TRAVIS LAKINS

Billy Hamilton hit a solo home run, Jose Abreu hit a two-run homer, and Lance Lynn pitched five scoreless innings as the White Sox completed a sweep of their doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles with a 3-1 victory.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)BOSTON – The pandemic-delayed 2020 season is being followed up by a rain-delayed start to 2021 for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox postponed their opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on Thursday because of rain that was forecast to last all day. "One day, two days, three days — I really don't care, to be honest with you," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. The Red Sox made the announcement at 9 a.m., about five hours before the scheduled first pitch. “The decision to postpone our first game of the season was not made lightly,” Red Sox President Sam Kennedy said.

Strasburg threw only 16 pitches before leaving with hand issue in the first inning of Washington's 15-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Martinez said Strasburg was feeling numbness in his thumb and that the sensation originated in the wrist. The Nationals withstood the injury to Strasburg after rebounding from a defeat that took five days to decide and weathering a lengthy rain delay. His first outing came against the Orioles in a game that was suspended Sunday at Nationals Park and completed Friday at Camden Yards with Baltimore winning 6-2. Orioles: Asher Wojciechowski (0-1, 3.95) makes his sixth career appearance against the Nationals, still looking for his first win against them.