SCOREBOARD
Saturday, April 7
Detroit at Kansas City (2:10 p.m. EDT). Mike Maroth makes his first start for the Tigers since going on the disabled list last May.
STARS
Friday
-Jose Reyes, Mets, went 3-for-6 with two triples and four RBIs and New York beat Atlanta 11-1.
-Rich Hill, Cubs, retired his first 15 batters and allowed one hit in seven innings, leading Chicago to a 9-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
-Pat Burrell, Phillies, homered and drove in four runs to help Philadelphia beat Florida 8-2.
-Brad Penny, Dodgers, pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning in a 2-1 win over the Giants.
-Akinori Iwamura, Devil Rays, went 4-for-4, hit his first major league home run, and scored the game-winning run with two outs in the ninth inning to help the Devil Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5.
-Kazuo Matsui, Rockies, had three hits, two stolen bases, an RBI and a run scored in a 4-3 win over the Padres.
COLD FRONT
The Mariners and Indians game was postponed because of snow. The Indians were leading 4-0 with two outs in the top of the fifth, when the umpires halted play for the third time. The first pitch had been delayed for nearly an hour because of the winterlike weather. In addition to a 57-minute delay at the start, the game was interrupted for 22 minutes, 17 minutes and finally for 1:17. … The White Sox’ game Friday night with Minnesota was postponed because of cold rain and gusting wind. Temperatures were already in the low 30s by Friday afternoon and were expected to drop into the 20s by night.
NEW DEAL
The Seattle Mariners signed shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt to a four-year contract worth 13.75 million on Wednesday. Betancourt, who fled Cuba in December 2003 by boat, will make $2 million in ’09, $3 million in 2010 and $4 million in 2011.
STREAKS
The Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Giants on Friday night was their sixth straight win in San Francisco.
INJURED
Indians catcher Victor Martinez injured his left leg while running to first base in the third inning of Cleveland’s frosty home opener on Friday against Seattle. Martinez hit a grounder to third baseman Adrian Beltre, who misplayed the bouncer for an error. Martinez didn’t see Beltre’s bobble as he hustled down to first, but he came up limping just as he approached the bag. The Indians said Martinez was day to day, but the injury appeared to be one that could keep him out for at least a few games.
SPEAKING
“We’ll let him hit triples for a while until he learns how to bunt. He’s a delightful kid. He’s a respectful kid. He knows he’s got to work on a few things. He’s going to have to work on his bunting.” – Royals manager Buddy Bell on Tony Pena Jr. After popping out on his first bunt attempt in a 3-1 win over the Tigers on Friday night, Pena Jr. hit an RBI triple in a classic sacrifice situation after Bell let him swing away.
SEASONS
April 7
1969 – The Yankees spoiled the managerial debut of Ted Williams by defeating the Senators 8-4 in the opener at Washington’s RFK Stadium. President Nixon and a crowd of 45,000 attended.
1970 – Three weeks after moving from Seattle to Milwaukee, the former Pilots played their first game as the Brewers and lost 12-0 to the visiting California Angels.
1977 – The expansion Toronto Blue Jays began their major league odyssey with a 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium. Al Woods, pinch hitting for Steve Bowling in the fifth inning, became the 11th pinch hitter with a home run in his first at-bat.
1979 – Ken Forsch of the Houston Astros pitched a no-hitter against Atlanta to duplicate the no-hitter tossed by his brother Bob of the Cardinals against the Phillies on April 16, 1978. They are the first brothers to pitch no-hitters.
1984 – Detroit’s Jack Morris pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox despite giving up six walks. It was the first Tigers no-hitter since Jim Bunning’s in 1958.
2000 – Fifty-seven home runs were hit in the 15 games played, setting a major league record. The previous mark of 55 was set in 17 games last Aug. 13. Thirty-six homers in the American League set a record for a league in one day, topping the previous mark of 30.
Today’s birthdays: Brett Tomko 34; Ronnie Belliard 32; Adrian Beltre 28.
