Associated Press
Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols realizes he’s only one game into a decade-long commitment, so his hitless debut for the Los Angeles Angels didn’t cause him much distress.
Instead, he’ll remember the big-game electricity in Angel Stadium, the warm reception from his new West Coast fans — and the performances of Angels teammates who showed Pujols he doesn’t have to do anything by himself.
Jered Weaver struck out 10 in eight dominant innings of four-hit ball, Peter Bourjos’ bases-loaded infield single broke open a scoreless game in the eighth inning, and the Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 Friday night.
Erick Aybar added a bases-loaded triple for the Angels, who began a season of enormous expectations with their eighth opening-day win in the last nine years.
And the Angels did it with no help from Pujols. The feared slugger went 0 for 3 with an eighth-inning intentional walk after getting several raucous pregame ovations from a crowd that still can’t quite believe he’s wearing a halo cap.
“You want to do something special, but that’s the way it goes,” Pujols said. “We got a win, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
After winning three NL MVP awards and two World Series titles during 11 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million deal to continue his career in Southern California. He was the center of attention at Angel Stadium from the moment he stepped on the field for batting practice, and he got the longest and loudest ovation from the Orange County crowd during pregame introductions, taking off his red cap and saluting his new fans.
“Just the same nerves that go through for the last 11 years of my career,” Pujols said. “It’s just something my dad always told me: If you don’t go through that, you ain’t ready. I knew I was ready because I was going through that.”
Pujols lined into a first-inning double play, popped out in the third, and struck out on three pitches in the seventh. He walked in the eighth, but the Angels already had made their decisive rally.
Pujols has played baseball too long to worry about one game, yet he really wanted to do something special right away in Anaheim.
“I keep looking at my bat,” Pujols said. “I was putting good barrel on it, but that’s the way it goes.”
Although Pujols is here to revamp the Angels’ lineup, this club is built on a formidable starting rotation — and in that area, not much has changed so far.
“When you’re matched up against Weaver, you know you’re not scoring a bunch of runs,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said.
In his fourth opening-day start for the Angels, Weaver was in the same intimidating form that made him the runner-up for last year’s AL Cy Young award. The right-hander retired 13 straight after allowing back-to-back singles in the third inning, finished with double-digit strikeouts for the 12th time in his career, and didn’t walk a batter.
“It’s my job to keep us in the game, and it’s their job to get some runs on the board,” Weaver said. “We’ve got a great lineup, so it’s just a matter of time before we start putting it together.”
Kansas City starter Bruce Chen, the oldest player on the majors’ youngest team, matched each of Weaver’s zeros during six innings of three-hit ball in the first opening day start of his 14-year, 10-team career.
After seven fruitless innings, the Angels finally made an eighth-inning rally that began with a single by Kendrys Morales in his first game since breaking his ankle nearly two years ago.
After Morales connected against All-Star reliever Aaron Crow (0-1), pinch-runner Alexi Amarista advanced to third on sharp singles by converted third baseman Mark Trumbo and new catcher Chris Iannetta. After two Royals couldn’t cleanly field Bourjos’ single off Greg Holland, Aybar’s shot down the line cleared the bases, and Torii Hunter added a run-scoring single moments later.
“We were in it all the way to the eighth,” Chen said. “We have one of the best bullpens in the league, and we want to use it. The next time I’m pitching, I want those two guys again.”
The crowd gave another ovation to Morales, who made his first appearance with the Angels since May 29, 2010, when the Cuban power hitter broke his left ankle jumping on home plate to celebrate a game-ending grand slam. He went 1 for 3.
RAYS 7, YANKEES 6
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Carlos Pena hit a grand slam off CC Sabathia in the first and added an RBI single off Mariano Rivera in the ninth to lift Tampa Bay over New York.
Rivera (0-1) had been 60 of 61 in save chances against the Rays. But after Desmond Jennings opened the ninth with a single against Rivera, Ben Zobrist tripled home the tying run.
The 42-year-old Yankees closer intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases and struck out Sean Rodriguez. Pena, who came in 0 for 11 in his career against Rivera, won it by driving a 1-2 pitch off the base of the wall in left-center for his fifth RBI of the game.
Evan Longoria homered and Fernando Rodney (1-0) worked a perfect ninth for the win.
RANGERS 3, WHITE SOX 2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Colby Lewis struck out nine in his first opening day start, Ian Kinsler homered and Texas spoiled the debut of new Chicago manager Robin Ventura.
Kinsler had a leadoff double in the first and scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Hamilton. Kinsler added a solo homer in the third.
Lewis (1-0) walked only one over six innings, throwing 70 of 100 pitches for strikes, and Joe Nathan worked a perfect ninth for the save.
John Danks (0-1) gave up three runs on six hits over six innings for the White Sox. He struck out six and issued no walks. Adam Dunn homered for Chicago.
ORIOLES 4, TWINS 2
BALTIMORE — Jake Arrieta pitched seven scoreless innings, Nick Markakis homered and drove in three runs, and Baltimore beat Minnesota to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of Camden Yards.
Arrieta (1-0) allowed two hits, struck out four and walked two in a 97-pitch performance. Markakis hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI triple in the sixth. He also walked and scored twice. Jim Johnson got two outs in the ninth for the save.
Carl Pavano (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits over seven innings for the Twins in his third career opening day start. He issued two walks, and both runners eventually scored.
MARINERS 7, ATHLETICS 3
OAKLAND, Calif. — Chone Figgins had three hits and two RBIs, and Kyle Seager singled twice and drove in a pair, leading Seattle past Oakland in the stateside opener for both teams.
Seager’s two-run single highlighted a four-run third inning that broke the game open for the Mariners, resuming a series that began in Japan more than a week ago.
Jason Vargas (1-0) allowed five hits in 5 1-3 innings. His only mistake was a fastball crushed by Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes to deep left-center field for a two-run homer, the second long ball of the season for Oakland’s new center fielder.
Brandon McCarthy (0-1) gave up five runs — two earned — on seven hits in five innings.
Billingsley slows Padres
SAN DIEGO — Chad Billingsley came within two outs of a complete game, striking out 11 and allowing only three hits in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.
The impressive start by Billingsley (1-0) came a day after reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw came out after three innings because of the stomach flu in the Dodgers’ 5-3 season-opening win.
Billingsley retired pinch-hitter Jeremy Hermida leading off the ninth before allowing Cameron Maybin’s single to left. Manager Don Mattingly came out to get Billingsley, accompanied by boos from Dodgers fans. Jamey Wright got the final two outs.
Billingsley walked one and reached double digits in strikeouts for the ninth time in his career. He was on from the start, striking out the side in the first inning and again in the third. He had at least one strikeout in every inning except the eighth and ninth.
Andre Ethier drove in four runs with a double and triple.
The Padres committed two more errors, giving them five in the first two games. They’ve struck out 18 times in 18 innings. The Padres were shut out 19 times last year, the most in the majors.
Ethier lined a double into the gap in right-center with two outs in the first to bring in Mark Ellis and Juan Rivera, who singled.
With two outs in the fifth, Ethier tripled off the fence in right-center to score Matt Kemp, who had singled, and Rivera, who walked. That gave the Dodgers a 6-0 lead and chased Cory Luebke (0-1).
CARDINALS 11, BREWERS 5
MILWAUKEE — David Freese hit a two-run drive for one of four St. Louis homers off Yovani Gallardo, and the Cardinals spoiled Milwaukee’s opener.
Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday also connected for the Cardinals.
Gallardo (0-1) struggled with his control from the start and lasted only 3 2-3 innings, giving up seven hits and six runs with five walks and three strikeouts.
Jaime Garcia (1-0) pitched six solid innings for St. Louis, yielding two runs and five hits.
Ryan Braun was 0 for 5, and new Brewers cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez was 0 for 4.
Braun’s 50-game suspension for a positive drug test was overturned before spring training.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, GIANTS 4
PHOENIX — Chris Young and Paul Goldschmidt hit first-inning home runs off Tim Lincecum and Arizona opened defense of its NL West title with a win over San Francisco.
Ryan Roberts’ two-run double broke a sixth-inning tie as Arizona defeated Lincecum (0-1) for the fourth time in a row.
Ian Kennedy (1-0) allowed three runs on nine hits in 6 2-3 innings for Arizona.
Pablo Sandoval’s RBI double with two outs in the ninth pulled the Giants within a run, but J.J. Putz got Buster Posey on a grounder to earn the save.
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer for San Francisco.
ROCKIES 5, ASTROS 3
HOUSTON — Pinch runner Eric Young scored the go-ahead run on an error in the eighth inning and Troy Tulowitzki homered in the ninth to lift Colorado over Houston.
The game was tied 3-3 when Ramon Hernandez singled in the eighth before being replaced by Young. Young stole second and scored on an error by catcher Jason Castro.
Tulowitzki hit a solo shot and Rafael Betancourt earned the save for the Rockies.
Colorado starter Jeremy Guthrie (1-0) allowed four hits and three runs in seven innings.
Wandy Rodriguez allowed six hits and three runs — none earned — in 6 1-3 innings for Houston. Fernando Rodriguez (0-1) yielded a hit and an unearned run in 1 2-3 innings.