WASHINGTON (AP) - Benefiting from the decision to overturn Ian Desmond’s inside-the-park homer on replay review, the Atlanta Braves beat Washington 2-1 Friday, spoiling the Nationals’ home opener and giving rookie manager Matt Williams his first loss.
Desmond’s shot down the left-field line in the fifth inning, which appeared to tie the game at 1-all, was switched to a ground-rule double after a five-minute delay after Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez requested the review. Desmond was sent back to second base and wound up getting caught in a rundown while trying to steal.
Washington did eventually even the score, but Atlanta’s Chris Johnson delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth off reliever Tyler Clippard (0-1).
Luis Avilan (1-0) got one out in the seventh for the win, and Craig Kimbrel earned his third save.
PHILLIES 7, CUBS 2
CHICAGO (AP) - Chase Utley hit a two-run homer and an RBI single, helping Philadelphia win the opener of Wrigley Field’s 100th anniversary season.
John Mayberry Jr. also had a two-run drive for his fourth career pinch-hit homer as Philadelphia bounced back after dropping the last two games of its opening series in Texas.
Roberto Hernandez (1-0) pitched into the sixth inning in his Phillies debut after signing a $4.5 million, one-year contract in the offseason.
Welington Castillo had a solo homer for the Cubs, who have dropped four consecutive home openers for the first time since 1991-94. Travis Wood (0-1) struck out eight in 6 1-3 innings, but was charged with four runs, three earned, and six hits.
ROCKIES 12, DIAMONDBACKS 2
DENVER (AP) - Charlie Blackmon tied a team record with six hits and drove in five runs.
Blackmon finished 6 for 6 with three doubles and a two-run homer. The only other Rockies player with six hits in a game was Andres Galarraga against Houston on July 3, 1995.
Carlos Gonzalez added a two-run triple and a two-run homer off the facing of the third deck as the Rockies improved to 13-9 in home openers.
That was more than enough for Juan Nicasio (1-0), who surrendered one run and four hits in seven efficient innings. His only mistake was a slider that Mark Trumbo hit for a solo homer in the fifth.
The Diamondbacks fell to 1-6, their worst start since 1998.
Randall Delgado (0-1) gave up six runs and 10 hits in four innings.
GIANTS 8, DODGERS 4
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Michael Morse keyed a six-run first inning with a two-run single, and San Francisco spoiled a Dodgers’ home opener played nearly two weeks after they began the season in Australia.
David Huff (1-0) got the victory, allowing two hits in 1 2-3 innings of relief while striking out three.
After retiring the first two batters, Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-1) got pummeled for six runs while giving up six hits, including four in a row as the Giants batted around. They finished Ryu with two more runs in the second, extending their lead to 8-0.
METS 4, REDS 3
NEW YORK (AP) - Lucas Duda hit a pair of two-run homers only hours after the Mets gave him the starting job at first base.
Replacement closer Jose Valverde struck out Jay Bruce with two on to end it, and the Mets avoided their first 0-4 start since opening with five consecutive losses in 2005.
The 24-year-old Jenrry Mejia (1-0) struck out a career-high eight in six innings. Flashing a sharp breaking ball, he allowed one run and four hits in a steady rain and mist.
Bruce homered and drove in three runs for the Reds, who had won six straight at Citi Field. Mike Leake (0-1) gave up five hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings.
PIRATES 12, CARDINALS 2
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pedro Alvarez homered twice and scored three runs.
Alvarez hit long solo shots in the second and fourth off Shelby Miller (0-1) and broke open a close game with a rare stolen base he converted into a run that broke open a close game.
Travis Ishikawa added his first major league home run in nearly two years for Pittsburgh. Gerrit Cole (1-0) gave up two runs in seven innings in his first start since losing the deciding Game 5 of the NL division series to St. Louis last October.
Miller struggled in his 2014 debut. He tied a career high by giving up five earned runs in 5 1-3 innings, including the three home runs. Matt Carpenter hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals.
MARLINS 8, PADRES 2
MIAMI (AP) - Giancarlo Stanton hit a long home run for the Marlins.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia had three hits and drove in two runs and Adeiny Hechavarria had a career-high four hits for the Marlins, who have won four of five to start the season.
Tom Koehler (1-0) pitched six innings, allowing two runs and Brad Hand pitched three scoreless innings for his first career save.
Yasmani Grandal and Jedd Gyorko each had two hits for the Padres, who have lost three straight. Eric Stults (0-1) allowed five runs in four innings.
Stanton’s two-run blast traveled an estimated 458 feet to left field, nearly leaving the stadium and giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
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