray struck out nine over six strong innings, newcomer Mike Moustakas homered to highlight a three-hit, four-RBI game, and host Cincinnati opened the shortened season with a rout of Detroit. Gray topped the 1,000-career strikeout mark while allowing one run on three hits and two walks. Gray’s only blemish was a deep, solo homer by C.J. Cron in the fourth inning. Joey Votto homered in the fifth inning for one of his two hits for the Reds. Nick Castellanos finished 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI in his Cincinnati debut.