Pittsburgh Pirates record best start to MLB season in 42 years

The Pittsburgh Pirates eased to a 14-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds to record their best start to an MLB season in 42 years.

The whole of the Pirates batting line-up contributed in a tight contest until the sixth inning when the hosts rattled off six runs – due to Starling Marte clearing out the bases – and four more in the next, with Colin Moran registering three RBIs and three runs.

Victory ensured Pittsburgh moved alongside the Arizona Diamondbacks at the top of the National League with a 6-1 record while Cincinnati prop up the table following their fifth defeat in six matches.

The Los Angeles Angels came from behind to clinch a 13-9 triumph against the Oakland Athletics, a third successive victory that moves them up to second in the American League.

The Halos found themselves 6-0 down after the second inning before Shohei Ohtani became the first Angels rookie to hit a home run in each of his first three home matches to spark the revival.

Four runs in the fourth reduced the deficit to one for the Angels before Justin Upton hit a three-run homer in the seventh, coupled with Matt Chapman’s two-out throwing error to earn an unlikely win.

The San Diego Padres ended the Houston Astros’ five-match winning streak as they stunned the reigning champions with a 4-1 success at the Minute Maid Park.

With the scores locked at 1-1, Jose Pirela hit a two-run double in the fifth to put the Padres ahead with the Astros unable to register a hit afterwards as they fell to a shock defeat.

Pedro Alvarez was the hero as he hit a grand slam home run in the 14th inning to help the Baltimore Orioles grind out a 7-3 victory at the New York Yankees.

Five extra innings were needed to separate the two teams in a tight contest as Aaron Judge took a terrific one-handed catch over the wall in the 13th to deny Caleb Joseph a certain go-ahead homer for Baltimore, but the Orioles prevailed at the next.

A pair of early three-run innings proved enough for the Toronto Blue Jays as they held off a late comeback from the Texas Rangers to return to winning ways with a 8-5 success.

The Blue Jays led 8-0 after the sixth but the Rangers hit back with four runs in the seventh, but the visitors managed to hold on to take the opener of the three-game series.

Orlando Arcia’s single at the bottom of the ninth won it for the Brewers in their 5-4 triumph over the Chicago Cubs after Milwaukee ended their 22-inning scoring drought in the first.

The Atlanta Braves secured their third straight win with a 8-3 win at the Colorado Rockies, while the Cleveland Indians edged out the Kansas City Royals 3-2.

The San Francisco Giants’ clash with the Los Angeles Dodgers was postponed due to heavy rain, with the game being rescheduled for April 28.