2019 – Khris Davis hits his major league-leading 10th homer, a tie-breaking solo shot in the 8th, to lead the Athletics to an 8 – 6 win over the Rangers.
2016 – The Orioles maintain their status as the last unbeaten team in the majors with a 9 – 5 win over the Red Sox. J.J. Hardy homers twice and drives in 5 and Mark Trumbo also homers for the Birds, who are now 7-0.
2015 – After one week of action in the major leagues, two teams are still undefeated, and both play in the AL Central. The defending American League champions, the Kansas City Royals, complete a three-game team of the Angels with a 9 – 2 win behind starter Yordano Ventura to improve to 6-0. Meanwhile, the Tigers are keeping pace as their 8 – 5 win over Cleveland also completes a week-end sweep; Miguel Cabrera hits two homers while going 4-for-4 for the day and 11-for-14 in the series.
The Blue Jays continue their cursed beginning to the season, losing SS Jose Reyes when he suffers an ankle injury sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt in the 6th inning of today’s game with the Royals. He is expected to be out for three months. The Jays win, 8 – 4, but the loss of Reyes casts a huge pall on celebrations.
The movie 42, about Jackie Robinson’s first two seasons in organized baseball and his breaking of the color line, opens in theaters across the United States. It will be the top-drawing movie its first weekend.
The Yankees turn only their second triple play since 1969 in defeating the Orioles, 5 – 2. With two men on in the 8th, Manny Machado hits a hard grounder to 2B Robinson Cano. The play then goes 4-6-5-6-5-3-4 as Alexi Casilla is caught in a rundown between second and third, and Machado is erased when he attempts to take second during that time. It is the first time that a triple killing has taken that particular circuitous route.
The Rangers’ excellent but injury-prone outfielder, Josh Hamilton, is headed back to the disabled list after fracturing his humerus bone just below the shoulder while sliding at home in the 1st inning of today’s game with Detroit. Hamilton is out on the scoring attempt, and the Tigers go on to win the game, 5 – 4, when Miguel Cabrera singles off Darren O’Day with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 9th to break a 4 – 4 tie.
The Minnesota Twins inaugurate their new outdoor ballpark, Target Field, with a 5 – 2 win over the Red Sox. A host of former Twins greats, including Hall of Famers Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew, joined by Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek and Frank Viola, among others, are on hand to witness the historic game. Carl Pavano picks up the win while Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel pace the offence with three hits and two RBI each.
New Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, describing himself as a former “Wrigley bleacher bum” in his days in university, attends the team’s first home opener since his purchase of the club. He is witness to a 9 – 5 win over the Brewers; Xavier Nady, Jeff Baker and Aramis Ramirez all homer for the Cubs.
Two star second basemen go on the disabled list today. The Orioles’ Brian Roberts is the victim of a strained abdominal muscle and will be spelled by Julio Lugo. For their part, the Blue Jays have to do without Aaron Hill, who goes on the DL with an injured hamstring. They lose their home opener to the Chicago White Sox, 8 – 7, in 11 innings, even though Hill’s replacement, John McDonald, turns four double plays. Five homers are hit in the game, including Andruw Jones’s first two in a White Sox uniform.