Wire MLB

At a time when they should have been enjoying the fruits of a 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros and a three-game sweep at Minute Maid Park, the A's were more than a little on edge Sunday afternoon.

Edinson Volquez's recovery from a rough first inning came too late to make a difference in the latest loss for the San Diego Padres.

There was supposed to be a feel-good ending to the first weekend of baseball in Baltimore since last year's surprise playoff run - a pronouncement to all the doubters that this club is for real and ready to knock around with the big boys of the American League East again.

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally hit their first home run of the season - the last team in the majors to do so. Andrew McCutchen's two-run shot wasn't enough, however, as Hyun-Jin Ryu and the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen shut them down the rest of the way.

It's early until it isn't. For a baseball team, there is a fine line between maintaining perspective and complacently allowing things to slip away.

The losses and the strikeouts keep piling up for the Houston Astros.

Michael Morse says he's emerging from this first, power-laden week feeling like he needs to ease up on the aggressiveness and just relax.

Despite losing four of their last five games, including two of three against the White Sox, the Seattle Mariners left Chicago on Sunday fairly happy with their play in the first week of the season.

Stephen Strasburg was ready for the challenge of facing Johnny Cueto. He wasn't expecting to finish second, though.

Eight strikeouts, excellent control and plenty of poise on the mound. The only thing missing from Jose Fernandez's impressive major league debut was the win that slipped away.

Hyun-Jin Ryu earned his first major league victory, shrugging off a two-run homer in the first inning by Andrew McCutchen and pitching the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 Sunday for a three-game sweep.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Indians couldn't score a run off novice starter Alex Cobb on Saturday night, but they pounded Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price for eight runs Sunday afternoon.

Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with four RBI and the Dodgers finished off a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 6-2 victory on Sunday.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -When Ubaldo Jimenez was 15, his coaches had to set him straight.

Cole Hamels feels fine. His results, not so great.

Justin Verlander made one mistake and Jayson Nix made him regret it.

Dayan Viciedo hit a solo home run with one out in the 10th inning Sunday, lifting the Chicago White Sox over the Seattle Mariners 4-3.

AL Cy Young Award winner David Price found nothing good about his second start of the season.

R.A. Dickey will try to forget his latest start as quickly as possible.

Brett Anderson struck out 10 more Houston batters and the Oakland Athletics backed him with three home runs for a 9-3 win Sunday and a three-game sweep of the Astros.

Dayan Viciedo clubbed a solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Chicago White Sox to a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners in the rubber match of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.

Marlon Byrd grounded a two-run single just inside third base in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the New York Mets a 4-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce each had an RBI single during a three-run sixth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds topped the Washington Nationals, 6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Johnny Cueto outlasted Stephen Strasburg in a highly anticipated matchup of young aces and Jay Bruce drove in three runs as the Cincinnati Reds wrapped up an impressive opening week homestand with a 6-3 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Boston's Will Middlebrooks swung the bat so well Sunday, he even got an unwanted visit from a fan who came out of the stands to congratulate him.

Will Middlebrooks hit three home runs on a near-perfect 4-of-5 batting effort to go along with four RBI, as the Boston Red Sox cruised to a 13-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series.

The Minnesota Twins activated pitcher Anthony Swarzak from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday and placed pitcher Cole De Vries on the 15-day DL.

The Miami Marlins generated baseball's biggest buzz as they prepared for their home opener a year ago, anticipating a playoff bid and nearly nightly sellout crowds in a futuristic new home that was supposed to transform a franchise long accustomed to attracting little attention.

Edinson Volquez hopes to put an atrocious first start behind him on Sunday when the San Diego Padres try to salvage the finale of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Matt Cain hopes to follow up on a solid season-opening performance when he takes the mound Sunday for the San Francisco Giants in the rubber match of a three-game set versus St. Louis.