The Giants’ Matt Cain comes one batter shy of a perfect game in beating the Pirates, 5 – 0, in the team’s home opener. He settles for a one-hitter, with mound rival James McDonald’s 6th-inning single representing the only baserunner.

ByBaseball

The Giants’ Matt Cain comes one batter shy of a perfect game in beating the Pirates, 5 – 0, in the team’s home opener. He settles for a one-hitter, with mound rival James McDonald’s 6th-inning single representing the only baserunner.

Aaron Harang sets a Dodgers record with 9 consecutive strikeouts after giving up a lead-off single to San Diego’s Cameron Maybin; Will Venable then homers to lead off the 4th. Johnny Podres had struck out 8 consecutive batters on July 2, 1962 for the franchise record and Harang falls one short of Tom Seaver’s all-time record. He finishes with 13 Ks in 6 1/3 innings and leaves with an 8 – 3 lead, but the bullpen then gets to work to sabotage that lead, with the Padres tying the score with 2 runs in the top of the 9th. Andrew Cashner retires the first two Los Angeles batters in the bottom of the 9th, before he walks the bases loaded; Joe Thatcher replaces him and walks Andre Ethier, forcing in the winning run and providing an anticlimactic ending to the game, with the final score 9 – 8.

ByBaseball

Aaron Harang sets a Dodgers record with 9 consecutive strikeouts after giving up a lead-off single to San Diego’s Cameron Maybin; Will Venable then homers to lead off the 4th. Johnny Podres had struck out 8 consecutive batters on July 2, 1962 for the franchise record and Harang falls one short of Tom Seaver’s all-time record. He finishes with 13 Ks in 6 1/3 innings and leaves with an 8 – 3 lead, but the bullpen then gets to work to sabotage that lead, with the Padres tying the score with 2 runs in the top of the 9th. Andrew Cashner retires the first two Los Angeles batters in the bottom of the 9th, before he walks the bases loaded; Joe Thatcher replaces him and walks Andre Ethier, forcing in the winning run and providing an anticlimactic ending to the game, with the final score 9 – 8.

The Nationals top the Reds, 2 – 1, in 13 innings. Jayson Werth drives in Danny Espinosa with the winner. He becomes the first player to drive in the winner in a 13-inning game on Friday the 13th since 1963. In an odd note, the scorer of the winning run in the 1963 game was none other than Werth’s grandfather, Dick Schofield Sr.

ByBaseball

The Nationals top the Reds, 2 – 1, in 13 innings. Jayson Werth drives in Danny Espinosa with the winner. He becomes the first player to drive in the winner in a 13-inning game on Friday the 13th since 1963. In an odd note, the scorer of the winning run in the 1963 game was none other than Werth’s grandfather, Dick Schofield Sr.

Two anniversaries clash in New York, as the Mets celebrate a half century of existence, and Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg the second anniversary of his professional debut. Strasburg has the upper hand, pitching 6 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the year, 4 – 0. His opponent Johan Santana, also coming back from arm surgery, gives up a single run in 5 innings when Mark DeRosa scores on a wild pitch in the 2nd, but it’s enough to saddle him with the loss.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Two anniversaries clash in New York, as the Mets celebrate a half century of existence, and Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg the second anniversary of his professional debut. Strasburg has the upper hand, pitching 6 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the year, 4 – 0. His opponent Johan Santana, also coming back from arm surgery, gives up a single run in 5 innings when Mark DeRosa scores on a wild pitch in the 2nd, but it’s enough to saddle him with the loss.

In a throwback game at Coors Field, the Rockies blast the Giants, 17 – 8, collecting 22 hits in the process – half of them for extra bases. Matt Reynolds gets the win in relief of Jeremy Guthrie, who is unable to hold a 6 – 0 lead. Giants starter Tim Lincecum is tagged for 6 runs in 2 1/3 innings, but avoids a loss when his teammates rally for 7 runs in the 4th. The Rockies put up a 7-spot of their own in the 5th to pull away for good.

ByTom

In a throwback game at Coors Field, the Rockies blast the Giants, 17 – 8, collecting 22 hits in the process – half of them for extra bases. Matt Reynolds gets the win in relief of Jeremy Guthrie, who is unable to hold a 6 – 0 lead. Giants starter Tim Lincecum is tagged for 6 runs in 2 1/3 innings, but avoids a loss when his teammates rally for 7 runs in the 4th. The Rockies put up a 7-spot of their own in the 5th to pull away for good.

Vin Scully misses the Dodgers’ home opener for the first time in 35 years when doctors order the 84 year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster to rest as he recovers from a bad cold. The last time the team’s play-by-play announcer was absent from the season’s first home game he was calling the first round of the Masters in 1977.

ByTom

Vin Scully misses the Dodgers’ home opener for the first time in 35 years when doctors order the 84 year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster to rest as he recovers from a bad cold. The last time the team’s play-by-play announcer was absent from the season’s first home game he was calling the first round of the Masters in 1977.

The Miami Marlins announce that they are suspending manager Ozzie Guillen for five games for making remarks supportive of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in a recent Time magazine interview. The Marlins decide to act even though Guillen has apologized in order to stem the groundswell of protest from Miami’s large Cuban community.

ByTom

The Miami Marlins announce that they are suspending manager Ozzie Guillen for five games for making remarks supportive of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in a recent Time magazine interview. The Marlins decide to act even though Guillen has apologized in order to stem the groundswell of protest from Miami’s large Cuban community.

The Braves win their first game this season, 6 – 4, over the Houston Astros, as Chipper Jones homers in his first game of the year. The win snaps a nine-game losing streak dating back to the Braves’ collapse at the end of the 2011 season, which cost them a playoff spot. Rookie SS Tyler Pastornicky hits his first major league homer for Atlanta as Houston wears the uniforms of the Houston Colt .45s in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first game in team history.

ByTom

The Braves win their first game this season, 6 – 4, over the Houston Astros, as Chipper Jones homers in his first game of the year. The win snaps a nine-game losing streak dating back to the Braves’ collapse at the end of the 2011 season, which cost them a playoff spot. Rookie SS Tyler Pastornicky hits his first major league homer for Atlanta as Houston wears the uniforms of the Houston Colt .45s in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first game in team history.

Joining Roy Oswalt, Barry Zito becomes only the second opposing pitcher to whitewash the Rockies at Coors Field, posting a 7-0 victory. The shutout is the Giants left-hander’s first in 274 starts, the longest span in major league history without one.

ByTom

Joining Roy Oswalt, Barry Zito becomes only the second opposing pitcher to whitewash the Rockies at Coors Field, posting a 7-0 victory. The shutout is the Giants left-hander’s first in 274 starts, the longest span in major league history without one.

Prize Japanese signee Yu Darvish, making his major league debut for the Texas Rangers, gives up 4 runs to the Mariners in the 1st inning before settling down. The Rangers’ offense bails him out with four homers, though, and Darvish pitches into the 6th inning to earn his first win, 11 – 5.

ByBaseball

Prize Japanese signee Yu Darvish, making his major league debut for the Texas Rangers, gives up 4 runs to the Mariners in the 1st inning before settling down. The Rangers’ offense bails him out with four homers, though, and Darvish pitches into the 6th inning to earn his first win, 11 – 5.