And That Happened
Dodgers 4, Giants, 0: I watched part of this game with my kids after they got home from school. When they were showing the lineups, they showed Clayton Kershaw’s career .146 average and my son asked me why it was so low compared to the other players’. I explained to him that pitchers can’t really bat. I am thankful that we changed it over to the Tigers-Twins game before Kershaw hit that homer because I’d hate for my son to question his father’s wisdom.
Brewers 5, Rockies 4: I saw a guy in Arizona last month wearing a “Lucroy is my homeboy” t-shirt. You earn that shirt with walkoff sac-flies, right?
Cubs 3, Pirates 1: Jeff Samardzija allowed only two hits while striking out nine. And extended a streak, now entering its sixth year, in which I never actually type his name out, preferring instead to copy and paste it. Really, if ever receive a call from someone telling me they’ve taken a loved one hostage and to free them I have to spell “Samardzija,” they’re pretty much already dead.
Mets 11, Padres 2: The Mets continue to kick butt in home openers, this being their 20th win in their last 22 Opening Days at Shea/Citi. Jon Niese pitched effectively into the seventh, had two hits, an RBI and scored a run. But really, I’m still telling my kids pitchers can’t hit.
Tigers 4, Twins 2: So cold that Justin Verlander actually wore a long-sleeved shirt under his jersey. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen that. But by far the coolest thing in the whole game was when Prince Fielder scored from third on a wild pitch. That man may be big, but he friggin’ moves. I bet he’s faster than several other first baseman in the game which, given his size, would not be something that would get you good betting odds. But I bet it’s true.
Nationals 2, Marlins 0: Harper + Strasburg = wins. That’s an equation that’s gonna hold together for several years. Two homers for the guy I picked to be the NL MVP mere hours before the first pitch of the game. Keep making me look smart, Bryce, and I’m gonna say even more nice things about you.
White Sox 1, Royals 0: Chris Sale outduels James Shields, pitching seven and two-thirds of shutout ball. Tyler Flowers’ homer was all the support he needed.
Red Sox 8, Yankees 2: Just a whole lot of blah for New York. It’s way, way too early to worry about CC Sabathia — anyone remember how bad he started out in 2008? And in a lot of other years — but in a year when the Yankees HAVE to have the rotation come through for them, this is not encouraging. Neither is a 3:37 game time for a ballgame this sloppy. But for two teams undergoing so much roster upheaval lately, that has to be some sort of comforting bit of continuity, yes?
Angels 3, Reds 1: Chris Iannetta was the hero, hitting a solo homer in the third and a bases-loaded single in the 13th inning to account for all of the Halos’ runs. Guessing Mike Scioscia and Dusty Baker were not really planning on Game One taking 12 pitchers between them. Insert that thing about battle plans never surviving engagement with the enemy.
Braves 7, Phillies 5: Three homers off Cole Hamels for Atlanta, which is pretty much how the Braves rolled all spring training and which is pretty much how most of their wins will go down this year. All season there will likely be a lot of feast/famine, methinks.
Diamondbacks 6, Cardinals 2: Arizona rattled out 15 hits—seven of which were doubles—giving the newly-extended Adam Wainwright a bad first game of the rest of his life. Meanwhile, Ian Kennedy allowed only two hits over seven innings while striking out eight. Gerardo Parra had three of those doubles in his four hits.
Mariners 2, Athletics 0: Felix Hernandez had a much better night among the newly-extended pitchers: seven and two-thirds innings, no runs, two hits, eight strikeouts. Both M’s runs came on a Franklin Gutierrez double. This may be the only day of the season Gutierrez isn’t suffering from some mystery ailment or 19th-century disease, but it is nice to see him play when he is healthy.