Mets win battle of unbeatens; Cardinals get first win

 

Jose Reyes had another one of those nights that left Mets manager Willie Randolph heaping praise on his dynamic young shortstop. Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright wasn’t too shabby, either.
Reyes had two triples and four RBIs and Oliver Perez gave up only five hits in seven strong innings to help New York beat the Atlanta Braves 11-1 Friday night and remained unbeaten.
“He never ceases to amaze me,” Randolph said of Reyes. “He’s one of those players, with everything he does we just look at each other and say wow.”
Wainwright pitched seven impressive innings in his first career start, hit an RBI double, and started a pivotal double play with a barehanded pickup in St. Louis’ 4-2 victory over the winless Houston Astros.
It was the first win of the season for the defending World Series champion Cardinals.
“We needed to get off the snide and put a ‘W’ on the board, that’s the big thing,” said Wainwright, who also scored a run. “I started, kept my team in the game, so, yeah, I’m happy.”
In other NL games, it was: Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 1; Philadelphia 8, Florida 2; Arizona 7, Washington 1; Chicago Cubs 9, Milwaukee 3; Colorado 4, San Diego 3; and Los Angeles Dodgers 2, San Francisco 1.
The Mets are 4-0 for the first time since 1985, when they opened the season with five straight wins for their best start ever. The way they are pitching, the four wins could be the start of a big season for the defending NL East champions.
“They keep pitching like that, we’re going to be dangerous,” Reyes said in Atlanta.
Perez (1-0) gave up one run, struck out six and did not walk a batter.
Mark Redman (0-1) made his first start for Atlanta after signing with the team in spring training. He gave up nine hits and five runs in 5 2-3 innings.
The Braves had started the season with a three-game sweep at Philadelphia.
Wainwright, a converted closer who got the final out against Detroit to help St. Louis win the title, got his RBI double in the third inning in Houston, then came home on Chris Duncan’s two-run homer to help the Cardinals avoid their first 0-4 start since 1997.
Duncan also had an RBI double in the eighth as St. Louis snapped a five-game losing streak to the Astros.
“It helps my confidence a little bit,” said Duncan, who hit .170 against left-handers last season. “I just started seeing the ball better throughout the game.”
Wandy Rodriguez (0-1) gave up only four hits and struck out five in seven innings, but still lost his fifth straight decision.
Jason Isringhausen earned his first save of the season and 250th of his career.
Diamondbacks 7, Nationals 1
At Washington, Micah Owings allowed one hit in five shutout innings in his big league debut, and Chris Young homered and drove in four runs for Arizona.
Owings (1-0) struck out six. The victory stretched Owings’ undefeated streak to 20 starts and made him 13-0 in decisions dating to May 23, 2006: That includes 2-0 at Double-A Tennessee and 10-0 at Triple-A Tucson last season.
Jerome Williams (0-1) went six innings – the first Nationals starter to pitch more than five – and allowed five runs, four earned.
Ryan Church homered with two outs in the ninth for Washington’s only run.
Cubs 9, Brewers 3
At Milwaukee, Rich Hill retired his first 15 batters and allowed one hit in seven innings for the Cubs.
Hill’s run at a perfect game and a shutout ended in the sixth when Corey Hart led off and hit a fastball deep into the Brewers’ bullpen to cut Chicago’s lead to 6-1.
Hill (1-0) got all the run support he needed before he stepped on the mound as the Cubs scored six times in the first inning, capped by Mark DeRosa’s two-run homer.
Dave Bush (0-1) allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings for the Brewers.
Phillies 8, Marlins 2
Pat Burrell homered and drove in four runs, Jamie Moyer pitched 6 2-3 innings and the Phillies earned their first victory after three consecutive losses.
Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, who scored four unearned runs thanks to two Florida errors.
The 44-year-old Moyer (1-0) allowed seven hits and two runs.
Hanley Ramirez hit a solo homer for Florida, which had its home opener and drew 40,397 – its largest crowd at home since the 2005 opener.
Florida’s Sergio Mitre (0-1) pitched five innings and allowed five runs, only one earned.
Reds 6, Pirates 1
At Cincinnati, Jeff Conine hit a three-run homer and tripled, leading the Reds to a victory that ended the Pirates’ unbeaten streak.
The 40-year-old outfielder, acquired in a December trade to platoon at first base, led the Reds to a win for the second day in a row. Conine also had a game-tying, pinch-hit single and scored the go-ahead run against the Cubs on Thursday.
He homered off Pittsburgh’s Paul Maholm (0-1) in the third inning for a 4-1 lead on Friday.
The Pirates opened the season 3-0 for the first time since 2003, but couldn’t keep the winning streak going against right-hander Matt Belisle (1-0), who retired 14 in a row over the middle innings.
Rockies 4, Padres 3
Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer to help the Rockies ruin the Padres’ home opener.
The Rockies won their third straight following an opening-day loss to Arizona.
Pitching eight days before his 41st birthday, Greg Maddux (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings for San Diego.
Jason Hirsh (1-0) made his Colorado debut a memorable one. He struck out a career-high eight and allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings.
Khalil Greene hit a two-run homer for the Padres.
Dodgers 2, Giants 1
Brad Penny pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning in the Dodgers’ sixth straight victory in San Francisco.
Barry Bonds went 0-for-3 on a chilly Bay Area night.
Penny (1-0) allowed 10 hits and a run, struck out one and walked one in seven-plus innings.
Takashi Saito pitched the ninth for his second save.
Noah Lowry (0-1) worked seven innings for the Giants, allowing six hits and one earned run.