European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stars and stripes wednesday april 4 2007 sheets starts with Gem in Brewers opener Dunn Renteria Homer twice Lidge blows save is pirates the associated press Ben sheets was in mid season form breezing through one Bat Ter after another in a spectacular opening Day performance for Milwaukee sheets was Tough los Ange Les dodgers manager Grady Little said we were thinking All through the game wed be Able to get to him if we got him into the it never happened sheets gave up an Early Home run to Jeff Kent then retired his next 22 batters in a two hitter monday that led the Brewers to a 71 Victory he pitched the first opening Day Complete game of two hits or fewer in 15 years according to the Elias sports Bureau the last to do it had been Tom Glavine with a two hitter for at Lanta against Houston in 1992 Cincinnatus Adam Dunn and Atlanta Edgar Renteria had their bats in full swing on open ing Day each hitting two Home runs in victories Dunn homered in his first two a bats and Aaron Harang Al Lowed an unearned run and six hits in seven innings As the reds beat the cubs 51 in Lou Piniella debut As Chicago manager Renteria twice failed to exe cute a sacrifice in the 10th then hit a two run Homer off Ryan Madson to Lead the braves past Philadelphia 53 Houston closer Brad Lidge knows the feeling Lidge dogged by questions about his mindset since Albert Pujols Home run in the 2005 no championship series blew a save when he allowed a Homer to Xavier Nady in the ninth inning of the Pittsburgh pirates 42 Victory in 10 innings if s not a Nightmare Lidge said honestly the Guy hit a Good pitch tonight i Felt Good out there and if s an unfortunate re sult the reality is i still feel confident so in not going to worry about tonight at Milwaukee sheets stomach was in knots when he took the Mound opening Day sheets said Ive got a sumo wrestler wrestling in my belly i was nervous after Ken s Homer wiped away the nerves and emotion sheets 10 delivered one of the most dominant performances by a Pitcher in recent openers sheets threw his 12th Complete game in 167 starts and said the shoulder problems that hounded him last year didst bother him at All in Spring training in Happy finally hopefully that now i dont have to continue answering questions about Ben sheets health Brewers manager Ned Yost said i think we All saw it for ourselves today dodgers starter Derek Lowe 01 gave up six runs and walked five in four innings reds 5 cubs 1 at Cincinnati Dunn hit a two run Homer in the Darren Milwaukee Pitcher Ben sheets delivers in the first inning of the Brewers 71 Victory Over the los Angeles dodgers on monday in Milwaukee sheets pitched the first opening Day Complete game of two hits or fewer in 15 years according to the Elias sports Bureau sheets struck out three and didst walk a Batter first inning off Carlos Zambrano a liner into the seats in right Field the next time up Dunn hit the first pitch deep into the seats in right Center it was his second two Homer game on opening Day he also did it against the mets in 2005 and gave him a club record five homers in opening games braves 5 Phillies 3 at Philadelphia Renterias Solo Homer off starter Brett Myers with two outs in the eighth inning tied it 33 John Smoltz went six innings Bob Wickman 10 pitched out of a Jam in the ninth and Chad Par onto tossed a scoreless 10th for the save Brian Mccann also Hom ered for the braves pirates 4 astros 2 Jason Bays two run Homer in the 10th off Chad quails 01 spoiled the opener for a minute maid Par record crowd of 43803 that included former president George he Bush the game went to extra innings after Lidge gave up the Solo Homer to Nady in the ninth Matt Capps 10 pitched the ninth for the win while Salomon Torres pitched the 10th for the save marlins 9 nationals 2 at Washington Miguel Cabrera homered into the upper deck off John Patterson 01 and drove in four runs to Back Dontrelle Willis Florida fredi Gonzalez Cuba and Washington Manny Acta dominican Republic were the first pair of managers born outside the United states to make their major league debuts in the same game according to the Elias sports Bureau diamondbacks 8 Rockies 6 at Denver Eric Byrnes lined a two run single off Latroy Hawk ins 01 in the eighth and Arizona snapped a fou game losing Streak on opening Day Byrnes base loaded single made a Winner of right hander Juan Cruz who struck out the Only Batter he faced Jose Valverde gave up a Lead off double to Todd Helton in the ninth but struck out Matt Holli Day Brad Hawpe and Rookie Troy Tulowitzki for the save Matthews keeps Busy in Angels debut outfielder linked to of season steroids scandal helps la defeat former rangers teammates the associated press Gary Matthews or made a leap ing catch in Center to Rob Mark Teixeira and end a Texas threat in the first inning then walked and scored the Angels first run in the Bottom half Matthews had an eventful debut for los Angeles in monday night s opening 41 Victory Over the rangers his first game since signing a s50 million five year contract Matthews gained unwanted notoriety during Spring training when he was linked to a steroids investigation with a pharmacy reportedly sending him human growth hormone Matthews de Nied taking High his Angels debut came against his former year he hit 313 for the rangers with 19 Hom ers and 79 Bis at Anaheim Calif Matthews also dropped Michael Youngs routine Fly to right Center in the third for a two base error that brought him scattered Boos John Lackey 10 pitched out of trouble in four of his five innings allowing four hits and Casey Kotchman homered Sammy Sosa Back in baseball after taking a year off went ofor3 for the rangers struck out once and did not hit a Ball out of the infield in Ron Washington major league managerial debut Kevin Millwood 01 allowed three runs and five hits in five innings Yankees 9 Devil rays 5 of injured Carl Pavano pitched his first major league game since june 27 2005 allowing five runs four earned and six hits in innings and leaving to cheers and Boos at Yankee stadium Jason Giambi had three Bis including a godhead single in the seventh off Brian Stokes Giambi was part of a pregame trib Ute to Cory ladle his High school and Yankees teammate who died in a plane crash oct 11 Luis Vizcaino 10 worked a perfect seventh for the Victory in his Yankees debut As new York overcame a 53 deficit Kyle Farnsworth tossed a scoreless eighth and Mariano Rivera struck out All three batters in the ninth mariners 4 athletics 0 Felix Hernandez the 20yearold would be phenom who has lost 20 pounds since a disappointing 2006 season allowed three hits in eight innings and struck out a Ca ree High 12 against the defend ing Al West champions he was the youngest opening Day starter since the new York mets Dwight goodeninl985 Richie Sexson hit a three run Homer off Dan Haren 01 in the sixth at Seattle after a Pivotal error by shortstop Bobby Crosby on a potential inning ending Dou Beplay grounder royals 7 red sox 1 Gil Meche 10 gave up one run and six hits in 7vs innings in his first Start for Kansas City which signed him to a milling five year contract it was the longest opening Day Outing for a royals Pitcher since Mark Gubicza in 1988 and Meche walked off the Field at Kaufmann stadium to a standing ovation from the crowd of 41257 Curt Schilling 01 lasted Only four innings his shortest Start since May 1997 other than a game interrupted by Power fail ure Blue jays 5 tigers 3 Troy Glaus hit a base loaded sin Gle in the 10th off Fernando Rod Ney Long after Host Detroit raised the 2006 Al Pennant up a Centerfield Flag pole during a pre game ceremony Jason Frasor 10 ended a ninth inning threat and by Ryan pitched the 10th for a save indians 12 White sox 5 Grady Sizemore homered off Jose Contreras 01 on the games second pitch and visiting Cleveland scored four More runs in the first the 12 runs were the most for the indians on opening Day since 1925 when they scored 21 against the St Louis Browns Trot Nixon had three hits and scored three runs that was plenty for cd Sabathia who took a line drive to the left fore Francis los Angeles of Gary Matthews or catches a Ball hit by the Texas rangers Hank Blalock during the third inning in Anaheim Calif on monday the Angels won 41 Arm in his final Spring training Start he allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings twins 7 orioles 4 Justin mor Neau went 3for4 with a Home run and two Bis helping Host Minnesota survive an under whelming Outing by Johan san Tana Torii Hunter also drove in two runs including his Homer on the next pitch from Erik Bedard 01 that followed Morneau second inning shot