BALTIMORE (AP) — The New York Yankees finally won their first game of the season, using four hits by Derek Jeter and an effective pitching performance by Ivan Nova to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 Monday night.
Andruw Jones homered for the Yankees, who averted the fourth 0-4 start in franchise history — the first since 1973. New York began the season by losing three straight to Tampa Bay.
Nova (1-0) allowed two runs and 10 hits (six for extra bases) in seven innings, striking out seven with no walks. Orioles starter Brian Matusz (0-1) threw 96 pitches in laboring through four innings. He gave up four runs, six hits and four walks in absorbing his 10th straight loss over two seasons.
RED SOX 4, BLUE JAYS 2
TORONTO (AP) — Ryan Sweeney singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Blue Jays, spoiling Toronto's home opener and avoiding the first back-to-back 0-4 starts in team history.
Dustin Pedroia homered and scored the tying run as the Red Sox handed new Blue Jays closer Sergio Santos his second blown save in three appearances.
Handed a 2-1 lead to start the ninth, Santos (0-1) surrendered a leadoff double to Pedroia, who advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez.
Kevin Youkilis struck out before David Ortiz and Cody Ross drew consecutive walks. After a visit to the mound by pitching coach Bruce Walton, Sweeney hit an RBI single through the right side.
RANGERS 11, MARINERS 5
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Yu Darvish overcome a rocky start and got a big boost from the powerful Texas lineup, winning his much-anticipated major league debut in the Rangers' victory over the Mariners.
After giving up four runs while throwing 42 pitches in the first inning, then allowing another run in the second, Darvish (1-0) settled down and later retired 10 in a row while pitching into the sixth.
Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer in the third for Texas to tie the game at 5, then Mitch Moreland and Josh Hamilton both went deep in the fourth to give Darvish an 8-5 lead. Ian Kinsler added a three-run blast in the eighth.
Darvish was Japan's top pitcher before the Rangers committed more than $107 million to acquire him, including his guaranteed $56 million, six-year contract.
ANGELS 5, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — C.J. Wilson won his awaited Angels debut with seven smooth innings, giving Los Angeles all the boost it needed to beat the Twins and spoil Minnesota's home opener.
Wilson (1-0) allowed three hits while striking out five, giving up only one fly ball, a home run by Josh Willingham. Wilson, who struck out Joe Mauer twice, had a 2-0 lead before he even touched the mound, after Torii Hunter's single and Bobby Abreu's double drove in first-inning runs against Nick Blackburn.
Albert Pujols didn't get a ball out of the infield in four at-bats, but he reached on a fielder's choice, hustled from first to third on a single to center and scored the Angels' first run. Pujols is 3 for 14 through four games, with one run batted in.
Blackburn (0-1) was charged with five runs over six innings, but he recorded 15 straight outs in one stretch and surrendered just five hits, a decent first start after two straight rough seasons.
WHITE SOX 4, INDIANS 2
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chris Sale won his first career start, limiting Cleveland to one run in 6 2-3 innings and leading the White Sox to a win over the Indians.
Sale pitched out of Chicago's bullpen the past two seasons but moved into the rotation after ace Mark Buehrle left as a free agent this winter. The left-hander, who had made 79 relief appearances, took a one-hit shutout into the sixth. In his longest outing, Sale allowed three hits and struck out five.
The 23-year-old had little trouble with a Cleveland team that came in batting .153.
Rookie Hector Santiago gave up Jose Lopez's homer in the ninth before getting his second save.
A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run homer in the first, four batters after Alejandro De Aza homered leading off against Josh Tomlin (0-1).
