Carpenter solid for Cardinals
Chris Carpenter took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and combined with two relievers on a one-hitter, leading the Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-1, yesterday in St. Louis.
Carpenter (1-0) didn't allow a hit until Ramon Vazquez singled just under the glove of second baseman Skip Schumaker with two outs in the seventh. Schumaker made a poor throw to second on a potential inning-ending double play the previous at-bat, nearly pulling shortstop Khalil Greene off the bag on Brandon Moss's grounder and getting only a forceout.
Schumaker was an outfielder before the Cardinals released Adam Kennedy Feb. 9.
Pittsburgh had scored an unearned run in the third against Carpenter following an error by first baseman Albert Pujols. The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, Carpenter didn't pitch from April 1, 2007, until last July 30 because of an elbow injury that required reconstructive surgery and he made just four appearances totaling 15 1/3 innings last season.
Carpenter, the former star at Trinity High in Manchester, N.H., struck out seven and walked two, throwing 92 pitches as he improved to 10-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 12 starts against Pittsburgh.
Giants 7, Brewers 1 - Giants reliever Joe Martinez was hit in the head by Mike Cameron's line drive in the ninth inning, but was able to walk off the field in host San Francisco's win over Milwaukee.
Martinez was conscious and taken to a hospital for a CT scan and evaluation. His forehead was bloody and his right eye was swollen.
"He was bleeding quite a bit," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "That ball was smoked. He didn't have a chance."
Martinez, who made his major league debut Tuesday and was the winner in the Giants' opener, was struck near the right temple by Cameron's two-out liner. Martinez dropped to his knees, and players on both sides winced at the frightening scene.
Team trainers rushed to Martinez's aid. After a few minutes, the 26-year-old pitcher was able to walk away with a cloth held to his nose.
Royals 2, White Sox 1 - Coco Crisp's two-run homer in the ninth inning broke a scoreless tie and Kansas City held off Chicago at U.S. Cellular Field.
It was 0-0 when Crisp connected off Bobby Jenks (0-1). Alberto Callaspo doubled with one out and Crisp hit the next pitch for his first home run.
Rangers 12, Indians 8 - Marlon Byrd and Ian Kinsler hit long home runs and host Texas improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1996 by outslugging Cleveland.
Byrd's homer was a three-run shot that capped a five-run first off Carl Pavano (0-1), making his first start for Cleveland after being a free agent bust with the Yankees the past four seasons. Byrd matched a career high with five RBIs.
Cleveland hit five home runs, including two by Grady Sizemore, but couldn't rally from an early 9-1 deficit. The Indians last were 0-3 in 1996, though they did come back to win 99 games and the AL Central that season.
Blue Jays 6, Tigers 2 - Ricky Romero outpitched Rick Porcello in the first matchup of former first-round draft picks making their major league debuts against each other, as Toronto rallied to beat Detroit at Rogers Centre.
Never before since the amateur draft began in 1965 had pitchers selected in the first round started against each other in their big league debuts. Romero allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings, struck out five and walked two, throwing 93 pitches. Porcello gave up four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings, struck out four and walked one. He threw 89 pitches.
Marco Scutaro hit a two-run homer, and Aaron Hill and Adam Lind added solo shots off Porcello.
Mariners 2, Twins 0 - Jarrod Washburn gave up five hits in eight innings and Brandon Morrow got his first save to lead Seattle at Minneapolis.
Reds 8, Mets 6 - Joey Votto had a three-run homer and a run-scoring single off Oliver Perez as host Cincinnati beat New York to salvage the final game of their opening series. Bronson Arroyo (1-0) allowed five runs in six innings.
Padres 4, Dodgers 3 - Adrian Gonzalez's solo homer started a three-run rally in the eighth that carried host San Diego. 