Spring training roundup: Nats score 8 in ninth to beat Astros

 

[March 18, 2023]  Darren Baker hit a game-tying grand slam in the ninth inning as the Washington Nationals roared back with eight runs to beat the Houston Astros 11-7 on Friday in a spring training game in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Houston entered the top of the ninth up 7-3, with Jeremy Pena earlier slugging two home runs and going 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

Washington scored eight runs on seven hits in the ninth. Francisco Arcia, Ildemaro Vargas and Jeter Downs each singled, and Baker followed with a homer. With two outs, Michael Chavis and Trey Lipscomb walked. Blake Rutherford hit an RBI single, Cody Wilson -- who pinch-ran for Arcia -- hit a two-run double and Vargas singled home Wilson.

Braves 8, Red Sox 0

Matt Olson homered for both of his hits and drove in three runs as Atlanta crushed Boston in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Braves had 17 hits, including home runs from Greyson Jenista and Mitchell Tolman. Five Atlanta pitchers combined on a six-hit shutout, led by starter Jared Shuster, who went four innings and allowed three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.

No Boston player had more than one hit, with Bobby Dalbec recording a triple and Corey Rosier a double.

Orioles 5, Twins 3

Daz Cameron, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser each went 2-for-3 with a solo home run to lead Baltimore past Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.

Orioles starter Dean Kremer yielded three hits and two runs with no walks and three strikeouts in four innings. He allowed two homers in the second inning to Michael Taylor and Kyle Farmer, the latter of whom homered again in the seventh.

Pirates 6, Rays 2

Ji-Man Choi, Mason Martin and Canaan Smith-Njigba homered to power Pittsburgh past Tampa Bay in Bradenton, Fla.

Luke Raley and Logan Driscoll homered for two of Tampa Bay's three hits.

Tigers 8, Yankees 7

Andrew Knapp hit two homers and went 2-for-3 with three RBIs as Detroit outslugged New York in Lakeland, Fla.

Akil Baddoo (2-for-3), Riley Greene (2-for-3) and Colt Keith (2-for-2) also homered for the Tigers, who had 13 hits.

The Yankees had 15 hits, led by Wilmer Difo (2-for-4, home run), Benjamin Cowles (homer) and Estevan Florial (2-for-4, three RBIs).

Phillies (ss) 4, Blue Jays (ss) 2

Rhys Hoskins and Gabriel Rincones Jr. homered for Philadelphia in a victory over Toronto during a split-squad game in Clearwater, Fla.

Cam Eden homered for the Blue Jays, who were outhit 10-5.
 

Phillies (ss) 8, Blue Jays (ss) 1

Philadelphia jumped out to an 8-0 lead and cruised past Toronto during a split-squad game in Dunedin, Fla.

Jake Cave was 3-for-4 with three RBIs for the Phillies, while Kody Clemens was 2-for-4 with a home run. Philadelphia scored twice in the first inning, four times in the fourth and twice in the fifth.

Bo Bichette (2-for-3) was the only Blue Jay with multiple hits.

Cardinals 16, Marlins 2

Masyn Winn went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Willson Contreras doubled and went 2-for-3 with three RBIs as St. Louis throttled Miami in Sarasota, Fla.

The Cardinals collected 17 hits, with Dylan Carlson contributing two hits, two RBIs and two runs.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered for Miami.

Cubs 4, White Sox 4

The Chicago teams played to a tie in Phoenix, as four White Sox pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts and six Cubs hurlers totaled nine.

Yan Gomes, Sergio Alcantara and Edwin Rios homered for the Cubs, while Romy Gonzales went deep for the White Sox.

Dodgers 9, Cubs (ss) 7

J.D. Martinez homered and drove in five runs and Miguel Vargas went deep for Los Angeles in a win over a Chicago split squad in Mesa, Ariz.

Jacob Wetzel hit a three-run homer for the Cubs.

Brewers 4, Rangers 3

Skye Bolt and Joey Wiemer went deep as Milwaukee edged Texas in Surprise, Ariz.

Rangers starter Nathan Evoldi pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and no walks with five strikeouts. The Rangers got homers from Jonah Heim and Josh H. Smith.

Athletics 7, Giants 2

James Kaprielian scattered five hits over four innings, allowing one run with no walks and four strikeouts as Oakland topped San Francisco in Mesa, Ariza.

The Giants totaled eight hits, including doubles from J.D. Davis and Thairo Estrada.

Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 2

Diego Castillo homered as Arizona doubled up Colorado in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Diamondbacks pitchers scattered eight hits, with starter Ryne Nelson allowing four but only one run and one walk with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Yonathan Daza (2-for-2) was the only Rockies batter with multiple hits.

Angels 12, Royals 1

Jake Lamb went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and five RBIs as Los Angeles collected 17 hits in a dominant effort against Kansas City in Tempe, Ariz.

Brandon Drury also homered for the Angels. Nick Pratto (2-for-3) was the only Royals batter with multiple hits as the team totaled seven.

Mets 6, Marlins 1

New York center fielder Brandon Nimmo tripled and walked in three plate appearances before injuring his right ankle in a victory over Miami in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Mets manager Buck Showalter said after the game that he had talked to Nimmo and he didn't think the injury was serious.

The Marlins' Jerar Encarnacion went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Reds 7, Guardians 1

Jake Fraley hit a two-run homer, Jose Barrero doubled, tripled and also drove in two runs, and Graham Ashcraft struck out five over four scoreless innings as host Cincinnati defeated Cleveland in Goodyear, Ariz.

Josh Naylor singled home a run and Steven Kwan had two of Cleveland's five hits.

Mariners 10, Padres 5

Ty France hit a two-run homer, Cal Raleigh also drove in two runs and Sam Haggerty doubled twice with two runs as Seattle knocked off host San Diego in Peoria.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first spring home run, Taylor Kohlwey drove in two runs and starter Blake Snell surrendered nine runs, seven earned, on six hits and three walks in three innings. He struck out five.

--Field Level Media

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