CINCINNATI -- Sammy Sosa couldn't get a hit. Kerry Wood couldn't get past the fifth inning.\nBig problems? Not for these newly confident Cubs.\nCorey Patterson homered and Moises Alou doubled with the bases loaded Monday, leading the defending NL Central champions to a 7-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.\nAfter winning their first division title in 14 years, the Cubs got a good start on their next quest -- back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1971-72.\n"Last year, we were not really sure how good we were," said Patterson, who tore knee ligaments July 6 and missed the rest of the season. "Since we did well last year, it builds more confidence. We know everyone is gunning for us."\nThe Reds had another disappointing debut in Great American Ball Park, where 42,122 fans watched a lineup missing Ken Griffey Jr. stumble out of the gate once again.\nGriffey reluctantly took a few more days to rest a strained calf injured a week ago in Florida. The injury-prone outfielder paced in the dugout with a bat in each hand, but never got to hit.\n"We played some spring training games without him and we did all right, but you always want a stud like that in your lineup," shortstop Barry Larkin said.\nInstead, the day belonged to the Cubs, who got little from their top starter and best run producer, but won anyway.
Padres 8, Dodgers 2 \nLOS ANGELES -- The Frank McCourt era in Los Angeles got off to a bad start.\nBrian Lawrence allowed one run in five innings, and Phil Nevin hit a grand slam Monday as the revamped San Diego Padres opened the season by beating the Dodgers 8-2.\nMcCourt, a Boston real estate developer, purchased the Dodgers from News Corp. during the offseason for $430 million.
Brewers 8, Cardinals 6\nST. LOUIS -- For most teams, a winning record after the season opener is no big deal. The Milwaukee Brewers are different.\nTheir 8-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, with President Bush watching from a box above home plate, is the first time the downtrodden franchise has been above .500 in two years. The Brewers haven't finished with a winning record since 1992.\nBen Grieve hit a two-run homer and Scott Podsednik had four RBIs, including a tiebreaking, three-run shot off Matt Morris in the sixth inning for the Brewers, who began last season with six straight losses and never recovered in a 68-94 season.\nPirates 2, Phillies 1\nPITTSBURGH -- Even if he lasted only six innings, Kip Wells showed the Pittsburgh Pirates what a No. 1 starter is supposed to look like on opening day.\nWells often was overpowering in working out of two big jams and outdueling Kevin Millwood, and the Pirates rode Craig Wilson's homer and Tike Redman's tie-breaking double to a 2-1 victory Monday over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Giants 5, Astros 4\nHOUSTON -- Hey Willie, here comes Barry.\nSan Francisco slugger Barry Bonds hit his 659th home run Monday night, helping the Giants begin the season with a 5-4 comeback victory over the Houston Astros.\nWith Willie Mays in attendance, Bonds moved within one homer of his godfather for third place on the career list.\nBonds lined a first-pitch fastball from Roy Oswalt over the right-field fence in the eighth inning for a three-run shot that tied it at 4.\nSan Francisco completed the comeback in the ninth against loser Octavio Dotel, now the Astros' closer after the offseason trade of Billy Wagner to the Phillies. Dotel hit Tony Torcato with a pitch, and he advanced to second on a bunt and third on a wild pitch before pinch-runner Cody Ransom scored on J.T. Snow's sacrifice fly.\nAmerican League\nRoyals 9, White Sox 7\nKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first game-winning home run on opening day in Kansas City Royals history will forever be etched in the mind of the man who hit it.\n"This I'm going to remember for the rest of my life," Carlos Beltran gushed. "I'm going to live with this. Opening day. A walk-off home run. It doesn't get any better than this."\nTrailing all day after the Chicago White Sox scored four in the second, the Royals tied it 7-7 on Mendy Lopez's three-run pinch homer off Damaso Marte in the ninth.\nThen after Angel Berroa singled, Beltran hit Marte's 2-2 pitch over the wall in left-center, giving the Royals a 9-7 victory in front of 41,575 fans -- Kansas City's largest opening day crowd since becoming a major league town with the arrival of the Athletics in 1955.\n"I will never forget that feeling as I ran around the bases," Beltran said.
Tigers 7, Blue Jays 0\nTORONTO -- Ivan Rodriguez, Rondell White and Jason Johnson made sure the Detroit Tigers had a different start in 2004.\nRodriguez and White homered in their Detroit debuts Monday, backing Johnson in a season-opening 7-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.\n"This is a completely different team. Everybody is happy, and everybody is hungry to win," Rodriguez said.
