MLB Opens Shortened Season

Cole, Stanton lead Yanks past Nats 4-1 in stormy MLB opener

By HOWARD FENDRICH

WASHINGTON (AP) _
The pandemic-shortened Major League Baseball season has finally started _ with zero fans, Nationals star Juan Soto sidelined by COVID-19 and a 4-1 storm-halted victory for the New York Yankees over reigning champ Washington. Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge led the way for the Yankees after a pregame ceremony that included references to Washington’s 2019 World Series title, the Black Lives Matter movement and the coronavirus. Players from both teams knelt before the national anthem. Dr. Antony Fauci threw out the first pitch. Stanton hit a two-run homer off Max Scherzer in the first inning.

 

Hernandez 5 RBIs, Dodgers beat Giants 8-1 in fan-less opener

By BETH HARRIS

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Kike Hernandez homered and drove in five runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the rival San Francisco Giants 8-1 in a fan-less ballpark on opening night. Dustin May became the first Dodgers rookie to start on opening day since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. May pitched when Clayton Kershaw couldn’t go because of a back issue. It was similar to when Valenzuela was a late replacement for the injured Jerry Reuss back then. Mookie Betts went 1 for 5 in his LA debut in the game at Dodger Stadium.

More News