IN THE NEWS: Rupert Murdoch purchases the Los Angeles Dodgers from Peter O'Malley for a reported $311 million, the highest price ever paid for a US sports franchise.
IN THE NEWS: Reds trade projected Opening Day P Dave Burba to the Indians in exchange for 1B Sean Casey. Burba will win 10 games by the All-Star break.
IN THE NEWS: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays lose to the Tigers, 11–6, in their first game ever. Wilson Alvarez takes the loss for Tampa while 3B Wade Boggs slugs the 1st home run in team history and drives in three runs.
The Mets and Phillies tie the National League mark for the longest opening day game, with NY coming out on top with a 1–0 win in 14 innings on pinch-hitter Alberto Castillo's single. Curt Schilling shuts out the Mets for the first eight innings on only two hits, while fanning 9.
SS Pokey Reese, starting in place of Barry Larkin who is on the DL, commits four errors on his 1st three chances in the field as the Reds lose their opener, 10–2, to the Padres.
Marlins' C Charles Johnson, who had not committed an error in a record 172 consecutive regular season games, is charged with one on a wild throw in the 1st inning of Florida's opening day 11–6 victory over the Cubs. Johnson hits a 3–run home run in Florida's 6–run 1st inning to atone for his miscue. The defending champs will lose their next 10 games.
Cardinals' rookie P Braden Looper makes an auspicious major league debut in St. Louis' 6–0 win over the Dodgers. Looper enters the game in the 9th inning and strikes out all three batters he faces—Todd Zeile, Raul Mondesi, and Paul Konerko. The Dodgers are held to three hits by four St. Louis pitchers.
At Turner Field, the Milwaukee Brewers, the first team to switch leagues since 1901, lose their first game in the NL, 2–1, to the Braves. Bob Wickman takes the historic loss in relief, as the Braves plate the winning marker with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning.
The Giants win their opener against the Astros, 9–4, as Jeff Kent gets five hits, including a double and home run, and drives home 4. Houston 2B Craig Biggio, who last year became only the 3rd player in major league history to go an entire season without grounding into a double play, hits into a twin–killing in his 2nd time up this year.
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