Los Angeles: Japanese star Shohei Ohtani triumphed in his home debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday as teammates helped him to the MVP in a 7-1 rout of St. Louis.
Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts hit a solo home run in the third inning and scored three times, Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs and Ohtani went 2-for-3 and scored on Freeman’s homer in the third to spark the Dodgers.
“I was the only guy that couldn’t hit a homer, but overall I thought I had a pretty good game,” Ohtani said. “Overall, I had quality at-bats.
Tyler Glasnow struck out five while allowing just one run on two hits over six innings to pick up the win for Los Angeles, whose fans cheered Ohtani in his first home game since signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers six years ago. Los Angeles Angels.
“I’m very grateful … to be accepted by the Dodger fans,” Ohtani said. “Obviously I’ve been here before as a guest player so it was a bit intimidating. But I’m very grateful for the fans – and there are a lot of them.
Ohtani is part of a Major League Baseball investigation into the alleged illegal gambling activities of his former translator, but the controversy took a back seat as America’s national pastime enjoyed the start of another campaign.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts liked what he saw from the leadoff trio of Betts, Ohtani and Freeman — all former MVPs producing a ferocious top of the lineup for his club.
“Mookie does what Mookie does, he keeps swinging a hot bat and Shohei puts on a nice show,” Roberts said. “I think you can make the argument in any debate that they are the best hitters in baseball.
“We’re lucky to have three of them at the top of the order. The first word that comes to mind for me is certainly daunting.”
Corbin Burnes struck out 11 batters, a record for any pitcher in his Baltimore debut, to pace the Orioles to an 11-3 home loss against the Los Angeles Angels.
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Angels slugger Mike Trout smashed the first home run of the MLB season in the first inning against Burnes, who retired every other hitter he faced.
Burnes had the second-most strikeouts in an opener in the club’s 70-year history, the most since Dave McNally’s 13 in 1970.
The Orioles held a moment of silence for the six workers killed when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday — less than 10 miles from Camden Yards — after a freighter struck a support.
The flag was also lowered during the ceremony, which came in front of a sold-out crowd of 45,000 fans, which included new team owner David Rubenstein.
Juan Soto had a spectacular New York Yankees debut, throwing out Houston’s Mauricio Dubon in right field at second in the ninth inning to deny the Astros a tying run and preserve a 5-4 victory for the visiting Yankees.
Soto also sparked New York’s rally from a 4-0 deficit with a single in the fifth, his first hit in Yankees pinstripes.
The World Series champion Texas Rangers celebrated last year’s success with fans by displaying the Commissioner’s Trophy before the game.
The night was capped off by a bases-loaded single by catcher Jonah Heim in the 10th inning that sealed a 4-3 victory for Texas over the Chicago Cubs.
San Diego’s Yu Darvish struck out seven and scattered five hits over five innings, but it was Japanese compatriot Yuki Matsui who pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings in the Padres’ 6-4 home win over San Francisco.
Cincinnati’s Nick Martini blasted a three-run homer and a two-run homer, while Frankie Montas struck out four and scattered four hits over six scoreless innings as the Reds ripped visiting Washington 8-2.
Miami’s Opening Day festivities included a ceremonial first pitch by Brazilian soccer player Neymar before the Marlins’ home opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Twelve innings later, Jared Triolo’s single scored Ke’Bryan Hayes for what turned out to be the game-winning run in the Pirates’ 6-5 extra-inning victory.
