April 6, 2015 at Citizens Bank Park vs Cole Hammels, Dustin Pedroia hits 2 home runs. Pedroia becomes just the 2nd, second baseman in history to hit 2 homeruns on opening day. Felipe Lopez for the Arizona Dbacks is the other, he accomplished the feat in 2009. Pedroia a fantastic opening day player, has hit…
Major League Baseball opens its season stateside, one week after playing a two-game series in Sydney, Australia. The Dodgers, who won both games in Sydney, are again involved, visiting San Diego where they lose, 3 – 1, in front of the biggest crowd in Petco Park history – 45,567. Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu holds the Padres scoreless for 7 innings, but Seth Smith ties the game with a pinch homer off Brian Wilson to lead off the 8th. Yasmani Grandal scores the winning run later that inning after stealing the first base of his professional career.
The Indians and Blue Jays set a record by playing 16 innings on Opening Day before Toronto wins the game, 7 – 4, on a three-run homer by J.P. Arencibia off Jairo Asencio. The Indians take a 4 – 0 lead in the 2nd as Jack Hannahan hits a three-run homer off Ricky Romero, but do not score again over the next 14 frames. The Jays rally for 3 runs in the 9th off closer Chris Perez to negate a great start by Justin Masterson and send the game into extra innings.
In his first start for the Phillies, Roy Halladay throws seven strong innings to lead the defending National League champions to an easy 11 – 1 win over Washington in front of President Barack Obama, who throws out the ceremonial first pitch. Placido Polanco drives in six runs in his return to Philadelphia, while Ryan Howard homers.
2005 – The Washington Nationals franchise, formerly the Montreal Expos, lose their inaugural season opener bowing to the Philadelphia Phillies, 8 – 4. The franchise, which played its initial 36 years in Canada, becomes the first team to represent the nation’s capital since the Washington Senators left to become the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.
In front of a sellout crowd of 41,626 fans, the Phillies play their first game in their $458 million Pattison Avenue ballpark. On a cloudy day, the Citizens Bank Park history begins with a 4-1 loss to the Reds with right fielder Bobby Abreu hitting the park’s first homer, accounting for Philadelphia’s only run.
1998 – Mark McGwire hits a home run in his fourth consecutive game to start the season to tie the mark set by Willie Mays in 1971. McGwire’s home run helps lead the Cardinalspast the Padres, 8 – 6, and also ties another league mark as it is his seventh long ball in a six-game stretch, dating back to 1997.
1996 – Longtime umpire John McSherry collapses and dies from a heart attack on Opening Day at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, in the 1st inning of a game between the Reds and Expos, which is cancelled. The 51-year-old McSherry had umpired in the National League for 26 seasons. Reds owner Marge Schott hits a low point with her insensitive remarks, blaming the late umpire for spoiling the team’s opening day celebrations.
On March 31, 1996, the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox play the earliest Opening Day game in history. Playing at the Kingdome, the Mariners win, 3-2, on Alex Rodriguez’ RBI single in the 12th inning. Randy Johnson strikes out 12 White Sox batters in going the distance.
1994 – Mitch Williams walks the bases full then surrenders two 12th-inning runs in the season opener against Montreal. Ken Caminiti’s two-run double ends a dramatic three-run comeback for a 6-5 Houston triumph. Astros debut new navy and gold uniforms with the leaning star.
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