BOSTON — David Ortiz went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, boosting his batting average over .500 as the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 7-2 Thursday night to win their eighth straight series opener.
Ortiz, who also scored three runs, is 11-for-20 (.550) with five RBIs since returning last weekend. He missed 71 of last year’s final 72 games and most of the first three weeks this season because of a heel injury.
Boston has won 10 of its last 13 and taken the first eight series openers of a season for the first time in team history.
Clay Buchholz (5-0) allowed two runs and six hits in 7 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and two walks. His ERA rose from 0.90 to 1.19.
YANKEES 5, BLUE JAYS 3
NEW YORK — With Derek Jeter making his first visit to the Bronx this season, Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer and New York used a flurry of early long balls to outslug Toronto.
Vernon Wells homered again against Mark Buehrle, and Francisco Cervelli also connected for New York in its third win over the Blue Jays in a week. The Yankees took two of three in a weekend series in Toronto.
RANGERS 2, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS — Nick Tepesch pitched six strong innings for his second win, and Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz each drove in runs to lead Texas to its sixth victory in seven games.
Tepesch (2-1) allowed five hits in 6 2-3 innings. He shut the Twins out through six before Josh Willingham homered in the seventh inning to make it 2-1.
WHITE SOX 5, RAYS 2
CHICAGO — Chris Sale overcame a shaky first inning to combine with two relievers on a five-hitter and Adam Dunn homered to lead Chicago over Tampa Bay.
Desmond Jennings walked leading off the game and scored on Evan Longoria’s single, but Sale (2-2) settled down and won for the first time since opening day. He allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings, struck out seven and worked around four walks.
ROYALS 8, TIGERS 3 (10)
DETROIT — Alex Gordon’s grand slam highlighted a five-run 10th inning for the Kansas City, which rallied against Detroit’s bullpen after Justin Verlander left with a thumb injury.
George Kottaras put the Royals ahead 4-3 with a bases-loaded walk off Phil Coke (0-3). Darin Downs came on for Detroit after that, but Gordon broke the game open one out later with his homer over the center-field wall.
ORIOLES 10, ATHLETICS 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Nate McLouth reached base four times and scored twice, Nick Markakis drove in two runs, and the Orioles opened their longest road trip of the season by routing the Athletics.
Chris Davis homered and had two RBIs, Adam Jones added three hits and Jason Hammel (3-1) pitched six strong innings.
MARINERS 6, ANGELS 0
SEATTLE — Carlos Peguero hit a mammoth homer in his first at-bat of the season and Kyle Seager had a two-run shot to help the Mariners beat the Angels.
Peguero hit his solo shot on a 3-2 pitch from Garrett Richards (1-1) in the third, 451 feet to deep center. The only two longer home runs in the stadium’s 12½-year history were 462 feet by San Francisco’s Barry Bonds (June 16, 2006) and 460 feet by Mariners’ Raul Ibanez (June 20, 2007).
CUBS 4, REDS 3
MIAMI — Luis Valbuena hit a tie-breaking solo home run in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
The Marlins fell to 5-17, matching the worst start in franchise history through 22 games according to STATS. Miami had the same record in 1995.
NATIONALS 8, REDS 1
WASHINGTON — Gio Gonzalez allowed just one hit in eight innings, and Denard Span and Danny Espinosa drove in three runs apiece to lead Washington to the victory over Cincinnati.
Gonzalezretired the first 11 Reds batters before Joey Votto homered with two outs in the fourth. He struck out seven and walked two.
DODGERS 3, METS 2
NEW YORK —Andre Ethier hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and Los Angeles, boosted by a sharp outing from Hyun-Jin Ryu, defeated New York.
After Ryu and Mets starter Jeremy Hefner each threw seven impressive innings and left with the score 1-all, the Dodgers won a game decided by the bullpens.
PIRATES 6, PHILLIES 4
PHILADELPHIA — Gaby Sanchez homered and drove in three runs, and Garrett Jones hit a go-ahead, two-run double to lead Pittsburgh to a comeback victory over struggling Philadelphia.
D’BACKS 3, ROCKIES 2
PHOENIX — Paul Goldschmidt’s two-run home run in the fourth inning powered the Diamondbacks to a win over the Rockies.
