New-look Jays open with win

B.J. Ryan showed why the Toronto Blue Jays spent big money in the offseason to get him.

So did Toronto's other new acquisitions.

Roy Halladay outpitched Johan Santana in a matchup of recent Cy Young Award winners, and Ryan earned a save in his Toronto debut as the new-look Blue Jays opened the season with a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in Toronto.

Tired of finishing third behind the big-spending Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East, the Blue Jays signed Gold Glove catcher Bengie Molina, starter A.J. Burnett and Ryan during an expensive offseason overhaul. They also traded for slugger Troy Glaus and first baseman Lyle Overbay.

"You saw it all tonight — by design," Toronto manager John Gibbons said with a smirk.

The new additions paid off right away. Molina homered off Santana to give Toronto a 3-1 lead. Ryan, signed to a $47 million, five-year contract — the richest ever for a reliever — entered to loud cheers and struck out two in a perfect ninth to close it out.

Ryan took a deep breath before his first pitch and later acknowledged he was nervous.

Alex Rios also homered and had three hits for the Blue Jays Santana, who won the AL Cy Young in 2004, allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

INDIANS 8, WHITE SOX 2: At Chicago, Aaron Boone took some glimmer off Chicago's ring ceremony. Boone homered, drove in four runs and crashed into catcher A.J. Pierzynski to score a run for Cleveland, which put a damper on another day of celebrations by the World Series champions. Winner Jake Westbrook allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings for the Indians, who put ace lefty C.C. Sabathia on the 15-day disabled list before the game with a strained abdominal muscle.

RANGERS 10, RED SOX 4: At Arlington, Texas, Rangers slugger Phil Nevin had a three-run homer in the first inning and later chased struggling Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield with a two-run single. Winner Vicente Padilla allowed only one run and four hits over six innings in his AL debut. Acquired from Philadelphia in an offseason trade, he struck out five and walked two.

ATHLETICS 4, YANKEES 3: At Oakland, Calif., Marco Scutaro singled over left fielder Hideki Matsui's head in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Athletics to the win. Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez homered off Yankees starter Mike Mussina, who struck out six in seven solid innings.

MARINERS 10, ANGELS 8: At Seattle, Richie Sexson had three hits and five RBIs and Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima homered in his second straight game. Johjima, the first Japanese catcher in the major leagues, led off Seattle's five-run second inning with a home run.