Segura's hit in 10th lifts Phillies over Braves in opener

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Jean Segura hit an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in their season opener Thursday. After Nate Jones (0-1) intentionally walked Did Gregorius, Segura hit a bouncer down the third-base line to score Bryce Harper, who began the inning as the automatic runner at second base and advanced to third on a grounder. In the top of the 10th, center fielder Roman Quinn made a perfect throw to the plate to retire Ozzie Albies, who was trying to score on Marcell Ozuna’s fly ball. Catcher J.T. Realmuto caught the ball and slid in front of the plate in one slick motion, successfully blocking Albies’ path. Phillies ace Aaron Nola was one strike away from tossing seven scoreless innings before pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval ripped an 0-2 pitch into the second deck in right field to tie it at 2. The Phillies got 3 1/3 scoreless innings from four relievers, with Connor Brogdon (1-0) working the 10th. They had the worst bullpen in the majors last year, blowing 14 saves with a 7.06 ERA. ASTROS 8, ATHLETICS 1 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Zack Greinke pitched six shutout innings, Michael Brantley and Alex Bregman homered back-to-back in the eighth, and Houston hushed an unwelcoming Oakland crowd in beating the reigning AL West champions. Athletics fans had to wait an extra year to properly boo the Astros, who were supposed to play their first road game of the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season in Oakland last spring. Houston’s sign-stealing scandal was brought to light by A’s right-hander Mike Fiers against his former club, and many in the crowd chanted ‘œCheaters!’� Among the biggest cheers of the night: when Carlos Correa was drilled by a fastball from Chris Bassitt (0-1) with a runner in scoring position. Backed by a two-run double from Yordan Alvarez, Greinke (1-0) allowed three hits, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter in Houston’s club-record ninth straight win on opening day. It marks the majors’ longest active streak, and the Astros joined only four other teams since 1900 to win nine consecutive season openers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau: Mariners (2007-15), Reds (1983-91), Mets (1975-83) and St. Louis Browns (1937-45). The game drew a sellout of 10,436, with the ballpark at 20% capacity. Houston lost all but one of eight games in Oakland in 2020 before eliminating the A’s in a four-game Division Series last fall. BLUE JAYS 3, YANKEES 2, 10 INNINGS NEW YORK (AP) – Randal Grichuk led off the 10th with an RBI double and Toronto took advantage of the second year of starting extra innings with a runner on second to beat New York. Jordan Romano (1-0) escaped trouble in the ninth with the help of third baseman Cavan Biggio. After pinch-runner Michael Tauchman stole two bases, he was thrown out at the plate by Biggio trying to score on a grounder by AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu. Romano then struck out Aaron Judge to strand two runners. Nick Nelson (0-1) relieved to begin the 10th and with pinch-runner Jonathan Davis on second, and Grichuk lined his second pitch over Judge in right. Julian Merryweather struck out Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres on 11 pitches for the save. Teoscar Hernández hit a tying homer in the sixth off Gerrit Cole as Toronto improved to 23-22 in openers. ROCKIES 8, DODGERS 5 DENVER (AP) – On an afternoon Cody Bellinger had a homer negated due to a baserunning mistake, Colorado played plenty of small ball to beat the defending World Series champions, scoring runs courtesy of a squeeze play, two wild pitches, a groundout, an error and three RBI singles.