Tim Naehring hit a two-run homer in the 19th inning and the Boston Red Sox beat Cleveland 7-5 Saturday, ending the longest game by time in Indians' history.
A crowd of 65,813 turned out to see the Indians' home opener, but half the fans had left when the game ended 6 hours, 30 minutes later. It was the longest game in the majors since Milwaukee beat Chicago 10-9 in 19 innings last May 1.The Red Sox and Indians used a total of 15 pitchers, decimating their staffs one day before they'll play the only scheduled doubleheader in the majors this year.
The Indians trailed 5-0 after four innings. They rallied behind Carlos Baerga, who went 6 for 9, and tied it in the seventh.
Neither team scored again until Naehring, who entered in the ninth as a defensive replacement, connected with one out off Eric Bell (0-1). Mo Vaughn led off the 19th with a walk and moved up on a sacrifice before Naehring homered.
Mike Gardiner (1-0), originally scheduled to start one of the games in Sunday's doubleheader, worked three innings and struck out five. He was Boston's eighth pitcher.
The game was Cleveland's longest since a 19-inning, 8-4 win at Detroit on April 27, 1984. It was Boston's longest since a 20-inning, 8-7 loss to Seattle split over two days, Sept. 3-4, 1981.
The Indians' previous longest game by time was a 6:15 affair against Washington that lasted 20 innings on Sept. 14, 1971.
The crowd was the largest in the majors since 71,188 watched the Indians against Detroit on June 10, 1988. Cleveland Stadium's capacity is 74,483, largest in baseball.
Boston scored in each of the first four innings. Vaughn homered in the second inning and Jody Reed homered in the third.
Cleveland scored a run off Joe Hesketh in the fourth on Mark Whiten's groundout and two in the fifth on an RBI single by Kenny Lofton and an RBI double by Glenallen Hill.
The Indians tied it in the seventh on Albert Belle's sacrifice fly and Paul Sorrento's RBI groundout.
Athletics 7, White Sox 6
At Oakland, Calif., Rickey Henderson singled home the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning and the Oakland Athletics, after overcoming an early six-run deficit, rallied past the Chicago White Sox and raised their record to 5-0.
Dan Pasqua's grand slam put Chicago ahead 6-0 in the third inning. Mark McGwire homered for the third straight game and Jose Canseco also connected as Oakland began its comeback, and the Athletics tied it in the ninth with a run against Bobby Thigpen.
Jamie Quirk singled with one out in the 10th off Terry Leach (0-1) and moved to second on Scott Brosius' groundout. Henderson hit a 1-2 pitch into the left-field alley, easily scoring Quirk.
Jeff Parrett (1-0) worked the 10th inning to get the win in relief of Dave Stewart, who pitched the first nine.
Blue Jays 7, Orioles 2
At Toronto, Jack Morris won again, pitching seven strong innings as the undefeated Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles for their fifth straight victory and the best start in team history.
Morris (2-0), signed as a free agent to be the staff ace, followed up his victory in Detroit on opening day by limiting the Orioles to two runs on seven hits. He struck out four and walked four in outpitching Rick Sutcliffe (1-1).
Kelly Gruber tripled, doubled and drove in two runs to lead Toronto's 13-hit attack. The Blue Jays struck early, going ahead 2-0 in the first on Roberto Alomar's RBI double and Gruber's triple.
Toronto scored four times with two outs in the third. Joe Carter and Dave Winfield led off with singles and two outs later, Candy Maldonado hit an RBI single. Pat Borders walked, Manuel Lee hit an RBI single that finished Sutcliffe and Devon White met Mark Williamson with a two-run single.
Yankees 8, Tigers 1
At Detroit, Don Mattingly drove in four runs and hit one of New York's four home runs as the undefeated Yankees downed the winless Detroit Tigers.
Charlie Hayes, Mel Hall and Randy Velarde also homered for the Yankees, now 4-0 under new manager Buck Showalter. It is New York's best start since a 5-0 beginning in 1988.
The Tigers fell to 0-5, their worst start since going 0-6 to open the 1959 season.
Tim Leary (1-0) won in his first start since last Aug. 11, allowing one run on four hits in eight innings. He is 5-0 lifetime against Detroit, with three wins at Tiger Stadium. He came within three outs of pitching the Yankees' first complete game since last July, a span of 87 starts that is a major league record.
Rangers 10, Twins 8
At Minneapolis, Kevin Reimer hit a two-run double in the 10th inning that capped rallies against Scott Erickson and Rick Aguilera, and the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins.
Erickson, a 20-game winner in 1991, blew all but one run of a 6-0 lead but the Twins were still up 7-5 in the ninth. Aguilera, who had 42 saves in 51 attempts last year but has failed on two of four chances in 1992, allowed Dean Palmer's leadoff double and Ivan Rodriguez's one-out homer to tie it at 7.
With one out in the 10th, Aguilera (0-2) walked Ruben Sierra and allowed Juan Gonzalez's single before Reimer doubled into the right-center field gap. Palmer followed with an RBI single off Tom Edens for a 10-7 lead.
Aguilera entered the game after Gary Wayne had struck out the side in the eighth.