ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Shohei Ohtani hit a 451-foot homer and pitched two-hit ball into the fifth inning in a historic two-way performance, and Jared Walsh hit a walkoff homer in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday night.
Walsh hit two homers, including a big three-run shot off Matt Foster to end the Angels’ third win over Chicago in their four-game, season-opening series.
Ohtani reached another milestone in his unique career when he took the mound and occupied the No. 2 slot in the batting order for the Angels. He was just the third pitcher in 45 seasons to hit for himself in a game with the designated hitter available, and the first to bat second since Jack Dunleavy did it for the Cardinals in 1903.
In the first inning alone, Ohtani both threw the hardest pitch by any starting pitcher in baseball this season and produced the hardest hit by any batter this season. Ohtani touched 101 mph with a fastball, and his first-pitch homer off Chicago’s Dylan Cease left his bat at 115 mph.
Ohtani also didn’t allow a run through the first four innings, but his control problems abetted Chicago’s three-run rally in the fifth. Ohtani left after a passed ball and a throwing error by catcher Max Stassi led to a scary collision at home plate between Ohtani and AL MVP José Abreu, but the Angels said the two-way star avoided injury.
New Angels closer Raisel Iglesias (1-0) couldn’t quite come up with a five-out save. Chicago tied it in the ninth when Nick Madrigal scored from second on a throwing error by Iglesias, who tried to get him at third after fielding Adam Eaton’s one-out grounder.
Dexter Fowler, who entered the game via a rare AL double switch, singled off José Ruiz (0-1) to lead off the ninth. Anthony Rendon drew a one-out walk from Foster before Walsh secured his first career multi-homer game.
PHILLIES 2, BRAVES 1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and Zach Eflin gave Philadelphia another strong start to complete a three-game sweep of defending NL East champion Atlanta.
Philadelphia’s starting trio of Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler and Eflin (1-0) surrendered three runs, 11 hits and one walk in 20 2/3 innings against an Atlanta lineup that led the majors in 2020 with 556 hits.
The Phillies bullpen, which posted a 7.06 ERA in 2020, didn’t yield a run in 7 1/3 innings in the set.
Philadelphia regained the lead in the eighth as Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper and Bohm hit consecutive singles off Chris Martin (0-1).
Hector Neris got his first save.
REDS 12, CARDINALS 1
Nick Castellanos came out swinging with his bat a day after being ejected for inciting a bench-clearing melee, hitting a three-run homer off Carlos Martinez (0-1) and triple to finish the series 6 for 11 with five RBIs.
Tyler Naquin also a three-run shot for the Reds, who won two in a row to take the opening matchup of NL Central teams that earned wild-card spots last season.
Jeff Hoffman (1-0), acquired from the Colorado Rockies in an off-season trade, gave up a just run and three hits through five innings with six strikeouts.
INDIANS 9, TIGERS 3
Jordan Luplow hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run seventh, and Cleveland overcame a home run by Akil Baddoo on the first pitch of his first major league at-bat.
Cleveland avoided a sweep in Detroit after falling behind 3-1 in the third. Yu Chang put the Indians up 4-3 with a two-run single off Daniel Norris (0-1) in the seventh, and Luplow added his homer one out later.
Baddoo was taken by the Tigers with the third pick of the 2020 winter meeting draft of unprotected players. The 22-year-old, who had never played above Class A, gave his bat a little flip after hitting an opposite-field drive to left in the third off Aaron Civale (1-0).
ORIOLES 11, RED SOX 3
Boston dropped to 0-3 at Fenway Park for the first time since 1948 and the second time ever as Trey Mancini and Austin Hays hit two-run doubles during a seven-run third inning.
Cedric Mullins went 5 for 5 with three doubles and walk for the Orioles, collecting four of hits in the initial four innings. Maikel Franco added a first-inning, two-run double, helping Baltimore to its first three-game sweep at Fenway since Aug. 25-27, 2017.
Boston is coming off a 24-36 record that was its worst winning percentage since 1965.
Baltimore left-hander Bruce Zimmerman (1-0) gave up three runs and four hits in six innings with five strikeouts and one walk for his first victory.
Boston starter Garrett Richards (0-1) was chased with no outs and after loading the bases in the third. He allowed six runs and seven hits.
BLUE JAYS 3, YANKEES 1
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk homered off Domingo Germán (0-1). who allowed three runs over three innings in his first appearance since Sept. 18, 2019, after serving a suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Toronto won two of three.
T.J. Zeuch pitched four scoreless innings, left-hander Ryan Borucki (1-0) got two outs to escape a jam in the sixth and Julian Merryweather got his second save with a perfect ninth.
CUBS 4, PIRATES 4
Zach Davies (1-0) permitted two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings in his Chicago debut against short-handed Pittsburgh.
Ian Happ homered and Kris Bryant reached three times as Chicago earned its second straight win after losing on opening day.
Pittsburgh played without third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left wrist.
Mitch Keller (0-1) allowed three runs, two hits and four walks over three innings on his 25th birthday.
RANGERS 7, ROYALS 3
Nate Lowe three-run homer in the third for Texas, which avoided a sweep, and a team-record nine RBIs in the first three games of the season, a Texas record.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa also drove in three runs.
Jordan Lyles (1-0) gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings, struck out eight and allowed five hits.
Brady Singer (0-1) gave up five earned runs, five hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings.
TWINS 8, BREWERS 2
Miguel Sanó and Mitch Garver homered to back up Michael Pineda (1-0), who gave up just one unearned run and four hits in five innings.
Luis Arraez went 3 of 3 with a pair of walks as the Twins took two of three. Max Kepler and Sanó each drove in three runs.
Adrian Houser (0-1) struck out four while allowing two runs, four hits and two walks in five innings.
DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 2
Julio Urías (1-0) gave up one run and three hits over seven-plus innings in the longest start of the 24-year-old left-hander’s major league career. He struck out six and walked one.
Austin Gomber (0-1) walked seven, allowing three runs - one earned - and one hit in three innings.
Los Angeles scored three runs without a hit in the first, and Will Smith homered leading off the eighth. Garrett Hampson had a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth.
ASTROS 9, ATHLETICS 2
Jason Castro homered in his first start with Houston since as a free agent following the 2016 season, helping complete a four-game sweep.
Dusty Baker tied Bill McKechnie for 14th among managers with 1,896 wins.
Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick also homered for the Astros, off to their best start since 2001. Yuli Gurriel had three hits and two RBIs.
Brandon Bielak (1-0) pitched 4 2/3 hitless innings of relief. Sean Manaea (0-1) gave up five runs, six hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings as Oakland dropped to 0-4 for the first time since losing five straight at the start of 1987.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, PADRES 1
Rookie Taylor Widener (1-0) held San Diego to three hits over six scoreless innings to win his first big league start and David Peralta hit a two-run triple as Arizona avoided a four-game sweep.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first homer of the season with two outs in the ninth, off Chris Devenski, who got the save. Tatis also made his fifth error at shortstop.
Chris Paddack (0-1) gave up three runs - two earned, - four hits and three walks in four innings.
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