HOUSTON -- Oswaldo Cabrera hit a tying two-run home run in the seventh, Juan Soto had a go-ahead drive for his first Yankees home run and New York rallied for the third consecutive game in a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.
Anthony Volpe gave the Yankees some insurance with a home run with two outs in the eighth as they improved to 3-0 for the first time since opening the 2003 season with four wins. The Yankees became the ninth team in major league history and first since San Francisco in 1999 to win their first three games of the season after trailing in the sixth inning or later, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"The intensity and the compete factor has been excellent," Manager Aaron Boone said. "We made some mistakes tonight that put us behind a little bit. But never any flinch and just a lot of grittiness."
Houston, which reached its seventh consecutive AL Championship Series last season, dropped to 0-3 for the first time since losing five in a row to start the 2011 season.
"It's just way too early to be concerned," new Astros' Manager Joe Espada said. "I have faith in this team. We're a really good ballclub. Just right now things are not going our way. We've just got to do a better job executing on both sides of the ball."
Marcus Stroman (1-0) allowed four hits and three unearned runs in six innings to get the win in his Yankees' debut. Stroman, who was born and raised on Long Island, signed a $37 million, two-year contract to join the Yankees this offseason after spending the previous two seasons with the Cubs.
"Very excited, a bunch of anxiety," Stroman said. "I didn't sleep much, didn't eat much but felt good to get out there and get a win and get the job done."
GUARDIANS 12, ATHLETICS 3 Bay area native Steven Kwan homered and reached base four times, and Cleveland had 15 hits in a rout of Oakland before a crowd of just 5,425. Six Cleveland players stole bases off Kyle McCann, a 26-year-old catcher making his major league debut.
RAYS 5, BLUE JAYS 1 Randy Arozarena homered and drove in two runs, celebrating his home run by signing autographs for fans after returning to the dugout, to lead Tampa Bay over Toronto. Right-hander Zack Littell (1-0) allowed four singles over six scoreless innings for the Rays, who've won two in a row after losing by six runs to their AL East rivals on opening day.
TIGERS 7, WHITE SOX 6 (10) Carson Kelly hit run-scoring singles in the seventh inning and 10th innings, helping Detroit rally for a victory over Chicago. Mark Canha and Riley Greene homered for the Tigers, who beat Chicago 1-0 on opening day Thursday. Parker Meadows reached three times from the leadoff spot and robbed Martin Maldonado of a home run with a leaping grab in center.
TWINS 5, ROYALS 1 Byron Buxton drove in the tying run in the eighth inning, Christian Vazquez drove in the go-ahead run to start off a four-run ninth, and Minnesota rallied for a victory over Kansas City. Griffin Jax (1-0), who earned the save on opening day, picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning for Minnesota. Brock Stewart handled the ninth this time, working around a single by MJ Melendez to put the Twins on the brink of a second consecutive season-opening sweep of their AL Central rivals. Will Smith (0-1), whom the Royals signed to a $5 million deal to close out games, had a debut to forget. He hit Ryan Jeffers with one out in the ninth, walked Willi Castro on a full-count pitch, then watched Vazquez drive in the go-ahead run.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 12, PHILLIES 4 Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna and Michael Harris II all homered and an expected battle of aces fizzled early in Atlanta's win over Philadelphia. A 14-game winner in 2021 and 2022, Atlanta's Max Fried lasted only seven batters, walked three and got just two outs before he was chased in the first inning trailing 3-2. Philadelphia's Aaron Nola was even worse. He surrendered home runs to Albies and Olson as part of the 12 hits he gave up in just 4 1/3 innings. Nola allowed seven runs on another blustery day in front of 44,068 fans.
GIANTS 9, PADRES 6 Michael Conforto hit a grand slam, rookie Jung Hoo Lee hit his first big league home run and Jordan Hicks won his San Francisco debut as they beat Dylan Cease and San Diego. The Giants led 3-1 on just two hits going into the eighth before taking a 9-1 lead. Lee, who signed with the Giants after playing seven seasons in South Korea, homered to right-center with one out. The next six Giants batters reached base, with Wilmer Flores hitting an RBI single before Conforto sent his second career grand slam sailing over right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr.'s head and into the seats. All the damage was off lefty Tom Cosgrove. The Giants finished with nine hits.
NATIONALS 7, REDS 6 Eddie Rosario capped a three-run ninth inning off All-Star closer Alexis Diaz with a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and Washington beat Cincinnati. Kyle Finnegan pitched around a walk in the bottom half for the save.
PIRATES 9, MARLINS 3 Jared Jones struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings to win his major league debut and lead Pittsburgh over Miami. A 22-year-old right-hander taken by Pittsburgh with the 44th pick in the 2020 amateur draft, Jones allowed 3 runs, 3 hits and 2 walks. Jones (1-0) made the opening-day roster after throwing 16 1/3 scoreless innings in six spring training outings. He kept Miami hitless until Jake Burger's two-out RBI double in the fourth.
INTERLEAGUE
RANGERS 11, CUBS 2 Jared Walsh homered in his first at-bat for Texas after watching his new teammates get their World Series rings, and the Rangers beat Chicago. Adolis Garcia matched Walsh's two-run home run in the second inning with a go-ahead shot in the third, and Corey Seager had four singles and two RBI to help the defending champs to a 2-0 start.
Detroit Tigers' Mark Canha hits a two-run single off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Soroka during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene scored on the play. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago White Sox's Luis Robert Jr. watches his two-run home run off Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda, Robert Jr.'s second of the game off Maeda, during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. Yoan Moncada also scored on the play. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago White Sox's Luis Robert Jr. hits a two-run home run off Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda, Robert Jr.'s second of the game off Maeda, during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. Yoan Moncada also scored on the play. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago White Sox's Braden Shewmake celebrates his home run off Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda wipes his face in the dugout after pitching in the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Chicago White Sox's Luis Robert Jr., during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Soroka delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)