ARLINGTON, Texas -- Trevor Story's big day for Colorado back home in Texas came after a big downer for his hometown team.
Story homered twice after two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber left his Texas debut with shoulder tightness, and the Rockies beat the Rangers 5-2 on Sunday.
Texas slugger Joey Gallo hit the first home run in the club's new $1.2 billion retractable roof stadium, a 437-foot shot that almost struck a truck dealer's "Hit it Here" sign just inside the right-field foul pole.
Story, a Dallas-area native who grew up watching the Rangers across the street at the ballpark still visible through the huge windows in left field at Globe Life Field, belted a tying two-run shot in the fourth. The opposite-field drive into the first row in right came off left-hander Joe Palumbo (0-1), who replaced Kluber.
"It's kind of cool to be the first visitor to do that," Story said. "Gallo got them a good one to break it in. But yeah, I'm proud of that."
Kluber, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Cleveland, lasted just one inning and 18 pitches in his first start in almost 15 months. The three-time All-Star was knocked out of his last start for the Indians on May 1, 2019, after his right forearm was broken by a comeback liner.
Finally back on the mound after his comeback attempt last year ended with an oblique injury in a rehab start, the 34-year-old Kluber struck out David Dahl to start the game. He walked Story and retired Charlie Blackmon on a popup after Story was thrown out trying to steal.
The Rangers said Kluber reported feeling the tightness in the first few pitches and it got worse as the inning progressed. He was examined by a team doctor and will be further evaluated today.
Kluber wasn't made available to reporters after the game, and Manager Chris Woodward didn't have an update on the condition of his shoulder.
"That'd be a huge loss. Not going to sugarcoat it," Gallo said. "We've got guys we believe in and we're going to trust. But to sit here and say it wouldn't be a huge loss, obviously everybody would know that we're lying."
Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-0), who lost eight of his last nine decisions while finishing 3-11 last season, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings.
ATHLETICS 6, ANGELS 4 Shohei Ohtani failed to record an out in the two-way star's return to the mound, allowing the first six Oakland batters to reach base. The right-hander from Japan gave up Marcus Semien's leadoff single and three consecutive walks before a mound visit and Mark Canha's two-run single. Robbie Grossman singled in another run, and Angels Manager Joe Maddon replaced Ohtani (0-1) with Matt Andriese down 4-0. Mike Trout drove in four runs with a home run and a sacrifice fly for the Angels.
INDIANS 9, ROYALS 2 More than a year since being stricken with leukemia, Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 in six-plus innings to help host Cleveland take two of three from Kansas City. Jose Ramirez hit a three-run home run left-handed in the fourth and added a solo shot from the right side in the sixth for the Indians.
MARINERS 7, ASTROS 6 Houston surrendered a tiebreaking two-run single to rookie Kyle Lewis in the eighth inning in Houston. Lewis and Shed Long Jr. each had two hits and two RBIs for the Mariners, who had dropped their last 15 games against Houston. Dan Altavilla (1-0) got the win.
ORIOLES 7, RED SOX 4 Rio Ruiz and Anthony Santander each hit a two-run home run, powering Baltimore to the win in Boston. Jose Iglesias added four hits for the Orioles, who took the final two games of the season-opening series. Wade LeBlanc (1-0) worked 5 2/3 innings, and Cole Sulser got six outs for the save.
RAYS 6, BLUE JAYS 5 (10 INNINGS) Kevin Kiermaier's first hit of the season, a two-run triple into the right field corner in the 10th inning, gave host Tampa Bay the win.
TWINS 14, WHITE SOX 2 Nelson Cruz homered twice and drove in seven runs, helping Kenta Maeda win his debut with visiting Minnesota.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CUBS 9, MARLINS 1 Tyler Chatwood pitched three-hit ball over six innings, Willson Contreras homered and Chicago beat Milwaukee to take two of three in their opening series. Chatwood (1-0) struck out eight and walked two.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, PADRES 3 Ketel Marte hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly off struggling Kirby Yates, and Arizona rallied for four runs off San Diego's vaunted bullpen to earn a victory after the Diamondbacks' Torey Lovullo became the first manager to be ejected in the covid-19 era. San Diego's Garrett Richards left with a 1-0 lead after holding Arizona to one hit in five innings, but the Diamondbacks, who struggled offensively in their first two games, came alive three innings after the masked Lovullo was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Mark Ripperger, who wasn't wearing a cloth facemask.
MARLINS 11, PHILLIES 6 Miami scratched right-hander Jose Urena from its victory at Philadelphia and delayed its postgame trip home amid concerns about a possible coronavirus outbreak within the team. No reason was given for Urena being scratched. Manager Don Mattingly said the Marlins decided to wait until today to leave Philadelphia, and they planned to arrive in Miami hours before their home opener against Baltimore. The trip might be made while multiple players remain in Philadelphia. Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas each hit three-run home run for Miami.
PIRATES 5, CARDINALS 1 Pittsburgh's Derek Shelton staged baseball's first major, socially distanced umpire argument, then got his first victory as a big league manager. Colin Moran and Jose Osuna homered for the Pirates, and Mitch Keller (1-0) pitched five solid innings.
INTERLEAGUE
TIGERS 3, REDS 2 C.J. Cron hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the ninth inning, and Detroit got to Cincinnati's bullpen for the second consecutive day. Jose Cisneros (1-0) pitched the eighth for the win. Joe Jimenez got Joey Votto to bounce into a game-ending double play for his second save in two days.
YANKEES 3, NATIONALS 2 Gleyber Torres homered to help the Yankees rally for a victory in Washington. Torres and Luke Voit connected in the seventh, tying it at 2. Torres then singled in Hicks in the eighth against Sean Doolittle (0-1). Chad Green (1-0) working two innings for the win.
