Each night in the 2016 baseball season, we'll run down the top news, facts and highlights from action around Major League Baseball.
Houston, we have payback.
The Astros ripped the Royals 8-2 in their home opener Monday, their first game at Minute Maid Park since suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Royals in Game 4 of the ALDS last season.
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Jose Altuve, George Springer, Carlos Correa and Colby Rasmus combined for 10 the Astros' season-high 14 hits. Houston also set a season high for runs. Rasmus, who enjoyed a breakout postseason last year, went deep Monday against Chris Young for his third home run in three games.
SPECTOR: Home runs way up in season's first week
The Royals collected 11 hits, including Kendrys Morales' two-run homer in the eighth, but stranded nine runners.
Player of the Day
Chris Davis, Orioles: "Crush" lived up to his nickname, launching a go-ahead, three-run home run off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. The 434-foot bomb to center field gave Davis five RBIs on the day and helped the O's to their best start in franchise history, a perfect 6-0.
Highlight
Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton took Mets rookie pitcher Steven Matz deep in the second inning with this two-run home run. Matz exited after allowing the 419-foot shot — the sixth and seventh runs he surrendered in the inning.
Crushin’ is a habit, get like G. #Boomhttps://t.co/wnY2HxrlTl
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2016
Three things to know
— Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan saw his no-hit bid end with two outs in the seventh inning with a single by the Cubs' David Ross. Finnegan was pulled after walking the next batter, pinch hitter Matt Szczur, on his 111th pitch. He was charged with two runs after Caleb Cotham allowed a single to Jason Heyward. Finnegan's effort was all for naught, as the Cubs went on to win 5-3.
— A domestic assault charge against Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes was dropped by a Hawaii judge Monday, seven days after Reyes' trial was supposed to begin. The ruling allows prosecutors two years to re-file charges if Reyes' wife chooses to cooperate. Her refusal to speak with prosecutors resulted in the charges being dropped.
— With a 4-1 loss to the White Sox, the Twins fell to 0-7 to begin the season. No team has ever started 0-7 and made the playoffs in the same season. The Braves also fell Monday, joining the Twins as the only remaining winless clubs.
What's next
Diamondbacks (2-5) at Dodgers (4-3), 4:10 p.m. ET: The Dodgers' home opener will also be the first major league home opener for Kenta Maeda, who got it done with his arm and bat in his first outing of the season. Maeda pitched six shutout innings and blasted a home run in San Diego last week. Patrick Corbin (0-1, 5.14 ERA) takes the hill for the D-backs.
Yankees (3-2) at Blue Jays (3-4), 7:07 p.m. ET: Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 1.29 ERA) takes the mound for the Jays looking to build off his last outing, in which the right-hander struck out a career-high eight batters. The Yankees will counter with Masahiro Tanaka (0-0, 3.18 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA for his career at the Rogers Centre.