On the first day of minor league games this year, Henry Owens of the Portland Sea Dogs (Eastern League) throws a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter as Portland defeats the Reading Fightin Phils, 5 – 0. Mookie Betts goes 4 for 4 with a homer and 3 runs scored to lead the Sea Dogs’ offense.

ByBaseball

On the first day of minor league games this year, Henry Owens of the Portland Sea Dogs (Eastern League) throws a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter as Portland defeats the Reading Fightin Phils, 5 – 0. Mookie Betts goes 4 for 4 with a homer and 3 runs scored to lead the Sea Dogs’ offense.

Rookie catcher Tony Sanchez, pinch-hitting in the bottom of the 16th inning, singles in the winning run to end the 5-hour and 55-minute marathon, now the longest game in Pittsburgh history by time. The 4-3 victory over Chicago took six minutes longer to play than when the Bucs beat the Astros, 8-7, in an 18-inning contest played in 2006.

ByBaseball

Rookie catcher Tony Sanchez, pinch-hitting in the bottom of the 16th inning, singles in the winning run to end the 5-hour and 55-minute marathon, now the longest game in Pittsburgh history by time. The 4-3 victory over Chicago took six minutes longer to play than when the Bucs beat the Astros, 8-7, in an 18-inning contest played in 2006.

The Yankees and Astros are the last two teams to open their season, meeting before a crowd of 42,117 at Minute Maid Park. The game does not follow the expected script as the Astros, coming off three straight 100-loss season and having lost their last 15 games in 2013, defeat the Bronx Bombers, 6 – 2. Scott Feldman pitches 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Jesus Guzman and L.J. Hoes homer against Yankee starter CC Sabathia.

ByBaseball

The Yankees and Astros are the last two teams to open their season, meeting before a crowd of 42,117 at Minute Maid Park. The game does not follow the expected script as the Astros, coming off three straight 100-loss season and having lost their last 15 games in 2013, defeat the Bronx Bombers, 6 – 2. Scott Feldman pitches 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Jesus Guzman and L.J. Hoes homer against Yankee starter CC Sabathia.

For an April Fools prank, the Frontier League announces that all batters will start a 1-1 count in the coming season as a move to speed up games.

ByBaseball

For an April Fools prank, the Frontier League announces that all batters will start a 1-1 count in the coming season as a move to speed up games.

With the majority of teams opening their season today, expanded instant replay is used for the first time in a major league game. Manager Rich Renteria of the Cubs is the first to challenge an umpire’s decision on calling Jeff Samardzija out on a close play at first base, but the replay confirms the call. Shortly thereafter, the Braves’ Fredi Gonzalez issues the first successful challenge, as umpire Greg Gibson’s safe call at first base on Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is overturned after a quick review. And Mike Winters is the first umpire to ask for a review himself, making sure that A’s catcher John Jaso correctly blocked the plate in tagging out the Indians’ Michael Brantley at home.

ByTom

With the majority of teams opening their season today, expanded instant replay is used for the first time in a major league game. Manager Rich Renteria of the Cubs is the first to challenge an umpire’s decision on calling Jeff Samardzija out on a close play at first base, but the replay confirms the call. Shortly thereafter, the Braves’ Fredi Gonzalez issues the first successful challenge, as umpire Greg Gibson’s safe call at first base on Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is overturned after a quick review. And Mike Winters is the first umpire to ask for a review himself, making sure that A’s catcher John Jaso correctly blocked the plate in tagging out the Indians’ Michael Brantley at home.

A new attendance record is set at Marlins Park when 37,116 show up to watch the Marlins manhandle the Rockies, 10 – 1. No doubt many of the fans are there to watch Jose Fernandez, the youngest opening day starter since Dwight Gooden started the Mets’ 1996 season. Fernandez doesn’t disappoint, striking out 9 in 6 innings to earn the win, while Casey McGehee, back in the majors after a season in Japan, drives in 4 runs with a pair of doubles and Marcell Ozuna has three hits including a homer.

ByTom

A new attendance record is set at Marlins Park when 37,116 show up to watch the Marlins manhandle the Rockies, 10 – 1. No doubt many of the fans are there to watch Jose Fernandez, the youngest opening day starter since Dwight Gooden started the Mets’ 1996 season. Fernandez doesn’t disappoint, striking out 9 in 6 innings to earn the win, while Casey McGehee, back in the majors after a season in Japan, drives in 4 runs with a pair of doubles and Marcell Ozuna has three hits including a homer.

Coach Don Baylor suffers a freak injury catching the ceremonial first pitch before the Angels’ opener. Vladimir Guerrero is back in Anaheim to throw the pitch after signing a one-day contract to retire as an Angel, but Baylor twists his leg catching the soft toss and suffers a broken femur. The pair are the only two players to win the MVP award in franchise history.

ByTom

Coach Don Baylor suffers a freak injury catching the ceremonial first pitch before the Angels’ opener. Vladimir Guerrero is back in Anaheim to throw the pitch after signing a one-day contract to retire as an Angel, but Baylor twists his leg catching the soft toss and suffers a broken femur. The pair are the only two players to win the MVP award in franchise history.

MLB opens its season stateside

ByThis Day in Baseball

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.

Two-time defending American League MVP Miguel Cabrera signs an eight-year contract extension with the Tigers. Including the two years remaining on his present contract, the deal is worth $292 million, making it the biggest in major league history. It surpasses the ten-year extension signed by Alex Rodriguez in 2006 for $275 million. In fact Rodriguez had held the record since signing as a free agent with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2001. The huge deal makes the six-year contract for $144.6 million that Angels OF Mike Trout also signs today seem like an anecdote.

ByTom

Two-time defending American League MVP Miguel Cabrera signs an eight-year contract extension with the Tigers. Including the two years remaining on his present contract, the deal is worth $292 million, making it the biggest in major league history. It surpasses the ten-year extension signed by Alex Rodriguez in 2006 for $275 million. In fact Rodriguez had held the record since signing as a free agent with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2001. The huge deal makes the six-year contract for $144.6 million that Angels OF Mike Trout also signs today seem like an anecdote.

Mike Trout and the Angels come to terms on a $144.5 million, six-year deal

ByTom

Mike Trout and the Angels come to terms on a $144.5 million, six-year deal, keeping the 22 year-old outfielder on the team through 2020. The five-tool phenom from Millville, N.J., the American League’s MVP runner-up in his first two seasons in the majors, was the unanimous choice for the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2012.