Reyes helps Mets get off to 4-0 start
Jose Reyes had another one of those nights that left Mets manager Willie Randolph heaping praise on his dynamic young shortstop. Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright wasn't too shabby, either.
Reyes had two triples and four RBI and Oliver Perez gave up only five hits in seven strong innings to help New York stomp the Atlanta Braves 11-1 Friday night and remained unbeaten.
"He never ceases to amaze me," Randolph said of Reyes. "He's one of those players, with everything he does we just look at each other and say wow."
Wainwright pitched seven impressive innings in his first career start, hit an RBI double, and started a pivotal double play with a barehanded pickup in St. Louis' 4-2 victory over the winless Houston Astros.
It was the first win of the season for the defending World Series champion Cardinals.
"We needed to get off the snide and put a 'W' on the board, that's the big thing," said Wainwright, who also scored a run. "I started, kept my team in the game, so, yeah, I'm happy."
The Mets are 4-0 for the first time since 1985, when they opened the season with five straight wins for their best start ever. The way they are pitching, the four wins could be the start of a big season for the defending NL East champions.
"They keep pitching like that, we're going to be dangerous," Reyes said in Atlanta.
Wainwright, a converted closer who got the final out against Detroit to help St. Louis win the title, got his RBI double in the third inning in Houston, then came home on Chris Duncan's two-run homer.
At Washington, Micah Owings allowed one hit in five shutout innings in his big league debut, and Chris Young homered and drove in four runs for Arizona.Cubs 9, Brewers 3At Milwaukee, Rich Hill retired his first 15 batters and allowed one hit in seven innings for the Cubs.
Pat Burrell homered and drove in four runs, Jamie Moyer pitched 6X\c innings and the Phillies earned their first victory after three straight losses.Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, who scored four unearned runs thanks to two Florida errors.
Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer to help the Rockies ruin the Padres' home opener.Khalil Greene hit a two-run homer for the Padres.
Brad Penny pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning in the Dodgers' sixth straight victory in San Francisco.Barry Bonds went 0-for-3.
At Arlington, Texas, Sammy Sosa blooped an RBI single in the first inning when he was trying to check his swing to help the Rangers win their home opener.It was Sosa's first home game for the Rangers since his rookie season in 1989. After a year out of baseball, he agreed to a minor league deal with Texas and made the team by hitting .408 with five homers in 17 spring games.
Mike Mussina was roughed up in his season debut and Baltimore's revamped bullpen succeeded in its first chance to protect a late lead, helping the visiting Orioles to their first victory.Adam Loewen (1-0) held New York's powerful lineup in check, Melvin Mora played an outstanding all-around game and Baltimore avoided opening 0-4 for the first time since the 1988 team lost its first 21 games. Chris Ray pitched the ninth to get his first save.
At Kansas City. Tony Pena Jr.'s third triple in four games keyed a two-run seventh for the Royals.Justin Verlander, who came in with a 3-0 career record and a 0.86 ERA against Kansas City, went six innings and gave up only two hits and one unearned run. He was replaced starting the seventh by Jose Mesa (0-1), and the 17-year veteran gave up a leadoff double to Jason LaRue, Pena's RBI triple and an RBI single to David DeJesus.
Akinori Iwamura hit his first major league homer and sprinted home from third base on B.J. Upton's infield single with two outs in the ninth to help Tampa Bay win its home opener.
Vladimir Guerrero and Howie Kendrick homered, and rookie Dustin Moseley pitched six-plus innings in the Angels' victory.
