Carlos Pena hit an early grand slam off CC Sabathia, then completed a ninth-inning comeback with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a season-opening 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees Friday. Rivera (0-1) had been 60 of 61 in save chances against the Rays. But after Desmond Jennings opened the ninth with a single against baseball's career saves leader, Ben Zobrist tripled home the tying run. The 42-year-old Yankees closer intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases and struck out Sean Rodriguez. Pena, who was 0 for 11 lifetime against Rivera, won it by driving a 1-2 pitch off the base of the wall in left-center field for his fifth RBI of the game. Pena, making his return to the Rays after a year away with the Chicago Cubs, hit his slam in the first. Evan Longoria hit a solo homer in the Rays third, and it stayed 6-5 until the ninth. Rivera's rough outing was the latest in a recent series of bad outings by big league closers. Jose Valverde, Chris Perez and Boston's Alfredo Aceves all struggled a day earlier. Sabathia yielded both of Tampa Bay's homers, but later worked out of a couple of tight spots to cling to the lead the defending AL East champions took on newcomer Raul Ibanez's three-run homer in the third. Orioles 4, Twins 2: Jake Arrieta pitched seven scoreless innings, Nick Markakis homered and drove in three runs, and the Baltimore Orioles marked the 20th anniversary of the opening of Camden Yards by defeating the Minnesota Twins. Making his first opening day start, Arrieta (1-0) allowed two hits, struck out four and walked two in a 97-pitch performance reminiscent of the gem that Rick Sutcliffe tossed against the Cleveland Indians in the inaugural opener at the ballpark. — Agencies
