al roundup

Last update: April 1, 2008 - 12:26 AM

al roundup

ROYALS TOP TIGERS IN 11TH INNING

• KANSAS CITY 5, DETROIT 4: Tony Pena Jr. hit a two-out, tiebreaking single in the 11th inning and the Royals beat the host Tigers, making Trey Hillman a winner in his major league debut as manager. Hillman made the right moves, and his players executed in the field to rally from a three-run deficit and hold off a late comeback by Detroit, which has a payroll of $138 million compared to $58 million for Kansas City. Miguel Cabrera hit a homer in his Detroit debut, helping the home team go ahead 3-0 through five innings. Royals center fielder David DeJesus aggravated his sprained right ankle and left the game; he is day-to-day.

• CLEVELAND 10, CHICAGO 8: The defending AL Central champions won in familiar fashion at Progressive Field -- their ballpark previously known as Jacobs Field -- as Casey Blake hit a three-run double with two outs in the eighth inning for the host Indians vs. the White Sox. Blake's shot off Octavio Dotel capped a 3-hour, 21-minute opener that featured five homers, controversial calls and unseasonably pleasant weather in a city finally thawed out from the snowiest March on record. After blowing a 7-2 lead, the Indians loaded the bases in the eighth before Blake's clutch hit.

• SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 2: Jose Lopez had a two-run double in the seventh inning and the host Mariners beat the Rangers.

• TAMPA BAY 6, BALTIMORE 2: James Shields pitched seven innings of five-hit ball for the newly named Rays vs. the host Orioles.

• TORONTO AT NEW YORK, PPD.: The final Opening Day at Yankee Stadium was postponed because of rain, rescheduled for tonight.

nl roundup

BREWERS RUIN FUKUDOME'S DEBUT IN 10TH

• MILWAUKEE 4, CHICAGO 3: Tony Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th as the Brewers beat the host Cubs. Kosuke Fukudome, the Japanese outfielder who was Chicago's main offseason acquisition, went 3-for-3 in his major league debut, hitting a tying three-run homer in the ninth off Eric Gagne. That came after the Brewers scored three in the top of the inning off Kerry Wood. Ben Sheets and Carlos Zambrano both pitched shutout ball, though Zambrano was forced out in the seventh because of a forearm cramp.

• PITTSBURGH 12, ATLANTA 11: Xavier Nady hit his second homer of the game, a three-run shot in the 12th inning, and the Pirates overcame a horrific ninth to ruin the Braves' home opener. Atlanta scored four runs in the ninth inning to tie the score and left the tying run on base in the 12th after scoring two more runs. "That was probably the craziest game I've ever been a part of," Braves catcher Brian McCann said.

• SAN DIEGO 4, HOUSTON 0: Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy hit an RBI single and a sacrifice fly and pitched seven innings of three-hit ball for the host Padres vs. the Astros.

• LOS ANGELES 5, SAN FRANCISCO 0: Joe Torre was victorious in his debut as manager of the host Dodgers. Brad Penny gave up four hits over 6 2/3 innings, and Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer off Barry Zito.

• WASHINGTON 11, PHILADELPHIA 6: A day after winning their opener at their new stadium, the Nationals got a tiebreaking RBI double by Nick Johnson in a five-run ninth against the host Phillies.

• ARIZONA 4, CINCINNATI 2: Brandon Webb pitched six innings, and the visiting Diamondbacks hit three solo homers to dampen Dusty Baker's debut as Reds manager.

• COLORADO AT ST. LOUIS, PPD.: The opener was postponed by rain, in the third inning, with the game rescheduled for tonight.

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