Key facts
- The Minnesota Twins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 on Friday night.
- Alec Burleson homered for the fourth consecutive game for the Cardinals.
- The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Friday night.
- A ninth-inning error by Blake Dunn allowed the go-ahead run for the Diamondbacks.
- Gabriel Moreno scored the go-ahead run on a ninth-inning error.
- Jordan Lawlar drove in two additional runs for the Diamondbacks.
- The Oakland Athletics defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-4.
- Lawrence Butler scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error in the seventh inning for the Athletics.
- Lawrence Butler added an RBI single in the eighth inning for the Athletics.
- Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz hit back-to-back solo home runs for the Athletics.
Major League Baseball featured three series openers on Friday night, with several games decided by late-inning plays and errors. The Minnesota Twins secured a narrow 9-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Key home runs in the late innings proved crucial for the Twins' win, while Alec Burleson of the Cardinals continued his hitting streak with a home run for the fourth consecutive game.
In another matchup, the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-2. The game's go-ahead run scored in the ninth inning due to a throwing error by the Reds' Blake Dunn. Gabriel Moreno crossed the plate on this play, and Jordan Lawlar later added two more runs for the Diamondbacks.
The Oakland Athletics also opened their series with a win, beating the Colorado Rockies 6-4. Lawrence Butler was instrumental in the Athletics' victory, scoring the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on a throwing error. He further extended Oakland's lead with an RBI single in the eighth. The Athletics' offense also benefited from back-to-back solo home runs from Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz.