Spring training roundup: Jose Abreu's bat, Astros' arms overpower Cards

 

[March 17, 2023]  Jose Abreu went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and two RBI Thursday to support five Houston Astros pitchers who combined to shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 on in a spring training game in Sarasota, Fla.

Astros starter Ronel Blanco got the win after allowing three hits and no walks while fanning five in 3 1/3 innings. Blanco was followed by Austin Davis (2/3 of an inning), Ty Buttrey (one inning), Spencer Arrighetti (three) and Matt Ruppenthal (one) in keeping the Cardinals off the scoreboard.

Yainer Diaz went 2-for-3 as Houston totaled 10 hits.

Brendan Donovan went 2-for-3 with a double as the only St. Louis player with multiple hits in an eight-hit team effort.

Rays 5, Braves 1

Manuel Margot went 2-for-2 with a double and homer, scoring two runs and driving in three to carry a Tampa Bay split squad past visiting Atlanta in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rays starter Jeffrey Springs struck out seven, walked one and scattered three hits in 4 1/3 innings to earn the win. Six Tampa Bay pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts in the seven-hitter.

Cade Bunnell drove in the lone run for Atlanta, whose starter Charlie Morton was touched up for four runs, three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Rays 2, Twins 0

Josh Fleming and Cooper Criswell each struck out five batters as a Tampa Bay split squad used four pitchers for a two-hit shutout over host Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.

Fleming (four innings) and Criswell (three) each allowed one hit, while Braden Bristo and Chris Muller pitched one perfect inning apiece.

Tristan Gray homered for Tampa Bay, which totaled six hits. Kyle Garlick (double) and Nick Gordon (single) had the hits for Minnesota.

Diamondbacks 3, Cubs 1

Caleb Roberts hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to power visiting Arizona past Chicago in Mesa, Ariz.

Phillip Evans went 2-for-4 with a double and a run, and Corbin Carroll also doubled and scored for the Diamondbacks. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt earned the save by pitching the last four innings, yielding one run and three hits with seven strikeouts.

Cody Bellinger homered for the Cubs' run, while Patrick Wisdom went 2-for-3 with a double.

Guardians 5, White Sox 1

Josh Naylor hit a grand-slam home run in the first inning and Cleveland took it from there to down Chicago in Goodyear, Ariz.

Naylor (2-for-3, one run, four RBIs) led the Guardians and Myles Straw and Amed Rosario also had two hits apiece.

Triston McKenzie scattered five hits in four innings while striking out five for the Guardians. Elvis Andrus, Gavin Sheets and Moises Castillo each doubled for the Sox.

Royals 2, Athletics 0

Seven Kansas City pitchers combined to shut out Oakland on five hits and six walks while striking out 15 in Surprise, Ariz.

The Royals scored the only runs in the fifth inning on a leadoff double by Freddy Fermin, and singles by Jackie Bradley Jr., Matt Beaty, and Franmil Reyes (who went 3-for-3).

Ramon Laureano, Esteury Ruiz, Nick Allen and Kevin Smith doubled for the Athletics.

Mar 16, 2023; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Ronel Blanco (56) warms up prior to a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Angels 3, Brewers 2

Andrew Velazquez's sacrifice fly scored Chad Wallach in the eighth inning for the go-ahead run as Los Angeles edged Milwaukee in Phoenix.

Wallach had led off the eighth with a single and moved to third on Livan Soto's single to right.

Angels starter Reid Detmers went five strong innings, allowing one run and two hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

Luke Voit hit a solo homer for Milwaukee.

Padres 7, Rockies 1

Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim had three hits apiece as San Diego piled up 16 in a dominating Colorado in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Trent Grisham and Cronenworth homered for the Padres, whose starter Michael Wacha yielded one run, four hits and one walk with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

Kris Bryant was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Rockies.

Giants 0, Mariners 0

San Francisco and Seattle played to a scoreless tie in Peoria, Ariz.

The Giants used two pitchers, Alex Cobb (five innings, three hits, no walks, five strikeouts) and Sean Hjelle (four, two, two, four) for their half of the shutout.

Seattle used six pitchers who allowed seven hits and one walk while fanning 10 Giants. Starter George Kirby went 3 1/3 innings, scattering four hits with four strikeouts.

Orioles 7, Blue Jays 4

Austin Hays socked a three-run homer, his fourth long ball of the spring, to guide Baltimore past Toronto in Sarasota, Fla.

Franchy Cordero went 3-for-3 for the Orioles, and Hays and Ryan Mountcastle added two hits apiece. Blue Jays starter Zach Thompson gave up four runs in three innings.

Phillies 10, Tigers 1

Cade Fergus' ninth-inning grand slam capped Philadelphia's blowout of Detroit in Lakeland, Fla.

Bryson Stott had three hits, including a homer, and Darick Hall and Jim Haley added home runs for the Phillies. Nick Maton collected two of the Tigers' five hits.

Pirates 9, Yankees 6

Carter Bins doubled twice and knocked in three runs for Pittsburgh in a victory over New York at Tampa.

Drew Maggi added a two-run homer for the Pirates. Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt threw five perfect innings, striking out seven.

--Field Level Media

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