Joe Girardi and Joe Maddon play game of chess in bizarre Opening Day game between Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays  —  Managers save nothing and neither does Mo Rivera  —  Tampa Bay Rays' Carlos Pena watches the flight of the ball after hitting a grand-slam home run and might as well thank Joe Girardi for loading bases for him.

Rockies get 5-3 opening day win over Astros  —  HOUSTON—Pinch runner Eric Young scored the go-ahead run on an error in the eighth inning and Troy Tulowitzki homered in the ninth to lift the Colorado Rockies to a 5-3 win over the mistake-prone Houston Astros on Friday night.

Magic vs. Kemp?  LA slugger is ready  —  SAN DIEGO — It might have to happen over the dead body of incoming CEO Stan Kasten, what with the injury exclusion clauses in today's contracts.  —  But the mythical one-on-one hoop challenge concocted in the Dodgers clubhouse has been further fueled …

Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd addresses several issues on opening day  —  HOUSTON — The Rockies are going to score runs.  Preventing them?  That's a concern even for the man responsible for piecing together the opening-day roster.  —  “I thought there was a lot of trust …

Lucchino willing to up payroll  —  Goal is to improve pitching, prospects  —  DETROIT - Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said on Friday the team would be willing to add to the payroll to improve the pitching staff.  —  In an appearance on MLB Network Radio, Lucchino said the team would be over the luxury tax threshold regardless.

Mariners Top A's 7-3 in Stateside Opening Night  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes leaned back, put all his might into one powerful swing and sent a soaring shot over the fence in left-center field and off the second-deck facade.  —  And with that, the Cuban defector finally arrived at his new home.

Nieuwenhuis promoted after Torres is put on DL  —  After playing in only one regular-season game, the Mets' new centerfielder is on the disabled list.  —  The Mets announced Friday that Andres Torres was put on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf, an injury suffered in their Opening Day win over Atlanta on Thursday at Citi Field.

Dunn ties record with eighth opening-day homer  —  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adam Dunn tied a major league record with his eighth opening-day home run.  —  Dunn led off the sixth inning for the Chicago White Sox when he pulled a ball into the second deck of seats in right field off Texas starter Colby Lewis.

Venable focused on effective baserunning  —  SAN DIEGO — Padres outfielder Will Venable didn't start Thursday against the Dodgers, but he got into the game in the sixth inning when he walked and later stole second base.  —  For as much that was made during Spring Training about Venable's …

Uecker mourns loss of 52-year-old son  —  MILWAUKEE (AP)  —  Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker's son Steve has died from complications related to San Joaquin Valley fever.  —  The Brewers issued a statement saying Steve Uecker passed away Friday at a hospital in Milwaukee.  He was 52.

Royals Shut Down Pujols, but Lose Opener to Angels  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols was little trouble for Bruce Chen and Aaron Crow in the Royals' opener.  —  Nobody in the Kansas City lineup was any trouble at all for Jered Weaver, and that's why the Royals are still starting the season in a hole.

Cards hit 4 HRs off Gallardo, pound Brewers 11-5  —  MILWAUKEE—David Freese hit a two-run drive for one of four St. Louis homers off Yovani Gallardo, and the Cardinals spoiled the Milwaukee Brewers' opener with an 11-5 victory on Friday.  —  Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday …