MLB standings at the end of April 9, 1981
| A.L. East | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Detroit Tigers |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 6 | 2 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 New York Yankees |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 10 | 3 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Toronto Blue Jays |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 2 | 6 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Baltimore Orioles |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
 Boston Red Sox |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
 Cleveland Indians |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
 Milwaukee Brewers |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
| A.L. West | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 California Angels |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 6 | 2 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Oakland A's |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 5 | 1 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Minnesota Twins |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 1 | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Seattle Mariners |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 2 | 6 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Texas Rangers |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 3 | 10 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Chicago White Sox |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
 Kansas City Royals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
| N.L. East | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Montreal Expos |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 6 | 5 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 New York Mets |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Chicago Cubs |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Philadelphia Phillies |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 2 | 3 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Pittsburgh Pirates |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 5 | 6 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 St. Louis Cardinals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
| N.L. West | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cincinnati Reds |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 2 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Los Angeles Dodgers |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 San Diego Padres |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 4 | 1 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Houston Astros |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 San Francisco Giants |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 1 | 4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Atlanta Braves |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
Today's scores and summaries:
Tigers 6, Blue Jays 2 at Detroit (day game):
A three-run homer by Richie Hebner snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted the Tigers to a 6-2 victory over the Blue Jays in the season opener for both teams.
A's 5, Twins 1 at Minnesota (day game):
Scattering six hits in a route-going performance, Mike Norris pitched the A's to a 5-1 opening day triumph over the the Twins. The A's tallied twice in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Tony Armas and run-scoring double by Jeff Newman. Mike Heath cracked a leadoff homer in the eighth and Armas drilled a bases-empty clout in the ninth. The crowd of 42,658 was an opening day record for Metropolitan Stadium.
Yankees 10, Rangers 3 at New York (day game):
Unleashing a 14-hit attack, the Yankees began the 1981 season with a 10-3 rout of the Rangers. A three-run homer by Bucky Dent in the second inning put the Bronx Bombers ahead to stay and they added two runs in the third on a double by Rick Cerone and five more in the seventh on a run-scoring single by Lou Piniella and bases-loaded pinch-homer by Bobby Murcer. The crowd of 55,123 was the largest for an opener at Yankee Stadium.
Angels 6, Mariners 2 at Seattle (night game):
Blasting off the 1981 season with a bases loaded homer by Brian Downing in the first inning, the Angels went on to a 6-2 triumph over the Mariners. Downing's clout off Glenn Abbott came with two out and a 3-2 count. Abbott had allowed a single by Fred Lynn and walks to Don Baylor and Dan Ford to load the sacks for Downing. The Angels added markers in the sixth, on an RBI triple by Bobby Grich, and in the eighth on a solo round-tripper by Ford.
Mets 2, Cubs 0 at Chicago (day game):
Homers by Lee Mazzilli and Rusty Staub accounted for all the scoring as the Mets began the 1981 campaign with a 2-0 whitewashing of the Cubs. Mazzilli's clout led off the fourth inning and, one out later, Staub followed with a four ply swat. Mets starter Pat Zachry pitched the first 5 2/2 innings and was credited with the victory. Tom Hausman relieved Zachry but did not face a batter as he picked Ken Reitz off second base. Neil Allen then tossed the final three frames to record the save.
Dodgers 2, Astros 0 at Los Angeles (day game):
Pressed into the opening day assignment when Jerry Reuss pulled a calf muscle, Fernando Valenzuela made his first major league start successful by hurling a five hitter to carry the Dodgers to a 2-0 blanking of the Astros. The first run came in the fourth inning on a triple by Steve Garvey and a sacrifice fly by Ron Cey. A single by Garvey, wild pitch and double by Pedro Guerrero provided an insurance marker in the sixth.
Expos 6, Pirates 5 at Pittsburgh (day game):
Pushing across a run in the top of the ninth inning, the Expos edged the Pirates, 6-5, in the season opener for both teams. The game was tied, 5-5, going into the ninth, when Andre Dawson stroked a leadoff single, stole second, reached third on an infield out and came home on a single by Gary Carter. The Expos had deadlocked the contest in the eighth on a run-scoring pinch-single by Jerry White. Expos reliever Woody Fryman pitched two perfect frames to pick up the victory.
Padres 4, Giants 1 at San Francisco (day game):
A three-run uprising in the top of the 12th inning lifted the Padres to a 4-1 triumph in the season opener for both teams, giving Frank Howard his first major league managerial victory. The game was knotted, 1-1, when Luis Salazar began the 12th with a single and reached second on a passed ball. Randy Bass then walked and, one out later, Terry Kennedy also walked to load the bases. Juan Bonilla followed with a single to plate one run and two more counted when Gene Richards followed with another single.