ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out 11 over seven innings in his Houston debut, and the defending champion Astros finished a solid opening weekend with an 8-2 victory over Texas.
The hard-throwing right-hander, acquired in an offseason trade after he was the opening day starter for Pittsburgh last year, allowed two hits to help the Astros take three of four from their state rivals.
The first hit off Cole (1-0) was slugger Joey Gallo’s opposite-field homer just over the tall wall in left field in the first inning against a four-man outfield.
Derek Fisher had a tying triple in the fifth and scored the go-ahead run on George Springer’s sacrifice fly against Mike Minor (0-1), making his Texas debut and first major league start since 2014.
BLUE JAYS 7,
YANKEES 4
TORONTO (AP) — Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth to rally Toronto past New York.
After connecting off reliever Tommy Kahnle in the seventh, Smoak brought the crowd of 29,091 to its feet with his second career slam, a drive against David Robertson (0-1).
Smoak went 3 for 4 with a walk and six RBIs as Toronto gained a series split, winning the final two games.
Smoak’s other grand slam also came against the Yankees, in 2015.
NATIONALS 6, REDS 5
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bryce Harper hit two home runs, leadoff man Adam Eaton capped his big opening series with a two-run drive and Washington beat Cincinnati for a three-game sweep under new manager Dave Martinez.
The Nationals are 3-0 for the fourth time in their history. They last swept an opening series in 2014.
Eaton returned from a knee injury that wiped out most of his 2017 season and figured prominently in all three victories, going 8 for 13 with two doubles, two homers, five RBIs and six runs.
Anthony Rendon homered off Sal Romano (0-1).
MARINERS 5, INDIANS 4
SEATTLE (AP) — Dee Gordon and Mitch Haniger homered, Mike Leake pitched seven strong innings and Seattle topped Cleveland.
Edwin Encarnacion went deep twice for the Indians, his 29th career multihomer game.
Gordon and Haniger connected in the seventh, when the Mariners broke a 2-all tie on the way to winning the series.
Leake (1-0) gave up two runs and five hits. He has allowed three runs or fewer in all six starts since joining the Mariners late last season.
Gordon led off the seventh with a tiebreaking shot off Dan Otero (0-1). A few batters later, Haniger added a two-run drive off reliever Tyler Olson to give Seattle a 5-2 lead. They were the first runs Olson has allowed with Cleveland — last year he threw 20 scoreless innings in 30 appearances for the Indians.
TWINS 7, ORIOLES 0
BALTIMORE (AP) — Jose Berrios pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game, and Minnesota got two home runs from Brian Dozier in a rout of Baltimore.
Only one batter reached against Berrios over the first eight innings — No. 9 hitter Chance Sisco, whose third-inning double whisked by the raised glove of left fielder Eddie Rosario at the wall.
Berrios then retired 17 straight before Sisco bunted down the third-base line against the shift for a one-out single in the ninth. A walk and a single loaded the bases before Berrios retired Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones.
Berrios (1-0) struck out six and walked one in his 40th career start. He threw 107 pitches.
CARDINALS 5, METS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Paul DeJong had the first multihomer game of his big league career, Luke Weaver held the Mets to one run in five innings and St. Louis avoided an opening three-game sweep.
DeJong went deep in the second inning, making him 3 for 3 with two homers in his career against Steven Matz (0-1). DeJong hit his second solo homer in the eighth against Jacob Rhame.
DeJong hit .285 with 25 home runs and 65 RBIs as a rookie last year, earning a $26 million, six-year contract.
Marcell Ozuna broke out of an 0-for-9 start with three hits, including an RBI double and a run-scoring single. Yadier Molina also homered for the Cardinals.
RED SOX 2, RAYS 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hector Velazquez continued a season-opening stretch of strong starting pitching by Boston, working into the sixth inning.
The first four Red Sox starters — Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello and Velazquez — combined to give up two runs over 24 innings. The defending AL East champions won three of four at Tropicana Field under new manager Alex Cora.
Velazquez (1-0) allowed one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Joe Kelly closed for his first save.
Jose Alvarado (0-1) lost in relief.
MARLINS 6, CUBS 0
MIAMI (AP) — Dillon Peters threw six scoreless innings, Brian Anderson hit a three-run double to highlight a five-run fifth and Miami split its opening four-game series with Chicago.
Peters (1-0) helped a well-worked bullpen out in a big way, rarely getting himself into any trouble. He threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes, striking out two and walking only one.
PIRATES 1, TIGERS 0, 1ST GAME
PIRATES 8, TIGERS 6, 2ND GAME
DETROIT (AP) — Josh Harrison, Starling Marte and David Freese homered as Pittsburgh completed a doubleheader sweep of Detroit.
The Pirates won the opener behind six no-hit innings from Trevor Williams (1-0), then took control of the second game with five runs in the fifth off Buck Farmer (0-1)
Pittsburgh swept the three-game, season-opening series against the rebuilding Tigers. The highlight of the day for Detroit was Miguel Cabrera’s first home run of the season, a solo shot in the second game.
Chad Kuhl (1-0) allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings in the nightcap. Detroit starter Ryan Carpenter lasted three innings in his major league debut, yielding three runs and five hits.
