The Baltimore Orioles’ Adam Frazier, right, hits a two-run home run as Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, left, looks on during the fifth inning of a game Sunday in Boston.
AP photo
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The Boston Red Sox’s Adam Duvall hits a two-run single during the fifth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday in Boston.
AP photo
The Boston Red Sox’s Justin Turner, center, and Masataka Yoshida, right, are welcomed to the dugout by Christian Arroyo (39) after they both scored on a two-run home run by Adam Duvall in the fifth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday in Boston.
AP photo
BOSTON — The Red Sox know scoring nine runs in every game is satisfying — though not sustainable.
“We’re probably not going to average nine runs a game all year long,” Kiké Hernández said after collecting two of the team’s 14 hits in a 9-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. “But I do believe that’s what we’re capable of.”
Coming off a last-place finish in 2022 and predicted to finish at the bottom of the AL East again this season, the Red Sox opened by beating Baltimore two out of three — scoring nine runs in each game. They are the third team in baseball history to score at least nine in three straight games to start a season, joining Cincinnati’s 1976 Big Red Machine and the ’78 Milwaukee Brewers known as “Bambi’s Bombers.”
One day after amassing four hits, including a walk-off homer, Adam Duvall had three more hits — two doubles and a two-run single to break a fifth-inning tie. The free agent outfielder collected his sixth extra-base hit of the season, becoming the first player in franchise history with six in his first three games with the team.
“We all knew that he was going to love Fenway Park, he’s going to love the Green Monster being that close,” Hernández said. “He drives in runs; that’s what he does. And when he hits the ball he hits it very hard. So so far, that’s been great.”
Tanner Houck (1-0) lasted five innings – the longest outing for a Red Sox starter this season — giving up three runs, five hits and a walk while striking out five. Hernández hit a solo homer, and Rafael Devers, Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo each had two of Boston’s 14 hits.
Duvall played the first 10 years of his career in the NL before signing with Boston this offseason. But he already knew he liked Fenway Park, batting .407 with six homers and 12 RBIs in six interleague games.
“He has done damage in this stadium before, and we’ve seen it,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “But to do it with us means a lot. And to see that wall 81 times — hopefully plus — I think there’s a comfort level for him.”
After falling behind by six runs in each of the first two games, Boston led 3-0 after three innings. The Orioles tied it in the fifth with home runs by Adam Frazier and Cedric Mullins, but the Red Sox came back with three in the bottom half.
Yoshida singled in one run to break the tie and chase starter Cole Irvin. When Bryan Baker bounced a pitch, the runners moved into scoring position, with Justin Turner barely beating the throw to third.
Duvall dropped one into left-center to score two more runs and make it 6-3. Baltimore made it 6-5 on Mullins’ two-run single in the seventh, but the Red Sox went up 8-5 on RBI singles from Triston Casas and Hernández.
Frazier had three hits, and Orioles starter Cole Irvin (0-1) allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks, striking out four in four-plus innings.
NATIONALS 4, BRAVES 1
WASHINGTON — MacKenzie Gore allowed one run and three hits across 5 1/3 innings in his regular-season debut for the Nationals.
Gore (1-0), a 24-year-old left-hander who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft, didn’t allow a hit until there were two outs in the fourth.
Atlanta’s Jared Shuster (0-1), a first round pick in 2020, lasted 4 2/3 innings in his major league debut and allowed five runs, four hits and five walks. Dominic Smith hit a go-ahead single in a four-run first.
RAYS 5, TIGERS 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay’s Jeffrey Springs (1-0) was pulled after six hitless innings, Riley Greene got Detroit’s first hit with an infield single off Colin Poche in the seventh and the Rays completed an opening three-game sweep.
Springs struck out a career-high 12 and matched his high of six innings. Outscored 21-3 in the series, Detroit had just one runner against Springs: Nick Maton drew a two-out walk in the second.
Randy Arozarena had a fourth-inning solo homer off Joey Wentz (0-1), and Jose Siri drove in two with a single against Jason Foley during a three-run sixth.
REDS 3, PIRATES 1
CINCINNATI — Graham Ashcraft (0-1) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, giving up Brian Reynolds’ homer.
Jason Vosler and TJ Friedl hit solo home runs for the Reds. Alexis Díaz pitched the ninth for his first save.
Vince Velasquez (0-1), making his Pirates debut after signing in December as a free agent, lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and five hits.
TWINS 7, ROYALS 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joey Gallo homered twice to back Joe Ryan (1-0), who gave up one run and three hits in six innings as Minnesota swept its opening series for the first time since 2017, also against Kansas City.
Gallo hit a solo homer in the sixth off Amir Garrett and a three-run drive in the seventh against Dylan Coleman for a 6-1 lead and his 16th multihomer game, his first since last June 9 for the Yankees at Minnesota.
Brad Keller (0-1) allowed two runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Edward Olivares homered in the second ending a 19-inning scoreless streak for the Royals, their longest starting a season.
CARDINALS 9, BLUE JAYS 4
ST. LOUIS — Nolan Gorman hit a pair of two-run homers in his second career multihomer game, including a drive in a three-homer first that included long balls from Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson off Chris Bassitt (0-1). Donovan also had two doubles as the Cardinals banged out 16 hits.
Bassitt, making his Blue Jays debut after signing a three-year, $63 million deal, gave up three homers in his first 14 pitches and ended up allowing nine runs and 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings for a 24.30 ERA.
Jordan Montgomery (1-0) gave up three runs and six hits over five innings.
BREWERS 9, CUBS 5
CHICAGO — Jesse Winker had two hits and three RBIs, including a key two-run single in a five-run sixth inning.
Christian Yelich, Garrett Mitchell and Brice Turang also had two hits apiece — part of a 13-hit attack.
Eric Lauer (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball, settling down after a shaky start.
Jameson Taillon (0-1) was charged with three runs and seven hits in four innings in his Chicago debut. Patrick Wisdom hit two solo homers for Chicago,
WHITE SOX 6, ASTROS 3
HOUSTON — Luis Robert Jr. and Yoán Moncada homered, and Mike Clevinger (1-0) allowed three hits in five shutout innings.
Robert hit a solo home run in the fifth and made a spectacular sliding catch on the left-center warning track in the ninth to rob Kyle Tucker of extra bases. Moncada hit a two-run homer in the ninth as Chicago gained a four-game split of the opening series.
Luis Garcia (0-1) allowed three runs and seven hits in five-plus innings. The Astros were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners.
ANGELS 6, ATHLETICS 0
OAKLAND, Calif. — Rookie Logan O’Hoppe hit his first big league homer with a three-run drive in the fourth to break up a scoreless game, Mike Trout had a two-run shot the next inning and Shohei Ohtani connected one pitch later.
With two outs and in his 22nd at-bat, O’Hoppe drove a 1-1 fastball from Ken Waldichuk (0-1) over the wall in left-center, a 391-foot-shot with a 101.5 mph exit velocity.
Left-hander Tyler Anderson (1-0) allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two over six scoreless innings making his Angels debut after signing a three-year contract in November. He is 3-0 with a 0.48 ERA and 17 strikeouts in four career starts against the A’s.
GUARDIANS 6, MARINERS 5
SEATTLE — José Ramírez scored on a bases-loaded error by catcher Cal Raleigh in the 10th of the major leagues’ first extra-inning game this season.
Cleveland’s Tim Herrin, a 26-year-old left-hander, struck out all four batters he faced in his major league debut, the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, according to the Elias Sport Bureau.
Former Mariner Mike Zunino hit a three-run homer and had three hits as Cleveland came from behind three times and won three of four from the Mariners.
Enyel De Los Santos (1-0) won, Penn Murfee (0-1) lost and revor Stephan earned his first save.
DIAMONDBACKS 2, DODGERS 1
LOS ANGELES — Jake McCarthy drove in the tiebreaking run with a bunt single in the ninth inning, to overcome Noah Syndergaard in his first start for Los Angeles. Syndergaard gave up one run and four hits in six innings, striking out six and walking none.
Corbin Carroll stole three bases and Andrew Chafin (1-0) pitched two-third of an inning for the win.
Brusdar Graterol (0-1) couldn’t come up with the bunt that broke a 1-1 tie.
Scott McGough, a 33-year-old right-hander who on Friday made his first big league appearance since 2015, got the final two outs for his first save.
PADRES 3, ROCKIES 1
SAN DIEGO — Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run homer, Trent Grisham hit a solo drive and Seth Lugo (1-0) allowed one run and four hits over seven strong innings in his first start for his new team.
The Padres set a four-game series attendance record at Petco Park (174,915), which opened in 2004, with four consecutive sellouts to open the season.
Josh Hader earned his first save, tossing a scoreless ninth inning.
Austin Gomber (0-1) gave up four runs and three hits in six innings.