Mr. Comeback: Brantley leads Indians to 3-2 win over Royals  —  Michael Brantley has perfected the comeback season.  Now he has to master completing one.  —  Brantley singled home two runs on the first pitch of his first at-bat this season, and  —  Carlos Carrasco worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning, leading the

Baseball notebook: Brewers closer Knebel out 4-6 weeks  —  Brewers closer Knebel will be out 4-6 weeks  —  Milwaukee Brewers All-Star closer Corey Knebel was placed on the 10-day disabled list and is expected to miss four to six weeks because of a strained left hamstring.

Pittsburgh Pirates pound Cincinnati Reds 14-3 under relentless rain  —  PITTSBURGH, Pa. - As a soft, miserable mist watched unrelentingly at PNC Park Friday night as the Pittsburgh Pirates piled on the Cincinnati Reds 14-3.  —  The Pirates had 15 hits and the Reds had 13 …

Detroit Tigers' top prospect Alex Faedo makes pro debut  —  Alex Faedo has made his much-awaited professional debut.  —  The Tigers' right-handed pitching prospect, selected with the No. 18 pick in last year's MLB Draft, began his season on Friday evening with Class A Lakeland.

Blue Jays face kindler, gentler Rangers fans  —  ARLINGTON, Tex. — There definitely was something missing in the air on Friday night at Globe Life Park when the Blue Jays jogged on the field to take on the Texas Rangers.  —  There was actual electricity, as the local weather office called for thunderstorms.

Aaron Boone is already more impressed with Gary Sanchez's defense than Joe Girardi ever was  —  Aaron Boone knows a few opponents eventually are going to pay for Gary Sanchez's opening-week offensive slump, but the first-year manager also firmly believes the work his All-Star catcher continues …

Hot-hitting Braves spoil home opener in frigid conditions at Coors  —  DENVER — While his teammates shivered and the mercury plummeted, Brandon McCarthy embraced Colorado's wintry weather.  —  “Yeah, it felt like high school baseball.  I don't mind pitching in cold.  I got used to it growing up,” McCarthy said.

Knizner, Adolis Garcia and Schrock all sock homers as Cardinals' farm teams open  —  Max Schrock had two days.  —  Both took the swings they flashed during spring training into their openers Thursday as Cardinals' affiliates and minor-league baseball began their seasons around the country.

LEADING OFF: Ohtani swings hot HR bat, icy at Target Field  —  A look at what's happening all around baseball Saturday:  —  ___  —  WELCOME TO THE SHO  —  Shohei Ohtani could aim to hit a home run in his fourth straight game, if he's in the lineup when the Los Angeles Angels host Oakland.

Next Slide  —  Atlanta's loss turned out to be Milwaukee's half-century gain, and maybe a nightclub incident had something to do with it.  Or was it a nightclub act?  —  It's been 50 years since the moment that essentially marked the end of Bob Uecker's playing career …

Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks at St. Louis Cardinals … In the second inning on Opening Day, Jarrod Dyson hit a routine chopper to second.  The Rockies' D.J. LeMahieu gloved it, wasted no time unloading it and narrowly beat Dyson to first.  In the scouts' section behind home plate …

Tyler Wade, Brandon Drury leave game for Yankees, injuries unclear  —  It seems the Yankees just cannot avoid bad luck so far this season.  —  After CC Sabathia left Friday's game with the Orioles with right hip soreness, Brandon Drury and Tyler Wade also exited, although the reasons for the latter two is unclear.