Game Notes – Sunday thru Wednesday

Filling in for my partner, John Autin, here’s the season’s first installment of Game Notes.

Twins@Tigers – Detroit held the Twins scoreless (4-0, 11-0) through the first two games of this set.

  • Minnesota has started that way only once before – way back in 1940 when Boston beat the Senators 1-0 and 7-0 at Griffith Stadium.
  • Detroit has never before shut out its opponent twice to start a season, and has done so once on only 6 prior occasions.

Indians@Astros – Pitching shines as teams swap pair of 2-0 victories

  • Each team had 3 hits in the first game, the first AL season opener since at least 1914 with neither team reaching four hits.
  • In the second game, the Indians used 5 pitchers to shutout the Astros on 4 hits. Since 1914, it’s the most hits allowed by the Indians in any scoreless 9-inning game with more pitchers used than hits allowed.
  • Neither team had more than 7 hits in either game. The Astros and their opponent have done that only once before, in 1969 in the franchise debut of the Padres. The Indians and their opponent have done that on 5 previous occasions, the last against the White Sox in 1956.

Cardinals@Cubs – More stellar pitching as NL Central rivals swap shutout wins

  • Adam Wainwright throttled the Cubs in the opener, besting Jon Lester in his Chicago debut. It was Wainwright’s second straight season opener allowing no runs over 6+ innings, making him the first Cardinal with two such opening day starts, much less two consecutively.
  • In the second game Jake Arrieta outdueled Lance Lynn, with the only runs coming in the 7th inning after Lynn had Anthony Rizzo picked off, but threw wildly to first base. It was the Cubs first searchable shutout win when getting exactly one triple, HPB, sac bunt and sac fly.

White Sox@Royals – KC bats lead the way as the defending champs open with pair of wins

  • In the opener, the Royals pounded Jeff Samardzija for 5 runs over 6 innings, then tacked on 5 more against Chicago’s relief corps
  • In the second game, the Royals broke a 5-5 tie with an 8th inning two run HR by Lorenzo Cain off Zach Putnam. It’s only the second time for the Royals scoring 10+ runs in the opener and 17+ over the first two games, the first coming in 1979 against in Blue Jays.
  • Zach Putnam entered that second game in relief of Zach Duke. The White Sox are the fifth team with two pitchers having given names starting with Z. All of those pitchers were named Zach and all of those teams have come in the past 5 seasons.

Orioles@Rays – Baltimore uses timely hitting to take two of three from the Rays

  • In the opener, home runs from three players and a pair of run-scoring hits by Travis Snider paced the Os to a 6-2 win. It’s Baltimore’s 7th season opener with three or more homers, but the first to also have 10 or more strikeouts.
  • In game 2, Tampa Bay closed an early 6-0 lead to trail only 6-5 after 6 innings, chasing Oriole starter Bruce Chen in the 5th when the Rays loaded the bases without a hit, but couldn’t score. But, the Baltimore pen took charge after that, retiring the last 10 Rays in order.
  • Steve Pearce became the third Oriole first baseman to homer in the first two games of the season, following Rafael Palmeiro (1994) and Chris Davis (2013). The Rays have seen this movie before as Davis’s exploits (he homered in the first four games that season) also came at Tropicana Field.
  • The Rays salvaged the finale 2-0 as Jake Odorizzi allowed just two hits over 6.2 innings. Evan Longoria scored both runs, including a 6th inning tally after drawing the first of four walks in the frame.

Braves@Marlins – Atlanta sweeps 2-1, 12-2 and 2-0 as Marlin bats go MIA.

  • Last year, Atlanta and the Brewers were each held to exactly one extra-base hit on opening day, the first time for a Braves team and its opponent since 1949. Now the Braves have done it two years running, a back-to-back that no other team has managed since at least 1914.
  • Miami becomes just the 5th team to open a season at home with 3 losses scoring two runs or less on no more than one extra-base hit. On the flip side, Atlanta becomes just the second team to win its first 3 games on the road using four or more pitchers to hold its opponent to two runs or less.

Giants@Diamondbacks – The defending champs take two of three in a high-scoring series.

  • In the opener, San Francisco got two hits from 5 different players (including 3 hits from Joe Panik and Angel Pagan) but still managed only 5 runs, just enough for a 5-4 win after the Snakes scored three late runs to make it close. The Giants are now 10-0 on opening day when two or more players get 3 hits.
  • In the second game, the D-Backs roughed up Ryan Vogelsong with a pair of two-run homers, then held on for a 7-6 win, retiring 11 of the last 13 Giant batters.
  • In the finale, the Giants delivered a 14-hit attack, but needed a 9th inning Casey McGehee home run to finally break open the game for a 5-2 win. Those 5 runs are the fewest the Giants have scored in 23 wins against Arizona with 14+ hits.

Rangers@Athletics – The AL West rivals match stellar pitching performances in the first three of four

  • In the opener, Sonny Gray took an 8-0 lead and a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Ryan Rua singled leading off the frame (and was erased by a following line-out double play). Gray’s 8 scoreless innings of one-hit ball was a first by an Athletic opening day starter in 100 seasons, since Herb Pennock beat the Red Sox 2-0 on opening day 1915, allowing only a Harry Hooper single.
  • Colby Lewis was almost as good in game 2, holding the As to 3 hits and a run over 6 innings, as Texas prevailed 3-1. The top of the Ranger order went 6 for 12, with all the Texas runs scoring on a pair of Prince Fielder singles.
  • In an almost reprise of the season opener, Scott Kazmir allowed a hit to the first batter of the game, then recorded 21 outs without allowing another knock, as the As coasted to a 10-0 whitewash. For Texas, it was the first time since their inaugural 1972 season to be held scoreless on 3 hits or less in two of their first three games.

Angels@Mariners – The AL West favorites split a pair of two-hit performances, before the Halos take the rubber match 5-3

  • Felix Hernandez took the ball for Seattle for a 7th consecutive opening day, only the third pitcher to do so before age 30. Mike Trout‘s solo home run was the King’s only blemish as Seattle won 4-1. Trout is now slashing .365/.386/.673 in 57 PA against King Felix. Joe Mauer is the only other batter with 1.000+ OPS in 40+ PA against Hernandez.
  • In the rematch, C.J. Wilson retired the last 17 Mariners he faced in 8 shutout innings of 2-hit ball, the second such start of his career. It was the first such game by an Angel when striking out two or less since Bruce Kison went the distance in a no-stress 17-0 whitewash of the Twins in 1980.
  • In the finale, the Angels ambushed Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma for four first inning runs on four consecutive hits, but the key play of the inning was a two out error by Robinson Cano, allowing two of the four runs to score. Seattle threatened in the 8th, getting the first two men aboard, but Mike Scoscia stayed with setup man Joe Smith who struck out two to get out of the jamb unscathed.

Blue Jays@Yankees – Late Yankee comeback squares series at 1-1.

  • Toronto took the opener 6-1, getting to Masahiro Tanaka for 5 quick runs in the 3rd inning. It was Toronto’s first win over the Yankees in a season opener. More surprisingly, it’s only the third time the long-time division rivals have squared off to start the season, all since 2003.
  • In the second game, the Blue Jays took a 3-1 lead into the home 8th, but the Toronto bullpen couldn’t hold it, allowing three runs, one on a bases loaded wild pitch, and another on a hit batter after an intentional walk had loaded the bases again.
  • Toronto had three starters (Dalton PompeyJosh DonaldsonJose Bautista) go hitless in both games, tied with 2010 (including Bautista again) for the most in the first two games of a season.

Pirates@Reds – Late game heroics lead Reds to pair of close wins.

  • Todd Frazier broke open a tied season opener with an 8th inning 3-run homer for a 5-2 win. It’s the Reds’ first such searchable home run in the 8th inning or later of a season opener.
  • In game 2, Joey Votto delivered an 11th inning run scoring single for a walk-off 5-4 win. It’s Votto’s 7th consecutive season with a walk-off hit, and second walk-off hit in a season-opening series, the first coming against the Angels in 2013.

Padres@Dodgers – Offense dominates as LA takes two of three.

  • In the opener, James Shields bequeathed a 3-2 lead after 6 innings, but the Padre pen couldn’t hold it, yielding a Jimmy Rollins‘ 3-run home run in the 8th inning as the Dodgers prevailed 6-3. The Dodgers pounded 7 extra-base hits, their most in a season opener with more XBH than runs scored.
  • A pitchers’ duel after 6 innings of game 2, the game changed complexion with the departure of the starters. The Padres broke open a 3-3 tie with 4 runs on 5 hits in the 9th inning. Adrian Gonzalez homered for the second day in a row for the Dodgers.
  • Gonzalez capped his power spree with 3 home runs in a 6-3 win in the rubber match, as the two bullpens finally got the job done, allowing just a single run in 7 combined innings of work. Five home runs in the first 3 games of the season is a major league first. Gonzalez also becomes the third Dodger to homer in the first 3 games of the season, following Jim Wynn in 1974 and Carl Furillo in 1955 (both Dodger pennant-winning seasons).

Mets@Nationals –  NL East foes split pair of low-scoring games

  • Max Scherzer was the tough luck game 1 loser, yielding a trio of unearned runs after two Ian Desmond errors. It was the second year in a row for the Mets and Nats to open against each other, and the second year in a row that both teams struck out 9+ times in that season opener. A team and its opponent both striking out 9+ times in consecutive season openers has happened only three other times: the Dodgers and Cards in 2014 and 2015; and the Reds in 2013 and 2014.
  • In game 2, Ryan Zimmerman‘s first inning 2 run HR provided all the runs Washington would need as the Mets fell 2-1 after failing to get a runner past 2nd base after the 2nd inning.

Red Sox@Phillies – Teams split pair of homer-filled contests

  • In the opener, Boston delivered an 8-0 pounding with 5 long balls, the most by the Red Sox in a season opener, previously accomplished only in 1965.
  • Jeff Francoeur delivered the key blow in the second game with a 3-run shot off Rick Porcello to break a 6th inning scoreless tie en route to a 4-2 win. Jonathan Papelbon earned his save, getting 4 outs, including the last of the 8th inning facing Hanley Ramirez with the bases loaded.

Rockies@Brewers – Colorado scores 20 runs in 3 game sweep

  • The Rockies become the second team (after the 1998 Indians) to open a season with three road wins with 5 runs, 10 hits and 6 extra-base hits in each. Milwaukee is the first team to do the opposite.
  • New Brewer first baseman Adam Lind went 6 for 10 for the series with 1.100 SLG, but his teammates managed just 16 for 90 (.178).
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Brent
Brent
9 years ago

According to Harrelson and Stone (living in Chicago I have to watch those guys when my Royals play the ChiSox), Alex Rios did something on Opening Day that no Royal had ever done. Steal a base and hit a home run on Opening Day (in the same game). Otis never did it, nor Brett nor Beltran. After starting the season with 1 HR in the first 11 games last year (and finishing with only 95 all season), the Royals hit 2 HRS on Monday, 2 on Wednesday and another one yesterday, putting them on pace to hit 270 for the… Read more »

Artie Z.
Artie Z.
9 years ago
Reply to  Brent

Which also puts the Royals on pace to match Adrian Gonzalez in HR for the season 🙂 Of course Gonzalez has the same OBP as AVG so he’s clearly not walking enough, though those 1458 total bases he is on pace to get will help offset the lack of walks. Pro-rating from the first 3 games is always fun. Jose Bautista is on pace to strike out 432 times this season, which would be a record. Of course if we were watching NFL football then 18.75% of the season would already be over. Luckily only 1.85% of the MLB season… Read more »

David P
David P
9 years ago
Reply to  Artie Z.

And Trevor Bauer is on pace to pitch 324 innings, give up 0 hits, strikeout 594 batters, and walk 270. More or less. 🙂

Jonas Gumby
Jonas Gumby
9 years ago
Reply to  David P

Even more hilariously, Trevor Bauer is on pace for zero hits yet zero no hitters!

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago
Reply to  Jonas Gumby

Evan Gattis

0 – 607, 364 strikeouts

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Brent

Altogether there have been 67 games in which a player homered and stole a base on Opening Day (1914-2015). Frank Robinson, Carlos Gomez and Kirk Gibson did it twice. And even Harmon Killebrew did it once.

T-Bone
T-Bone
9 years ago

Just one more reason to vote for Killebrew to be in the COG!

T-Bone
T-Bone
9 years ago
Reply to  T-Bone

Darn! I forgot certain symbols effect this site differently than others. I had posted in greater than and less than signs, ‘ducking and running’ after my Killebrew statement. Apparently I didn’t duck low enough nor run fast enough.

Ken
Ken
9 years ago

The Royals have been hit by pitches 9 times in their first 5 games. If I did the research correctly, this the most HBP ever in a team’s first 5 games in the Retrosheet era. The previous record of 8 was shared by the 1964 Indians, 1997 Marlins, and 2006 Nationals.

Ken
Ken
9 years ago

The Royals have been hit by pitches 9 times in the first 5 games. If I did the research correctly, this the most HBP ever in a team’s first 5 games in the Retrosheet era. The previous record of 8 was shared by the 1964 Indians, 1997 Marlins, and 2006 Nationals.

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Ken

I love this stat. The ’64 Indians picked up four of those HBPs in their fourth game, all at the hand(s) of Angels starter Ken McBride. The fourth one forced over the game-winning run in the top of the ninth. McBride led the AL in hit batsmen in 1964—16 in only 116.1 innings pitched.

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Kimbrel who?
Braves are 5-0
Bullpen – 18 innings, 5 hits, zero runs

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
9 years ago

April 11, Red Sox at Yankees (the 19-inning game), bottom of the 5th, no outs, runner on first, Wade Miley pitching for the Red Sox. Chase Headley grounds into a 5-4 forceout for the first out of the inning. With the count 0-1 on the next Yankee hitter, Chris Young, Miley picks Headley off first. Tomorrow I will introduce legislation to assign a GIDP to any batter who hits into a forceout and then is picked off base by the pitcher or catcher before, or concurrently with, the end of the next hitter’s plate appearance. This legislation will contribute to… Read more »

Mike L
Mike L
9 years ago
Reply to  Kahuna Tuna

Is this “the” Kahuna Tuna of the old pre-HHS Baseball Reference blog? Nice to see you back. BTW, as to your proposed legislation, there have been two bills introduced in Congress to do exactly that. The Senate Bill, S-5-4-3, advanced rapidly through committee with bipartisan backing, until a Senator (believed, but not confirmed, to be the Junior Senator from Texas) objected because the implication was that the ball was first hit to the left side of the infield. House bill, HR-4-3 (involving only the right side of the infield) appears to have a greater possibility of success, but also includes… Read more »

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  Mike L

I was thinking the same thing – is this “the” Kahuna Tuna?!? If so, welcome/welcome back!!!! Those of us who have migrated over here to HHS have missed you and a bunch of the “ol’ gang” from way back when. Nice to see you here.
If, however, you’re a completely different person using the moniker “Kahuna Tuna,” expect legal action for identity theft, and be aware that you’re not welcome around here. 😉

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Mike L

Oh, I’m not saying the road will be easy. Senatorial objections because of the number assigned to the bill? We drown in details. As for the bill I’ve introduced, we need to weigh (!) whether we want Senator Balboni’s support—do we want to risk allegations of pork? Fortunately the Senator possesses high personal integrity on the issue in that he never drew a pickoff throw in his life.

It’s the same Tuna. Thanks for the warm greetings. Life is much too busy for me to be a regular, but I hope to swim by occasionally.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Kahuna Tuna

Welcome to HHS. It’s nice to have another Tuna contributing.

Ken
Ken
9 years ago

Miguel Cabrera is off to an incredible, start, his OPS after 6 games is 1.426. If he would keep that up for a full season, it would be a record by… all of 4 points. Barry Bonds had a 1.422 in 2004. I just can’t wrap my head around that number. That is an AVERAGE of over .700 OBP and .700 SLG. Even if helped by PEDs, that is simply amazing.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago

Don’t know where to post this so I’ll do it here. On Sunday April 12 the Yankees had a 7-0 lead at the end of the 1st inning and went on to a 14-4 win. By using the PI and doing some manual searching of box scores I was able to determine that there has been only one game in the searchable era (1938-1940) in which the Yankees lost a game after they had a lead of 7-0 or more after the 1st inning, (always meaning 0 runs for the visitors). That game occurred on 6-2-54 against the Indians at… Read more »

mosc
mosc
9 years ago

I go to threads and look at the recent comments and they send me to threads I’ve never seen before. This is so frustrating!