Associated Press
From around the majors…
BALTIMORE — Brian Roberts hit a three-run homer, Jake Arrieta allowed one run in six innings and the unbeaten Baltimore Orioles thrilled a sellout crowd in their home opener by defeating the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Monday.
On a gorgeous afternoon at Camden Yards, the Orioles extended a surprising winning streak that began with a three-game sweep at Tampa Bay. Off to its best start since 1997, Baltimore (4-0) has not yet trailed, hasn’t given up more than one run in a game and has outscored the competition 17-4.
With the score tied at 1 in the fifth, Felix Pie walked and went to third on a double by J.J. Hardy before Roberts hit a 1-2 pitch from Rick Porcello (0-1) over the wall in right-center. Roberts has Baltimore’s only two home runs this season.
Nick Markakis followed with his third hit, a double, and Matt Wieters delivered a two-out RBI single for a 5-1 lead.
Arrieta (1-0) gave up six hits and walked two. Jason Berken followed with two innings of one-hit relief and Koji Uehara pitched the ninth.
Yankees 4, Twins 3
NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada each hit a two-run homer, rookie Ivan Nova kept New York ahead and the Yankees made it another tough visit for Minnesota.
Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera each pitched a scoreless inning to close the Yankees’ 14th victory in their last 15 home tries against Minnesota — that includes wins in New York’s opening-round playoff sweeps over the Twins the last two years.
Rodriguez lined his 615th homer in the first, then Posada connected the next inning for his third home run in two days. The shots off Scott Baker (0-1) gave the Yankees 11 home runs through their first four games.
Nova (1-0) tossed six effective innings in his season debut.
Jim Thome had a two-run double for the Twins.
Braves 2, Brewers 1
MILWAUKEE — Martin Prado and Dan Uggla homered off Takashi Saito in the eighth inning, rallying the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 victory and spoiling the Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener on Monday.
Rickie Weeks continued his impressive start for winless Milwaukee with his third homer. But the Brewers are 0-4 after getting swept at Cincinnati to begin the season.
Peter Moylan (1-0) got three outs to earn the win and Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his second save.
Prado tied it with his leadoff drive in the eighth. Saito (0-1) got two outs before Uggla hit a deep fly to left-center that hit off the top of the wall and bounced over.
Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy and Milwaukee’s Chris Narveson each tossed six sparkling innings.
Cubs 4, Diamondbacks 1
CHICAGO — Randy Wells overcame a shaky start to pitch six solid innings, Kerry Wood escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and Chicago beat Arizona.
Alfonso Soriano homered and drove in two runs for the Cubs. Carlos Marmol, who blew a save in Sunday’s loss to the Pirates, worked the ninth for his second of the season.
Wells (1-0), hoping to regain the form of his 2009 rookie season, outpitched Diamondbacks left-hander Joe Saunders (0-1) on an overcast afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Willie Bloomquist hit his first career leadoff homer for Arizona.