Spring training roundup: Jeremy Pena helps lift Astros past Nationals

 

[March 24, 2023]  Jeremy Pena homered in the sixth inning and added an RBI double in a four-run eighth as the Houston Astros surged past the Washington Nationals 5-4 in a spring training game Thursday in Palm Beach, Fla.

Down 4-1 in the eighth, the Astros rallied on Pena's RBI double, Jose Abreu's two-run double and Jake Meyers' two-out single.

The Nationals led 4-0 early, including Dominic Smith's solo home run in the first inning.

Smith, Jeimer Candelario, Alex Call and Victor Robles each had two of Washington's 12 hits.

Red Sox 7, Pirates 4

Jorge Alfaro, Bobby Dalbec and Ronaldo Hernandez each hit two-run homers to power Boston past Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.

Rodolfo Castro homered and Bryan Reynolds went 3-for-4 with a double for the Pirates, who outhit the Red Sox 11-8.

Yankees 1, Cardinals 1

The pitching staffs for New York and St. Louis each allowed one run and three hits in a tie game in Sarasota, Fla.

Each squad used four pitchers. St. Louis starter Steven Matz allowed three hits, including Oswaldo Cabrera's solo homer in the fourth inning. Matz went six innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

New York starter Nestor Cortes yielded two hits and no walks with seven strikeouts in four scoreless innings.

Mets 2, Braves 2

Atlanta's Matt Olson hit a two-run homer in the third inning to even the game, and the score held up for a tie with New York in North Port, Fla.

The Mets scored twice in the top of the third on Danny Mendick's walk, Tomas Nido's double and consecutive sacrifice flies by Eduardo Escobar and Starling Marte.

Blue Jays 3, Twins 0

Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi recorded nine of Toronto pitchers' 17 strikeouts in a four-hit shutout of Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.

Kikuchi went the first five innings, allowing three hits and one walk. He was followed by Thomas Hatch (one inning), Zach Thompson (1 2/3) and Nate Pearson (1 1/3).

Elliot Soto went 3-for-3 with a double and triple to account for nearly all of the Twins' hits.

Phillies 4, Tigers 1

Trea Turner hit his first homer of the spring for Philadelphia, but the team suffered a major blow when first baseman Rhys Hoskins tore the ACL in his left knee during the victory over Detroit in Clearwater, Fla.

Hoskins was injured attempting to plant his foot while making a play on a ball as he reached the outfield grass just beyond first base in the top of the second inning. An MRI revealed the tear in the ACL, the team said.

Detroit, which had four hits, scored in the sixth on a single, groundout, walk, wild pitch and infield single.

Cubs 11, Diamondbacks 1

Hadyn McGeary hit a three-run double to conclude the scoring as Chicago handled Arizona in Mesa, Ariz.

Cubs right-hander Hayden Wesneski got the start and went five innings, allowing four hits, one run, no earned runs and two walks with five strikeouts.

The Diamondbacks scored their lone run on Corbin Carroll's two-out triple and Wesneski's errant pickoff throw.

Giants 6, White Sox 3

Will Wilson smacked a three-run homer in the third inning and Brett Wisely added a solo shot in the seventh as San Francisco doubled up Chicago in Phoenix.

Seby Zavala and Romy Gonzalez went deep for Chicago.

Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 5

Nick Ahmed, Kyle Lewis, Gabriel Moreno and Dominic Canzone all went deep as Arizona powered past Los Angeles in Scottsdale, Ariz.

James Outman (2-for-3, double) was the lone Dodger with multiple hits as the team totaled seven.

Brewers 4, Padres 2

Eight Milwaukee pitchers scattered 11 hits in holding San Diego to two runs for a Brewers victory in Phoenix.

Victor Caratini homered for the Brewers, who had seven singles and eight total hits.

The Padres' Rougned Odor was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Trent Grisham doubled twice in four at-bats.

Padres 6, Royals 3

Luis Campusano hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to help San Diego double up Kansas City in Peoria, Ariz.

Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Nelson Cruz and David Dahl had two hits apiece for the Padres.

Salvador Perez and Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for the Royals.

Tigers 8, Orioles 8

Detroit scored three runs in the top of the ninth, including Akil Baddoo's home run, to forge a tie with Baltimore in Sarasota, Fla.

Nick Maton hit a three-run homer for Detroit in a five-run third inning.

The Orioles had 16 hits, including a solo homer from Daz Cameron (2-for-3, double, two RBIs) and a three-run shot from Cedric Mullins. Ryan Mountcastle was 3-for-4, and Jorge Mateo was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs.

Guardians 10, Giants 0

Cal Quantrill struck out five in 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and he combined with four relievers on a two-hitter as Cleveland blanked San Francisco in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Josh Bell, Amed Rosario and Oscar Gonzalez each had two hits, including a homer apiece, for the Guardians.

Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani was tagged for six runs on six hits in four-plus innings.

A's 7, Rangers 7

Kevin Smith went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to help Oakland rally for a tie against Texas in Surprise, Ariz.

The Rangers hit all four of the homers: two from Ezequiel Duran and one apiece from Mitch Garver and Brad Miller.

Mariners 17, Reds 6

Julio Rodriguez finished 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs as Seattle blew out Cincinnati in Goodyear, Ariz.

Eugenio Suarez, Tom Murphy, Teoscar Hernandez and Sam Haggerty each added a home run for the Mariners.

Reds starter Brandon Williamson yielded nine runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

--Field Level Media

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