Something unprecedented happens in the Brewers’ 5 – 4 win over the Cardinals. The Cards open the game with back-to-back homers, as Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham connect off Chase Anderson within the first three pitches of the game, and the contest ends in similar fashion, but now it’s Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun who go deep back-to-back off Dominic Leone with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to end the game.

ByBaseball

Something unprecedented happens in the Brewers’ 5 – 4 win over the Cardinals. The Cards open the game with back-to-back homers, as Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham connect off Chase Anderson within the first three pitches of the game, and the contest ends in similar fashion, but now it’s Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun who go deep back-to-back off Dominic Leone with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to end the game.

2018 – Pitcher Miles Mikolas marks his return to Major League Baseball after three stellar seasons in Japan by hitting a two-run homer off Kyle Davies of the Brewers for his first career hit. He gives up 4 runs in 5 2/3 innings to lead the Cardinals to an 8 – 4 win.

ByBaseball

2018 – Pitcher Miles Mikolas marks his return to Major League Baseball after three stellar seasons in Japan by hitting a two-run homer off Kyle Davies of the Brewers for his first career hit. He gives up 4 runs in 5 2/3 innings to lead the Cardinals to an 8 – 4 win.

Shohei Ohtani makes his pitching debut

Shohei Ohtani makes his pitching debut

ByThis Day in Baseball

2018 – Three days after being the starting designated hitter on Opening Day in his major league debut, Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani makes his debut on the mound, pitching 6 innings in leading the Angels to a 7 – 4 win over the Athletics. The only blemish on his ledger is a three-run homer by Matt Chapman in the 2nd. Ohtani is the first player since Babe Ruth in 1919 to start as a position player on opening day and then start a game on the mound within his team’s first ten games. Joe Bush and Clarence Mitchell had also started games on the mound and in the field in their first ten games in 1920.

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who goes 3-for-4 in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field, becomes the first American Leaguer to have multiple extra-base hits in the first three games of the season. In 2015, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez also accomplished the feat, collecting at least two hits in each of LA’s first three contests when he compiled ten hits his first 14 at-bats of the season.

ByTom

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who goes 3-for-4 in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field, becomes the first American Leaguer to have multiple extra-base hits in the first three games of the season. In 2015, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez also accomplished the feat, collecting at least two hits in each of LA’s first three contests when he compiled ten hits his first 14 at-bats of the season.

2018 – For the second straight day, the Giants defeat the Dodgers, 1 – 0, thanks to a solo homer by 2B Joe Panik. After pulling the trick against ace Clayton Kershaw on Opening Day yesterday, Panik connects off closer Kenley Jansen in the 9th inning, after starter Alex Wood had limited the Giants to one hit over the first eight frames. The Dodgers manage just one hit off three Giants pitchers, but will get their revenge over the next two days, defeating the Giants by a combined score of 14-0.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2018 – For the second straight day, the Giants defeat the Dodgers, 1 – 0, thanks to a solo homer by 2B Joe Panik. After pulling the trick against ace Clayton Kershaw on Opening Day yesterday, Panik connects off closer Kenley Jansen in the 9th inning, after starter Alex Wood had limited the Giants to one hit over the first eight frames. The Dodgers manage just one hit off three Giants pitchers, but will get their revenge over the next two days, defeating the Giants by a combined score of 14-0.

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2018 – Houston opens their first title defense with a 4-1 win over the Rangers in Arlington. George Springer led off the game with a home run, just as he did the year before. Justin Verlander tossed six shutout innings for the victory. Before the game, a moment of silence was held in memory of former Astros All-Star Rusty Staub who passed away that morning at the age of 73. 

ByTom

2018 – Houston opens their first title defense with a 4-1 win over the Rangers in Arlington. George Springer led off the game with a home run, just as he did the year before. Justin Verlander tossed six shutout innings for the victory. Before the game, a moment of silence was held in memory of former Astros All-Star Rusty Staub who passed away that morning at the age of 73. 

2018 – The Major League Baseball season starts today with all 30 teams being scheduled to play, although a couple of games are rained out. Ian Happ of the Cubs launches the season by homering off Jose Urena of the Marlins on the very first pitch thrown in the earliest of the 15 games. For his part, Giancarlo Stanton, acquired by the Yankees in a major off-season trade, also has a memorable day as he starts his career in pinstripes with two long balls in a 6 – 1 win over the Blue Jays.

ByTom

2018 – The Major League Baseball season starts today with all 30 teams being scheduled to play, although a couple of games are rained out. Ian Happ of the Cubs launches the season by homering off Jose Urena of the Marlins on the very first pitch thrown in the earliest of the 15 games. For his part, Giancarlo Stanton, acquired by the Yankees in a major off-season trade, also has a memorable day as he starts his career in pinstripes with two long balls in a 6 – 1 win over the Blue Jays.

2018 – Playing for the first time in the old stomping grounds his father, newly-minted Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, at Stade Olympique in his birth city of Montréal, QC, top Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. begins to build his own legend. He ends an exhibition game against the Cardinals by hitting a walk-off homer off Jack Flaherty with two outs in the 9th, breaking a scoreless tie, much to the delight of the 25,800 spectators present.

ByTom

2018 – Playing for the first time in the old stomping grounds his father, newly-minted Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, at Stade Olympique in his birth city of Montréal, QC, top Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. begins to build his own legend. He ends an exhibition game against the Cardinals by hitting a walk-off homer off Jack Flaherty with two outs in the 9th, breaking a scoreless tie, much to the delight of the 25,800 spectators present.

2018 – A few lines in a 2,000 page, $1.3 trillion spending bill passed by Congress exempts Major League Baseball from certain terms of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The consequences are that minor leaguers need no longer be paid for spring training, off-season workouts or any overtime during the season. The change, misnomingly entitled the “Save America’s Pastime Act”, is the result of active lobbying by MLB to preempt a lawsuit filed four years ago in a U.S. District Court in San Francisco, CA by former minor league player Garrett Broshuis on behalf of three active players that accuses teams of systematically violating labor laws.

ByTom

2018 – A few lines in a 2,000 page, $1.3 trillion spending bill passed by Congress exempts Major League Baseball from certain terms of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The consequences are that minor leaguers need no longer be paid for spring training, off-season workouts or any overtime during the season. The change, misnomingly entitled the “Save America’s Pastime Act”, is the result of active lobbying by MLB to preempt a lawsuit filed four years ago in a U.S. District Court in San Francisco, CA by former minor league player Garrett Broshuis on behalf of three active players that accuses teams of systematically violating labor laws.

2018 – Grapefruit League games are usually pretty laid-back affairs, as the final score is of minor concern to players, managers and fans alike. However, today, umpire Tom Hallion is apparently keen on working out the rust from his ejection gesture, as he gives the thumb no less than five times in a meaningless game between the Tigers and Phillies. Things start in the 5th inning when he tosses Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd for supposedly throwing at Odubel Herrera, then in the 8th he gives the heave-ho to Phillies P Parker Frazier for losing control of a slow curve that ends on Derek Hill’s leg. When manager Gabe Kapler comes out to point out the absurdity of the call, he is sent off as well. Then in the 9th, it’s Pedro Beato who gets his time on the mound shortened for pitching inside to Dylan Rosa, and he’s quickly followed to the clubhouse by bench coach Rob Thomson when he attempts to remind Hallion that this is a spring training game and guys are just trying to throw some pitches against live batters.

ByTom

2018 – Grapefruit League games are usually pretty laid-back affairs, as the final score is of minor concern to players, managers and fans alike. However, today, umpire Tom Hallion is apparently keen on working out the rust from his ejection gesture, as he gives the thumb no less than five times in a meaningless game between the Tigers and Phillies. Things start in the 5th inning when he tosses Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd for supposedly throwing at Odubel Herrera, then in the 8th he gives the heave-ho to Phillies P Parker Frazier for losing control of a slow curve that ends on Derek Hill’s leg. When manager Gabe Kapler comes out to point out the absurdity of the call, he is sent off as well. Then in the 9th, it’s Pedro Beato who gets his time on the mound shortened for pitching inside to Dylan Rosa, and he’s quickly followed to the clubhouse by bench coach Rob Thomson when he attempts to remind Hallion that this is a spring training game and guys are just trying to throw some pitches against live batters.