MLB roundup: Marcus Semien, Martin Perez help Rangers win 2-1 to sweep NL-champ Phils

Marcus Semien drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the fifth inning. Josh Jung homered and the Texas Rangers completed a season-opening series sweep of the defending NL champion Philadelphia Phillies with a 2-1 victory Sunday night.

Martin Perez (1-0) allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings to win his season debut after setting career marks for ERA and strikeouts last season. Perez left with runners on first and second before Brock Burke, the first of three Texas relievers, retired Cristian Pache on a first-pitch foul out down the first-base line.

Jonathan Hernandez got five outs and Will Smith pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save of the season. Perez gave up eight hits, walked three and struck out seven to help the Rangers to their first 3--0 start since 2011 — when they won their second straight AL pennant.

Jung gave Texas a 1-0 lead when he led off the second inning with an opposite-field home run off Bailey Falter (0-1), who gave up both runs by the Rangers on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia tied it in the fourth inning when Josh Harrison’s double-play grounder brought home Nick Castellanos.

The Phillies, who won last year’s NL pennant from the last wild-card position, are 0-3 for the first time since losing their first four games in 2016. They left eight runners on base, were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, struck out eight times and hit into three double plays.

Red Sox 9, Orioles 5

At Boston, Adam Duvall had three more hits, including two doubles and a two-run single to break a fifth-inning tie.

One day after Duvall went 4 for 5 with a walk-off homer, the free agent outfielder collected his sixth extra-base hit of the season. He’s the first player in franchise history with six in his first three games with the team.

The Red Sox are the third team — joining the 1976 Reds and ’78 Brewers — to score at least nine runs in each of their first three games.

Tanner Houck (1-0) lasted five innings, giving up three runs, five hits and a walk while striking out five. Cole Irvin (0-1) allowed six runs and eight hits in four-plus innings.

Mets 5, Marlins 1

At MiamI, Kodai Senga struck out eight in his major league debut, wearing a glove with an image of a ghost and a pitchfork in reference to his “ghost forkball.”

The 30-year-old right-hander allowed one run, three hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. His eight strikeouts tied for the fourth-most by a Japanese pitcher in an MLB debut.

Tommy Pham had three hits and three RBIs, finishing a triple shy of the cycle as the Mets won for the third time in the four-game opening series. Trevor Rogers (0-1) gave up four runs, four hits, two walks and two hit batters in 4 1/3 innings.

Nationals 4, Braves 1

At 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

At. St. Petersburg, Florida, — 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, Pirates1

At 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

At Kansas City, Missouri, 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

At. 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

At 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 as 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

At 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.

Guardians 6, Mariners 5, 10 innings

At 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 Trevor Stephan earned his first save.

Diamondbacks 2, Dodgers 1

At Seattle, Jake McCarthy drove in the tiebreaking run with a bunt single in the ninth inning to overcome Noah Syndergaard's solid 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

At 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.