Carlos Rodon pitched effectively into the sixth inning and was backed by two early homers as the host New York Yankees hung on for a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the season opener for both teams on Thursday.
Austin Wells hit a leadoff homer three pitches into the home half of the first inning and Anthony Volpe connected in the second as the Yankees improved to 7-1 in season openers under manager Aaron Boone. Aaron Judge added an RBI double in the seventh and Cody Bellinger followed that at-bat with a sacrifice fly in his Yankees debut. Those runs proved crucial when New York’s new closer, Devin Williams, struggled in the ninth against his former team.
Starting the third season of a six-year, $162 million deal, Rodon (1-0) allowed one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. The left-hander struck out seven and walked two in his second career Opening Day start.
Vinny Capra, in his 21st career game, hit his first homer in the third. The Brewers, however, struck out 13 times. Leadoff batter Jackson Chourio struck out five times, including against Williams in the ninth.
Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta (0-1) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings during his second career Opening Day start.
After shining through spring training as the rare catcher to bat leadoff, Wells gave the Yankees the lead by blasting a 2-0 fastball into the right-center field seats. It was the leadoff homer by a Yankee on Opening Day, according to MLB.com researcher Sarah Langs.
Volpe made it 2-0 by driving a 1-1 fastball to right-center with two outs in the second, and the Yankees added two in the seventh off Jared Koenig. Judge hit a double that caromed off the third-base bag into left field, and Oswaldo Cabrera scored on Bellinger’s fly ball after third base coach Luis Rojas appeared to put a stop sign.
Rodon exited with two on in the sixth after issuing a walk to Rhys Hoskins on a close pitch. Tim Hill left the bases loaded in the sixth, Mark Leiter Jr. pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and Luke Weaver protected the three-run lead in the eighth.
Williams, a two-time All-Star, was acquired by New York in the offseason for left-hander Nestor Cortes. Williams loaded the bases with nobody out in his debut in the ninth.
He opened his outing by allowing a single to Joey Ortiz and a double to Issac Collins before walking pinch hitter Jake Bauers. After Bauers walked, right-hander Fernando Cruz began warming up and Williams allowed a sacrifice fly to Brice Turang.
Williams whiffed Chourio and ended the game by fanning Christian Yelich.
