Blue Jays outlast Indians in 16 innings

The Toronto Blue Jays are determined to have a special season. They opened it by making history.

J.P. Arencibia hit a three-run homer in the 16th inning to send the Blue Jays, who rallied to force extra innings with a three-run ninth, to a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians Thursday in the longest Opening Day game ever in the major leagues.

"I guess it's pretty cool now," said Arencibia, who wasn't thrilled about catching 16 innings. "I'm glad to be on the winning end."

Arencibia was 0-for-6 with three strikeouts before he connected off Indians reliever Jairo Asencio.

"If you're going to break records, you might as well do it on Opening Day," said Indians All-Star closer Chris Perez, who allowed the Jays to come back from a 4-1 deficit in the ninth. "No position player wants to be out there for 16 innings on Opening Day. I feel terrible. Everybody did their job today except me."

Nationals 2, Cubs 1: Stephen Strasburg dominated for seven innings and Ian Desmond singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth for visiting Washington.

Strasburg allowed one run and five hits, striking out five and walking one. The Cubs' Ryan Dempster was just as dominant, striking out 10 in 7 2/3 innings.

Reds 4, Marlins 0: Jay Bruce homered and drove in a pair of runs, and Johnny Cueto allowed three hits in seven innings for host Cincinnati.

Dodgers 5, Padres 3: Former Lakers great Magic Johnson, who is part of a group buying the Dodgers from Frank McCourt for $2.15 billion, had a big smile after Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer in the eighth for visiting Los Angeles.

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw left with stomach flu after limiting the Padres to two hits through three innings. -- AP