Carlos Rodón allowed two unearned runs in six-plus innings, Alex Verdugo hit a home run, and the New York Yankees defeated the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Tuesday night to match their best 12-game start.
New York won its fourth consecutive game and improved to a major league-best 10-2, equaling the starts of the Yankees in 1922, 1949, and 2003.
Miami dropped to 1-11 for the first time since losing 11 in a row after an opening victory in 1998. The Marlins are the first team to lose 11 of its first 12 since Baltimore in 2010.
Rodón (1-0) allowed four hits in six-plus innings for his fourth win in 12 decisions since signing a $162 million, six-year contract. He is 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA in three starts.
Verdugo watched the ball land a few rows back of the short porch in right after hitting his first homer at Yankee Stadium in pinstripes. He raised his arm midway through the home run trot.
After reaching the dugout, Verdugo was met by teammates jumping up and down and barking — a reference to his calling teammates “dawgs” following the opening four-game sweep at Houston.
Verdugo hit his second homer with the Yankees, a day after getting three hits and reaching base four times.
Giancarlo Stanton added an RBI double in the fifth after being robbed of a potential extra-base hit in the third by Bryan De La Cruz’s leaping catch at the left field warning track.
After Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s ground ball went under Anthony Rizzo’s glove and Tim Anderson reached on an infield single to load the bases in the seventh, pinch-hitters Jesús Sánchez and Nick Gordon drove in runs against Ian Hamilton, ending Miami’s 16-inning scoreless streak.
Hamilton also pitched a scoreless eighth and Clay Holmes pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
Defending NL batting champion Luis Arráez struck out twice for his second multiple-strikeout game this season. He had two multi-strikeout games last season when he batted .354 in 147 games.
Puk (0-3) allowed two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings.
TIGERS 5, PIRATES 3
Gio Urshela, Kerry Carpenter, and Jake Rogers each delivered RBI singles in the ninth inning as Detroit rallied past Pittsburgh.
Detroit won for just the second time in six games by getting to Pirates closer David Bednar, who blew his third save opportunity in four tries.
Pittsburgh led 3-1 heading to the ninth before the Tigers broke loose against Bednar, a two-time All-Star.
Bednar walked Greene leading off the inning, then hit Spencer Torkelson. Urshela singled and both runners scored when Michael A. Taylor’s throw from center to third base skipped into the netting near the Pittsburgh dugout. Carpenter and Rogers followed with run-scoring singles to give Detroit a split of the short two-game interleague set.
Urshela and Matt Vierling had two hits apiece for Detroit. Shelby Miller (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Jason Foley worked the ninth for his third save.
Edward Olivares hit two home runs for the Pirates. Ke’Bryan Hayes got two hits and brought in a run for Pittsburgh.
BREWERS 9, REDS 5
CINCINNATI — Christian Yelich and Blake Perkins each brought in three runs, helping Joe Ross and Milwaukee defeat Cincinnati.
Perkins and Sal Frelick each got three of Milwaukee’s 13 hits. Jake Bauers got two RBIs.
Ross (1-0) earned his first major league win since June 29, 2021, for Washington against Tampa Bay. The 30-year-old right-handed pitcher allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits in 6 1/3 innings in his second start of the season.
WHITE SOX 7, GUARDIANS 5
CLEVELAND — Dominic Fletcher hit a two-run double in the eighth inning as Chicago ended a five-game losing streak with its first road victory, beating Cleveland.
Fletcher’s shot to right-center off Scott Barlow (0-2) broke a 5-5 tie as the White Sox finally broke out of an early season offensive slump.
ORIOLES 7, RED SOX 1
BOSTON — Colton Cowser brought in four runs, Corbin Burnes allowed two hits over seven innings and Baltimore came out on top in Boston’s home opener.
Cowser hit two RBI doubles, the second one bringing in two runs in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie. He added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to help the Orioles stop a two-game skid.
