MLB Capsules: Carlos Santana homers to pace Indians over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas – Carlos Santana led off with a home run, Carlos Carrasco struck out seven in his first start since breaking a bone in his right hand and the Cleveland Indians held on for a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

Carrasco missed the playoffs for the A.L. champion Indians after getting struck on his hand by a line drive last September, and then had some elbow discomfort this spring. The right-hander limited Texas to two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Cody Allen allowed consecutive doubles by Nomar Mazara and Mike Napoli starting a 25-pitch ninth inning before striking out Rougned Odor, pinch-hitter Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo for his second save. Allen struck out the side in the opener around a triple by Elvis Andrus.

Cleveland won the first two games to clinch the opening series against two-time defending AL West champions.

Gallo hit a two-run homer for Texas, and Martin Perez pitched six innings of three-run ball.

Cubs 2, Cardinals 1

ST. LOUIS – Albert Almora Jr. robbed Matt Adams of a home run and Javier Baez made a terrific sliding stop on Kolten Wong’s game-ending grounder, sending Jake Arrieta and the Cubs to their first win of the season.

It looked as if the Cardinals had tied the game in the seventh, but Almora tracked Adams’ deep fly ball to the wall and hauled it in with a leaping grab at the top of the fence in center.

St. Louis had a runner on first in the ninth when Baez went into short right field to take a hit away from Wong. The Cardinals challenged the bang-bang play, but the call stood.

Arrieta pitched six innings of one-run ball, helping the World Series champions bounce back from a wild loss on opening day. Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save with the Cubs.

Adam Wainwright allowed two runs and three hits in five innings for St. Louis, which lost Stephen Piscotty to a head contusion in the fifth.

Yankees 5, Rays 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – CC Sabathia was sharp in his first start, Ronald Torreyes and Chase Headley homered and the Yankees earned their first victory this season.

Starting his 17th major league season, the 36-year-old Sabathia allowed three singles in five innings. Five relievers finished the five-hitter.

Most of the offense was supplied by the bottom of the batting order. The 5-foot-8 Torreyes, in the lineup because of a shoulder injury to Didi Gregorius and batting ninth, hit New York’s first home run this season, a two-run drive off Jake Odorizzi in the third that drove in 6-foot-7 Aaron Judge.

Odorizzi was charged with four runs and seven hits in six innings.

Astros 2, Mariners 1

HOUSTON – Brian McCann and Marwin Gonzalez homered to back a solid start by Lance McCullers and help the Astros to the win.

McCann’s homer off Hisashi Iwakuma put Houston up 1-0 in the third inning, and Gonzalez broke a 1-all tie with his solo shot to left-center in the sixth.

McCullers, slowed by injuries for chunks of last season, allowed one run and struck out seven in six innings. Ken Giles got three outs for his second save.

Danny Valencia had two hits and drove in a run, the Mariners’ only one in two games against the Astros.

Rockies 6, Brewers 5

MILWAUKEE – Greg Holland earned his second save in two days with Colorado, and Gerardo Parra hit a three-run double.

Holland tossed a perfect ninth for the Rockies, who have opened the season with 8 1/3 scoreless innings from their bullpen. The former Royals reliever is back on the mound after missing the 2016 season following Tommy John surgery.

Parra and Mark Reynolds, a pair of former Brewers, look comfortable back in Milwaukee. Parra’s bases-loaded double made it 4-1 in the third. Reynolds, who is playing first base with Ian Desmond sidelined by a broken left hand, added an RBI double in the fifth.

Ryan Braun homered and doubled for the Brewers. Zach Davies allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Tyler Anderson (1-0) struck out eight and allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Rockies.

Tigers 6, White Sox 3

CHICAGO – Justin Verlander struck out 10 to match the most by a Detroit pitcher on opening day since Mickey Lolich in 1970, and the Tigers backed him with three home runs.

JaCoby Jones, Nick Castellanos and Ian Kinsler connected against Jose Quintana, and the Tigers sent Rick Renteria to a loss in his debut as White Sox manager. It was Jones’ first career homer.

Verlander gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Francisco Rodriguez relieved with two on in the ninth and retired three straight batters for the save.

Quintana, a first-time All-Star in 2016 and the subject of trade rumors, allowed six runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.