European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 42 stars and stripes sunday april 82007 muscling up sosas Bloop single keys Texas win the associated press Arlington Texas Sammy Sosa has won plenty of games during his career with his powerful Bat the Texas rangers slugger helped win this one with barely a swing sometimes you dont have to swing hard to get a hit Sosa said Sosa blooded an rib single in the first inning when he was trying to Check his pulling his Bat Back when he made Contact and the rangers won their Home opener 20 Over the Boston red sox on Friday it was perfect Sosa said Smil ing admitting he initially didst realize he had even hit the Ball we finally caught a break right there Rookie manager Ron Washington said it was sosas first Home game for the rangers since his Rookie season in 1989 after a year out of baseball he agreed to a minor Deal with Texas and made the team by hitting 408 with five homers in 17 Spring games Sosa fifth on the career list with 588 homers is hitting 200 2for10 with four strikeouts this season but got Bis first rib after going lfor3 the first couple of games every year if s still the same thing people want to get two hits in one at Bat and want to be the hero every Day Sosa said if s Only a couple of games come see me in six months when every thing is there you have to believe in yourself no panic Washington earned his first Vic tory after the rangers were swept in a season opening three game series at los Angeles Robinson Tejeda 10 allowed two hits one an infield single Over seven shutout innings am Nori Otsuka worked the ninth for the save the rangers scored runs in the first two innings off Tim Wake Field who gave up three hits Over six innings if s one of those Days where the Guy on the other Side pitched really Good after the first two innings i didst know if i was going to make it i Felt like i settled Down after that Wakefield said i pitched Well we just didst win orioles 6 Yankees 4 Mike Mussina was roughed up in his season debut and Baltimore re vamped bullpen succeeded in its first Chance to protect a late Lead helping the visiting orioles to their first Victory Adam Loewen 10 held new Yorks powerful lineup in Check Melvin Mora played an outstand ing Allaround game and Balti More avoided going 04 for the first time since the 1988 team lost its first 21 games Chris Ray pitched the ninth for the save Robinson Cano drove in two runs for new York which dropped its second straight after an opening Day Victory Over Texas Sammy Sosa left shares a laugh with first base coach Gary Pettis after Baooping an rib Singie in the first inning on thursday Tampa Bay Derek Jeter came out in the ninth after hobbling around the bases earlier in the game looking for his 240th career Victory on a 41degree night mus Sina 01 threw 84 pitches in four innings against his former team he gave up six runs and eight hits four of them doubles royals 3 tigers 1 at Kansas City Tony Pena hrs third triple in four games keyed a two run seventh for the royals Justin Verlander who came in with a 30 career record and a 086 Era against Kansas City went six innings and gave up Only two hits and one unearned run he was replaced in the seventh by Jose Mesa and the 17year Veteran gave up a Lead off double to Jason Larue Penas rib triple and an rib single to David Dejesus Jorge de la Rosa 10 went a career High seven innings in his first Start of the year David Riske pitched a perfect ninth for his first save Devil rays 6 Blue jays 5 am Nori Iwamura hit his first major league Homer and scored from third on by Upton infield sin Gle with two outs in the ninth and Tampa Bay won its Home opener Delmon Young erased a 53 deficit with a two run Homer off by Ryan 01 in the ninth Iwamura then Laid Down a bunt single to Fin ish a 4for4 evening and set the stage for an exciting finish Jae Kuk Ryu 10 pitched Iva scoreless innings to get the Victory before a crowd of 38437 the fifth Home sellout in Tampa Bays 10season history Reyes stars As mets remain unbeaten the associated press Jose Reyes had another one of those nights that left new York mets manager Willie Randolph heaping Praise on his dynamic Young shortstop St Louis Cardi nals Pitcher Adam Wainwright want too shabby either Reyes had two triples and four Bis and Oliver Perez gave up five hits in seven innings to help unbeaten new York beat the Host Atlanta braves 111 Friday night he never ceases to amaze me Randolph said of Reyes Hes one of those players with everything he does we just look at each other and say wow Wainwright pitched seven innings in his first career Start hit an rib double and started a Pivot Al double play with a bar handed pickup in St Louis 42 Victory Over the Houston astros it was the first Victory of the season for the defending world series Cham pions and left the astros As the Only wingless team in baseball we needed to get off the snide and put a w on the Board that the big thing said Wainwright who also scored a run i started kept my team in the game so yeah in Happy the mets Are 40 for me first time since 1985 when they opened 50 the Way they Are pitching this could be the Start of a big season for the defending no East champions they keep pitching like that were going to be dangerous Reyes said Wainwright a converted closer who got the final out against de troit to help St Louis win the title doubled in a run in the third then came Home on Chris duncans two run Homer to help the visit cardinals avoid going 04 for the first time in 10 years Duncan also had an rib double in the eighth diamondbacks 7 nationals i at Washington Micah Owings Al Lowed one bit and struck out six in five shutout innings in his big league debut and Chris Young homered and drove in four runs Jerome Williams 01 went six first nationals starter to pitch More than five and allowed five runs four earned Ryan Church homered with two outs in the ninth for washing tons Only run cubs 9 Brewers 3 at Milwaukee Rich Hill retired the first 15 batters and allowed one hit in seven innings Hills run at a perfect game and a shutout ended in the sixth when Corey Hart led off and hit a fastball deep into the Brewers bullpen to Cut Chicago Lead to 61 Hill 10 got All the run sup port he needed before he stepped on the Mound As the cubs scored six times in the first capped by Mark Derosas two run Homer Dave Bush 01 allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings for the Brewers Phillies 8 Martins 2 Pat Bur Rell homered and drove in four runs Jamie Moyer pitched innings and the Phillies earned their first win after three losses Jimmy Rollins hit a two run Homer for the Phillies who scored four unearned runs thanks to two Florida errors the 44yearold Moyer 10 Al Lowed seven hits and two runs Hanley Ramirez Solo Homer was a highlight for Florida which Drew 40397 for its Home opener Florida Sergio Mitre 01 pitched five innings and allowed five runs Only one earned reds 6 pirates 1 at Cincin Nati Jeff Conine hit a three run Homer and tripled As the reds ended the pirates unbeaten Streak the 40yearold outfielder acquired in a december Trade to Pla Toon at first base keyed a Victory for the second Day in a Row co nine also had a game tying Pinch hit single and scored the godhead run against the Chicago cubs on thursday he homered off Pittsburgh Paul Maholm 01 in the third inning for a 41 Lead on Friday the pirates opened the season 30 for the first time since 2003 but  keep the winning Streak going against right hander Matt Belisle who retired 14 in a Row Over the Middle innings Rockies 4 padres 3 Matt hol Liday hit a two run Homer to help the Rockies ruin the padres Home opener the Rockies won their third straight following an opening Day loss to Arizona pitching eight Days before Bis 41st birthday Greg Maddux 01 allowed four runs and five hits in svs innings for san Diego Jason Hirsh 10 made his col Orado debut memorable striking out eight and allowing one run in innings Khalil Greene hit a two run Homer for the padres dodgers 2 giants 1 Brad Penny pitched shutout Ball into the eighth in the dodgers sixth straight Victory in san Francisco Barry Bonds went ofor3 on a Chilly Bay area night Penny 10 allowed 10 hits and a run struck out one and walked one in seven plus innings Takashi Saito pitched the ninth for his second save Noah Lowry 01 worked seven innings for the giants Al lowing six hits and one earned run Cleveland endures an opener fit for football the associated press Cleveland swirling Snow lengthy delays a near no hitter a tireless grounds Crew and baseball fans bundled up for a football game it was a Home opener unlike any in the Cleveland indians 107year history and officially it never happened a weird Day indians Pitcher Paul Byrd said a strange night too one strike away from putting their first Home game in the books the indians had their opener with the Seattle mariners postponed Friday when Daylong Snow  Stop and the playing sur face became too dangerous the game was finally called after 173 minutes of stoppages roughly the same amount of time As a regular Al game this one was anything but Normal the indians were leading 40 with two outs in the top of the fifth when the umpires who pushed Back the Start by 57 minutes halted play for the third time one hour and 17 minutes later Crew chief kick Reed called the game at pm 4 hours and 36 minutes after the scheduled first a bizarre Day and night when the Jacobs Field grounds Crew armed with Back pack blowers shovels and brooms to combat the Snow had spent More time on the Field than the players i was concerned about the players welfare Reed said ultimately it gets Down to the play ers safety the game was rescheduled for saturday As the opener of a Daylight doubleheader Only to have the weather Force postpone ment of both games the double header was set Back to sunday Byrd didst allow a hit and was perfect through four innings but walked three in the fifth still the right hander was Able to get two outs and was ahead 12 in the count to Jose Lopez when har Grove came out to argue that Lopez  see the Ball be cause of the blowing Snow Cleveland manager Eric wedge countered that the teams were Only one strike away from making the game official both had legitimate gripes Reed said was the Snow heavier at that Point than at any other in the game it was close As we were haying our discussion which i think was fairly lengthy we were All covered with Snow one player delighted by the postponement was Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre who had been charged with three errors in the game those miscues will now be wiped away twin White sox Ppd Fri Days game was postponed be cause of cold weather and Strong wind the temperature was in the lotto mid30s by Friday after noon and was forecast to drop into the 20s by Nightfall a makeup Date want immediately scheduled