Red Sox  raise their World Series banner

 Red Sox  raise their World Series banner

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After starting the season with 11 consecutive road games – and losing 8 of them – the Red Sox finally hold their home opener. The raise their World Series banner and their players receive their rings, but they lose again, 7 – 5 to the Blue Jays. On the positive side, Dustin Pedroia starts at second base in his first game since last May, and it is the first time ever that both managers hail from Puerto Rico: Alex Cora for Boston and Charlie Montoyo for Toronto.

Max Scherzer records a complete game shutout in leading the Nationals to a 2 – 0 win

Max Scherzer records a complete game shutout in leading the Nationals to a 2 – 0 win

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Max Scherzer is still cruising along as he records a complete game shutout in leading the Nationals to a 2 – 0 win over the Braves with a two-hitter. He strikes out 10 and walks none, but the highlight for him is his first career stolen base; he claims the last time he swiped a base, he was in high school.

the Angels score 7 in the 9th mounting a tremendous comeback to defeat the Mariners

the Angels score 7 in the 9th mounting a tremendous comeback to defeat the Mariners

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Trailing 8 – 1 in the 8th and 9 – 3 in the bottom of the 9th, the Angels mount a tremendous comeback to defeat the Mariners, 10 – 9. Albert Pujols, who had homered earlier in the inning, ties the game with a two-run single, before Cliff Pennington drives in Mike Trout with the winning run. Yunel Escobar adds a two-run double as Casey Fien and Edwin Diaz give up 7 runs in the fateful inning. Robinson Cano drives in 5 runs with a double and a homer in a losing cause.

Four Indians pitchers make a bid for a combined no-hitter 

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Four Indians pitchers make a bid for a combined no-hitter until Jed Lowrie hits a solo homer with one out in the 9th inning for the Astros’ sole hit as Cleveland wins, 5 – 1. Trevor Bauerstarts things off with 6 hitless innings, followed by Kyle Crockett and Scott Atchison with one inning each, before Nick Hagadone is tagged for the homer after striking out Chris Carterto start the 9th inning. It’s not a dominant pitching performance, however, as the four Cleveland hurlers combine to allow 7 bases on balls, although they do record 16 strikeouts. Asher Wojciechowski is the loser in his major league debut.

Tigers set an American League record by extending their streak of innings without allowing since the start of the season to 24

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The Tigers set an American League record by extending their streak of innings without allowing since the start of the season to 24, before giving up an unearned run in the 7th inning of a 7 – 1 win over the Twins. The previous mark of 22 innings was set by the 1947 Chicago White Sox, while the major league mark of 32 innings belongs to the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals. Shane Greene is the winner against Kyle Gibson as Detroit improves to 3-0 and Minnesota falls to 0-3.

Major League Baseball’s Diversity Task Force, created exactly a year ago, issues three recommendations to increase the number of African-Americans players: expanding MLB support for existing programs aimed at developing baseball in inner cities; launching programs to improve the quality of coaching available to young African-American players; and raising its profile in inner cities by engaging current and past stars in outreach programs directed at the African-American community. Former manager Jerry Manuel will head the task force on a day-to-day basis, to ensure the implementation of the three initiatives, while Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski will continue as its chairman.

ByBaseball

Major League Baseball’s Diversity Task Force, created exactly a year ago, issues three recommendations to increase the number of African-Americans players: expanding MLB support for existing programs aimed at developing baseball in inner cities; launching programs to improve the quality of coaching available to young African-American players; and raising its profile in inner cities by engaging current and past stars in outreach programs directed at the African-American community. Former manager Jerry Manuel will head the task force on a day-to-day basis, to ensure the implementation of the three initiatives, while Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski will continue as its chairman.

Garrett Richards allows only one hit in seven innings and Albert Pujols, closing in on 500 career homers, hits a two-run long ball as the Angels blank the Mariners, 2 – 0. Joe Smith and Ernesto Frieri compete the one-hitter with a scoreless inning each.

ByBaseball

Garrett Richards allows only one hit in seven innings and Albert Pujols, closing in on 500 career homers, hits a two-run long ball as the Angels blank the Mariners, 2 – 0. Joe Smith and Ernesto Frieri compete the one-hitter with a scoreless inning each.

The Astros erase a week’s worth of offensive impotence by racking up 22 hits and 5 homers in defeating the Mariners, 16 – 9, snapping a six-game losing streak. Chris Carter has the first two-homer game of his career, and J.D. Martinez, Marwin Gonzalez and Jose Altuve each hit their first long ball of the year. Erik Bedard, making his first start of the year, leaves with a 13 – 0 lead after four innings, but does not earn the win as he fails to go 5 innings; Paul Clemens gets the “W” in spite of giving up 5 runs and three homers in 4 innings of relief in his major league debut.

ByBaseball

The Astros erase a week’s worth of offensive impotence by racking up 22 hits and 5 homers in defeating the Mariners, 16 – 9, snapping a six-game losing streak. Chris Carter has the first two-homer game of his career, and J.D. Martinez, Marwin Gonzalez and Jose Altuve each hit their first long ball of the year. Erik Bedard, making his first start of the year, leaves with a 13 – 0 lead after four innings, but does not earn the win as he fails to go 5 innings; Paul Clemens gets the “W” in spite of giving up 5 runs and three homers in 4 innings of relief in his major league debut.

The Yankees also use the long ball, as they bang out five homers of their own in crushing the Indians, 14 – 1. Indians starter Carlos Carrasco gives up seven runs before being ejectedby home plate umpire Jordan Baker for throwing at Kevin Youkilis in the 4th. Ironically, Carrasco had just finished serving a five-game suspension incurred in 2011, but only served at the start of the season as he has undergone Tommy John surgery and been out of the big leagues in the meantime. He claims that he slipped on the pitch to Youkilis, which comes just after a home run by Robinson Cano; he will receive an eight-game suspension this time. Andy Pettitte is the winner for the Yankees.

ByBaseball

The Yankees also use the long ball, as they bang out five homers of their own in crushing the Indians, 14 – 1. Indians starter Carlos Carrasco gives up seven runs before being ejectedby home plate umpire Jordan Baker for throwing at Kevin Youkilis in the 4th. Ironically, Carrasco had just finished serving a five-game suspension incurred in 2011, but only served at the start of the season as he has undergone Tommy John surgery and been out of the big leagues in the meantime. He claims that he slipped on the pitch to Youkilis, which comes just after a home run by Robinson Cano; he will receive an eight-game suspension this time. Andy Pettitte is the winner for the Yankees.

Alarmed at seeing a historically-low number of African-American players on major league rosters at the start of the season – just 7.7% of players – Commissioner Bud Selig creates a 17-person committee that will look at the issue of diversity in baseball.

ByBaseball

Alarmed at seeing a historically-low number of African-American players on major league rosters at the start of the season – just 7.7% of players – Commissioner Bud Selig creates a 17-person committee that will look at the issue of diversity in baseball.