NEW YORK (AP) - Derek Jeter gave Yangervis Solarte some assistance with Yankee Stadium tradition, then the rookie helped make the captain a winner in his final home opener Monday as New York beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2.
Jeter doubled high off the left-field wall and scored on Jacoby Ellsbury’s single in the fifth. Hiroki Kuroda (1-1) went 6 1-3 sharp innings in the Yankees’ 112th opener in New York.
Jeter was cheered every step of the way by an adoring crowd of 48,142, even when his double-play grounder back to Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2) scored Solarte for the first run.
Playing in his first game in the Bronx, Solarte needed Jeter to tell him to wave to the Bleacher Creatures when they chanted his name during pregame roll call.
Shawn Kelley pitched a perfect ninth for his first career save. After the game, the Yankees said closer David Robertson would be put on the disabled list with a strained groin.
ANGELS 9, ASTROS 1
HOUSTON (AP) - C.J. Wilson pitched eight solid innings, Howie Kendrick and Raul Ibanez each drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros.
The Angels took three of four from Houston after starting the season 0-3.
Kole Calhoun homered off Houston starter Jarred Cosart (1-1).
Wilson (1-1) yielded four hits and a run while fanning seven.
ATHLETICS 8, TWINS 3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Yoenis Cespedes proved he can play through a hurting right heel, giving Scott Kazmir and the Oakland Athletics a spark with a pair of RBIs that helped spoil Minnesota’s home opener.
Cespedes has been hobbling around the last few days with the injury, but the team wasn’t worried enough about it to hold him out of the lineup. The Cuban slugger hit a double in the second inning for the first run against Kevin Correia (0-1) and later had a sacrifice fly.
Moss added a two-run single in the third and Derek Norris homered in the sixth.
Kazmir (2-0) allowed three runs and six hits.
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