Jimmy Rollins 200th Home Run Helps Phillies Rip Rangers
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Jamie Squire/Getty Images(ARLINGTON, Texas) — Jimmy Rollins hit the 200th home run of his career, a grand slam, to help the Philadelphia Phillies top the Texas Rangers 14-10 Monday.
Rollins also tied Cal Ripken’s Major League record for most consecutive Opening Day starts at shortstop for the same franchise at 14.
The Phillies offense pounded out 17 hits. Rollins’ slam in the second inning put the Philadelphia up 6-0.
“J-Roll, with the big pop early, just really set the tone and got things going,” Phillies manager Ryan Sandberg said. “I think it was contagious after that.”
It was but not before the Rangers bats did some damage. They scored seven runs in the next two innings of Phillies starter Cliff Lee to take the lead. But Chase Utley’s RBI single in the fourth tied the game and John Mayberry Jr.’s two-run double in the fifth gave the Phils the lead for good.
Lee (1-0) earned the win but his stat line wasn’t good allowing 11 hits and eight runs in five innings of work.
“I don’t like being on the pitching side of that, but fortunately we outscored them and got the win, the main thing,” Lee said. “Jimmy hitting that grand slam busted it open. And we kept adding it on and we needed it, as it turned out.”
Ben Revere had three hits, three RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base to help the Phillies (1-0) score their most runs in a season opener since 1900.
Alex Rios went 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs for the Rangers (0-1) in the loss.
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