NEW YORK (AP) - Didi Gregorius hit a pair of three-run homers and drove in a career-high eight RBIs, and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-4 on Tuesday in Aaron Boone’s chilly first home opener as manager.
Gregorius had four hits and walked, setting a major league record for RBIs by a player in a home opener. He also set a Yankees record for RBIs by a shortstop.
He doubled and scored in the second, and his first homer put the Yankees ahead 4-1 in the third against Chris Archer. After New York’s bullpen wasted a three-run lead for the second straight game, Gregorius drove an 0-2 pitch from Austin Pruitt (1-1) into the second deck in the seventh. He blooped an opposite-field two-run single to left in the eighth.
New York improved to 3-2 under Boone, who took over when Joe Girardi was fired. Tommy Kahnle (1-0) got the win.
Tampa Bay has lost four straight since beating Boston in its opener.
MARINERS 6, GIANTS 4
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Mitch Haniger hit a two-run single, helping the Mariners spoil the Giants’ home opener.
Seattle’s Marco Gonzales (1-0) allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Edwin Diaz got three outs for his third save.
Joe Panik hit a solo homer and Evan Longoria added a two-run shot for the Giants, the first with his new team.
Ty Blach (1-1), filling in for injured San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner, was done after 4 1/3 innings having allowed 10 hits and six runs.
The crowd of 40,901 marked the lowest for a Giants home opener in the 19-year ballpark’s history.
ROYALS 1, TIGERS 0
DETROIT (AP) - Jake Junis took a shutout into the eighth inning, and Kansas City earned its first victory of the season.
On a chilly, rainy day - with snow a possibility on Wednesday - the Tigers and Royals breezed through nine innings in 2 hours, 17 minutes. Jorge Soler, who still doesn’t have a major league hit since July 2, drove in the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly in the second.
Junis (1-0) allowed three hits in seven-plus innings. Kelvin Herrera struck out two in a perfect ninth for his first save.
Matthew Boyd (0-1) was sharp for the Tigers, allowing a run and four hits in six innings.
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