Cubs 5, Padres 4

CHICAGO - Ryne Sandberg warmed Cubs fans at frosty Wrigley Field with his return to baseball, and Mark Grace made the celebration complete with a 10th-inning single that gave Chicago a 5-4 victory yesterday over the San Diego Padres.

Sandberg, the National League's MVP in 1984, went 0-for-3 with two walks, but at second base handled seven chances flawlessly in his first game in nearly two years.

Grace slapped his decisive single to left field with one out in the 10th, immediately after Sandberg's second walk of the game had loaded the bases off loser Trevor Hoffman.

Dodgers 4, Astros 3

HOUSTON - Todd Hollandsworth began the Los Angeles Dodgers' chase for a fifth straight NL Rookie of the Year award, hitting a three-run double yesterday in a 4-3 opening day victory over the Houston Astros.

With Houston leading 1-0 in the fifth, Brett Butler, Mike Piazza and Eric Karros hit consecutive one-out singles to tie the score. Mike Blowers walked with two outs, loading the bases, and Hollandsworth drove a pitch from Shane Reynolds to center with the ball rolling to the fence.

Hollandsworth hopes to follow Karros, Piazza and Raul Mondesi as rookie winners. The Dodgers have won the award € named after former Dodger Jackie Robinson - a record 15 times.

Mets 7, Cardinals 6

NEW YORK - The New York Mets began the 1996 season where they left off 1995.

Picked by some to make a run at the playoffs despite an inexperienced lineup, the Mets thrilled their opening-day crowd of 42,060 by rallying from a six-run deficit yesterday to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6.

Held to four hits by Andy Benes and trailing 6-3 through six innings, the Mets strung together five singles and a sacrifice fly to score four times in the seventh and spoil Tony La Russa's debut as St. Louis' manager.

Braves 10, Giants 8

ATLANTA - Greg Maddux wasn't at his best, but he was still good enough. And so were the Atlanta Braves.

Maddux, winner of an unprecedented four straight Cy Young Awards, allowed nine hits and four runs in 5 2-3 innings yesterday as the Braves opened defense of their World Series championship with a 10-8 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

''Obviously, I don't want to go out there every time and give up four runs, but you play this game to win,'' Maddux said. ''We're a team. If one guy doesn't do so well, hopefully your teammates will pick you up.''

The Braves did just that.

After receiving their World Series rings before the game from National League president Leonard Coleman, the Braves hit five homers off three San Francisco pitchers.

Pirates 4, Marlins 0

MIAMI - Led by a rookie catcher batting .750, the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates are tied for first place.

Jason Kendall, making his major league debut at age 21, went 3-for-4 with two RBIs yesterday to help Pittsburgh beat the Florida Marlins 4-0 before a sellout opening-day crowd of 41,815.

''I was nervous,'' Kendall said. ''But I'll probably be nervous the rest of my career.''

Kendall, the son of former major-league catcher Fred Kendall, had two RBI singles and a double. He also threw out a runner attempting to steal.