NEW YORK – Hideki Matsui began his Yankee Stadium career with a curtain call instead of a bow.
Matsui hit a grand slam for his first major league home run Tuesday, leading the New York Yankees to a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in their home opener.
Andy Pettitte improved to 3-0 in home openers and Robin Ventura homered as the Yankees won on a chilly 35-degree day. The opener was snowed out Monday but the grounds crew worked all night to get the field in shape. Matsui made it worthwhile, with a dazzling play in the field and the home run.
After Bernie Williams was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out in the fifth, Matsui worked the count full against Joe Mays (1-1) as fans chanted “Mat-su-i! Mat-su-i!” Matsui then hit a drive into the right-field bleachers, drawing a thunderous ovation from the crowd of 33,109, which included his parents and brother.
Mariners 5, Angels 0
SEATTLE – Jamie Moyer allowed four hits in seven innings as the Seattle Mariners beat the Anaheim Angels 5-0 to give manager Bob Melvin a victory in his first home game.
John Olerud went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Mark McLemore, substituting at designated hitter while Edgar Martinez recovers from a strained left hamstring, added two hits for the Mariners.
The 40-year-old Moyer (1-1) was relaxed and looked like a kid who was just happy to be at the ballpark, sprinting to the mound before each inning.
He struck out seven, walked one and hit one batter.
White Sox 5, Indians 3
CLEVELAND – They pushed back the opener, and delayed the outcome as long as possible. The only thing the Cleveland Indians couldn’t postpone was a loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Jose Valentin hit an RBI single and Frank Thomas added a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the White Sox won the Indians’ chilly home opener 5-3.
Fog shrouded the ballpark and it was 34 degrees when Indians starter Ricardo Rodriguez threw out the first pitch. Only about 10,000 fans braved the frigid elements until the final out.
Devil Rays 8, Orioles 7
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Travis Lee singled to cap a two-run rally in the 10th inning, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays overcame a six-run deficit to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7.
Tampa Bay’s Jim Parque allowed six runs, five hits and four walks in 1 2-3 innings. Devil Rays starters have allowed 39 earned runs in 38 innings.
bled leading off the bottom half against Jorge Julio (0-1), who is 0-for-2 in save chances this year, and Grieve held as Carl Crawford reached on an infield single to shortstop.
Rocco Baldelli sacrificed, and Aubrey Huff was intentionally walked, loading the bases.
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