Drew Maggi got his first two major league hits Saturday night, three days after making his big league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates following 13 years in the minor leagues, in the Pirates' 16-1 rout of the Washington Nationals that concluded a day-night doubleheader sweep.
Game Recap - Baseball Wiretap
Rookie Taj Bradley won his third consecutive start to begin his big league career, and the Tampa Bay Rays set a modern-era MLB record with their 14th consecutive home win to begin a season, beating the Houston Astros 8-3 on Monday night.
Tampa Bay had shared the mark dating to 1901 with the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first home run since returning from an 80-game drug suspension, driving a fastball into the left-center stands in the first inning of the San Diego Padres' 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
Randy Arozarena homered in the first inning as the Tampa Bay Rays set a major league record by going deep in each of their first 21 games, then he hit a 10th-inning single for his fourth RBI that lifted his club to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
Tampa Bay is 18-3, the best start in the major leagues since the 2003 New York Yankees. The Rays are 12-0 at Tropicana Field, the best start at home since the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers won their first 13 games.
Drew Smyly lost a perfect game bid when he collided with his catcher while trying to field an eighth-inning dribbler that went for an infield single in the Chicago Cubs' 13-0 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
Nico Hoerner hit a three-run homer with four hits and four RBIs as Chicago won for the fifth time in six games. Cody Bellinger went deep for the second straight day and third time this season against his former team. Trey Mancini and Patrick Wisdom also connected.
Smyly (2-1) struck out 10 and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. He threw 68 of his season-high 103 pitches for strikes.
A lot of the talk surrounding Fernando Tatis Jr. in the days, weeks and months leading up to his return focused on how he would handle the vitriol at opposing ballparks.
But in the middle of Thursday's eighth inning, there were cheers. A contingent of San Diego Padres fans made the trip to Chase Field.
"There were more Padres fans here than Arizona fans," Tatis said after his team's 7-5 victory over the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks. "Amazing how they show up. They were loud. I felt like we were at home."
The Tampa Bay Rays tied Major League Baseball's post-1900 record for 13 consecutive wins at a season's start, rallying to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-3 Thursday behind a seven-run fifth inning that Harold Ramirez began and capped with doubles.
Tampa Bay matched the 13-0 start of the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers.
Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez was removed from Thursday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays after appearing to lose track of outs and running into a double play.
Facing Chris Bassitt, Baez doubled off the left-field wall with one out in the second inning for his first extra-base hit this season. Baez didn't run hard out of the batter's box, apparently thinking he had homered.
Baez broke for third and rounded the base on Akil Baddoo's liner to center and was easily doubled up for the third out.
The Tampa Bay Rays won their 12th straight game to start the season, one short of the best major league start since 1900, as Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer in a 9-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.
The 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and 1982 Atlanta Braves both opened 13-0. Tampa Bay's 12-game winning streak matches the team record set in June 2004.
The Tampa Bay Rays ran their season-opening win streak to 11 games, moving closer to history by using another homer for Brandon Lowe and a strong performance by starter Shane McClanahan to defeat the Boston Red Sox 7-2 on Tuesday night.