Milwaukee – Byron Buxton hit two solo home runs and Miguel Sano added another as the Minnesota Twins jumped to an early lead and routed the Milwaukee Brewers 12-2 on Wednesday night.
The victory gave the AL Central-leading Twins a 2-1 series win over the Brewers, who dropped to 2-6 at home.
Minnesota starter Kenta Maeda (3-0), in his first season with the Twins after being acquired from the Dodgers in February, retired the first 11 batters he faced. He allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking one. He entered the game with 16 strikeouts and three walks in 17 innings.
Brewers left-hander Eric Lauer (0-2), acquired from the Padres in November, had lasted only three innings and given up six runs in his first start. On Wednesday, he surrendered seven runs in 3 2/3 innings.
“It felt like there was a lot more just kind of bad baseball luck happening there,” Lauer said. “I was making some competitive pitches, wasn’t getting a whole lot of calls, just wasn’t attacking as much as I should have been.”
The Twins set the tone in the second inning, jumping to a 5-0 lead on a ball that was hit into the sun, four consecutive singles and a wild pitch.
Jake Cave drove in the first run with a line-drive double that froze left fielder Christian Yelich for several seconds as he used his glove to shield his eyes from the sun. Mitch Garver scored on Nelson Cruz’s broken-bat single into center field.
“Those are the kinds of innings that you want to stay in the dugout, you want to keep hitting,” Garver said.
The Twins led 12-0 before Milwaukee pushed across its two runs in the sixth inning on a single by Luis Urías.
The 12 runs is the most given up by Brewers pitchers this season. Of the Twins’ nine starting batters, only Garver did not have an RBI.
“You look at the lineup from top to bottom, it was an explosive night and unrelenting, and that’s what we’re looking for,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.
Milwaukee third baseman Jedd Gyorko made his third career appearance on the mound, pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Cubs 7, Indians 2
In Cleveland, Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings in his first appearance against Cleveland since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and Anthony Rizzo homered as Chicago matched its best start in 50 years.
Hendricks (3-1) didn’t have much trouble with the slumping Indians. He allowed one run and seven hits and handled everyone in Cleveland’s lineup but Franmil Reyes, who got three hits.
The Cubs are 12-3 in their first season under manager David Ross, matching the club’s start after 15 games in 1970.
Hendricks hadn’t faced the Indians since Nov. 2, 2016, when he started the dramatic finale as the Cubs beat the Indians in extra innings to clinch their first Series title since 1908.
Athletics 8, Angels 4
In Anaheim, California, Stephen Piscotty, Matt Olson and Robbie Grossman homered, center fielder Ramon Laureano made three nifty catches and Oakland averted a sweep with a win over Los Angeles.
Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon hit solo homers for the Angels.
Los Angeles designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was 0-for-3.
Marlins 14, Blue Jays 11 (10)
In Buffalo, New York, Magneuris Sierra hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning and Miami overcame Toronto’s seven home runs in the final game of its season-opening, three-week road trip.
Bo Bichette went 5-for-5 for the Blue Jays, a day after homering during a 10-inning win in their first game at their new Buffalo home. He connected again as Toronto became the fourth team in major league history to lose while slugging at least seven homers.
Shun Yamaguchi tossed 2 1/3 of scoreless relief in the win.
Yankees 6, Braves 3
In New York, injury fill-in Clint Frazier had three hits, including a home run, and scored twice in his season debut as the Yankees swept a two-game set with Atlanta.
Johan Camargo lined a two-run homer in the second to give the Braves an early lead against New York starter Masahiro Tanaka, charged with two runs on five hits and two walks in four innings.
Tanaka allowed only those two runs in four innings on the mound.
Royals 5, Reds 4
In Cincinnati, streaking Salvador Perez had three more hits, including a homer and RBI double, Reds left-hander Wade Miley made another early exit after a misstep, and Kansas City beat Cincinnati for its fifth victory in six games.
The Royals’ offense has led the way during the surge. It scored one run at a time to keep it going, led by Perez’s homer, double and single.
Outfielder Shogo Akiyama was 1-for-3 for the Reds.
Rays 9, Red Sox 5
In Boston, Blake Snell pitched five shutout innings and Tampa Bay backed him with a trio of 121-meter homers to beat the RedSox and earn a fifth straight victory.
Willy Adames, Brandon Lowe and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo all homered off Zack Godley, and Austin Meadows hit a solo shot in the ninth after Boston scored five in the eighth to cut into an eight-run lead.
Tsutsugo finished 1-for-4.
Astros 5, Giants 1
In Houston, Martin Maldonado hit a three-run home run to back a strong start by Zack Greinke and help the Astros beat San Francisco.
Mets 11, Nationals 6
Orioles 5, Phillies 4
Diamondbacks 13, Rockies 7
Rangers 7, Mariners 4
Dodgers 6, Padres 0
White Sox 7, Tigers 5
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times