Houston News

  • World champion Rangers overcome disputed tip and beat Cubs 4-3 on Heim's 10th-inning single
    by By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Baseball Writer on March 29, 2024 at 6:16 am

    Jonah Heim hit a game-ending RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning as the World Series champion Texas Rangers opened the season with a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. Adolis García and Travis Jankowski homered for the Rangers, who unfurled the franchise’s first championship banner before the dramatic victory. Drew Smyly, the Cubs’ seventh pitcher, walked two to load the bases before Heim lined a sharp hit into right-center field. Jankowski led off the ninth with a tying pinch-hit homer after Chicago went ahead on a disputed play in the top half of the inning involving All-Star catcher Heim. […]

  • Tyler O'Neill homers for record-setting 5th straight opening day as Red Sox top Mariners 6-4
    by By TIM BOOTH, AP Sports Writer on March 29, 2024 at 5:52 am

    Tyler O’Neill homered in his fifth straight opening day game to set a major league record, this time against the organization that drafted him, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4. Rafael Devers homered and doubled off Seattle ace Luis Castillo, but it was O’Neill’s homer on the first pitch from Cody Bolton in the eighth inning that gave the Red Sox a 6-4 lead and made history. O’Neill homered the previous four opening days with St. Louis tying him with Todd Hundley, Gary Carter and Yogi Berra. Mitch Haniger and Dylan Moore both hit two-run homers for Seattle. […]

  • Diamondbacks score 14 runs in 3rd inning, cruise to 16-1 victory over Rockies
    by By DAVID BRANDT, AP Baseball Writer on March 29, 2024 at 5:44 am

    PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen isn't one to turn down run support. But by the end of the third inning Thursday night, he was almost begging to get back on the field. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had five RBIs and three hits, including a two-run homer, and the Diamondbacks used a franchise-record 14-run third inning to rout the Colorado Rockies 16-1 on Thursday night. The 14 runs were the most in an inning on opening day for any team since 1900. “I joked at one point ‘Hey, I want to play,’” Gallen said. “It makes our job as pitchers a lot easier when they give you that much support. Next time, I'd rather them just do it in 10 minutes. Those guys came ready to play.” Defending National League champion Arizona led 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, but then sent 18 batters to the plate and had 13 hits, two walks and a sacrifice fly. Maybe most improbably, Arizona didn’t hit a homer during the inning. Ketel Marte, Gurriel, Christian Walker, Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo all had two hits. Corbin Carroll walked twice. Blaze Alexander had his first big-league hit with a single up the middle that scored the 14th run. “It was the situational hitting, taking walks when you're supposed to, it was an all-field approach,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “We were a good hitting team today.” The outburst broke franchise records for most hits, runs and batters in a single inning. It took 34 minutes for the Rockies to get three outs. The D-backs led 16-1 after three innings. Gallen (1-0) gave up one run on three hits over five innings. He was helped on a pair of stellar defensive plays by third baseman Eugenio Suarez and center fielder Alek Thomas, which... […]

  • Shane Bieber and Guardians blank Athletics 8-0 as Stephen Vogt gets first win as manager
    by By ERIC HE, Associated Press on March 29, 2024 at 5:25 am

    Shane Bieber struck out 11 in six shutout innings, David Fry had three hits and Stephen Vogt won his managerial debut as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Oakland Athletics 8-0. Bieber made his fifth consecutive opening day start and allowed four hits in six innings. Vogt spent six seasons as a player with the A’s in two stints before retiring in 2022. He was hired by Cleveland to replace Terry Francona after a year as a bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners. The Guardians scored five times in the fourth inning to knock A’s starter Alex Wood out of the game and take a 6-0 lead. […]

  • Disputed foul tip that put Rangers behind in opener not reviewable. Heim makes up for miscue
    by By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Baseball Writer on March 29, 2024 at 5:12 am

    Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim was going down to block a low pitch when he heard the ball tip off the bat and saw it change directions. Home plate umpire Chad Fairchild didn’t hear or see the same thing in the ninth inning of the season opener for the World Series champions. The Chicago Cubs took the lead on that disputed play before Texas rallied to win 4-3 on Heim’s game-ending RBI single in the 10th inning Thursday night. Fairchild told a poll reporter after the game that he ruled a swinging strike. Asked if he had seen a replay, Fairchild said he had, but refused to talk about what he saw on it. […]