Spring training roundup: Twins earn split-squad sweep

 

[March 05, 2024]  Ryan Jeffers, Willi Castro and Carlos Santana hit solo home runs to guide the host Minnesota Twins to a 4-3 comeback win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Twins entered the fourth inning down 2-0 before Jeffers and Castro knocked back-to-back homers off Dylan Lee. Santana delivered the go-ahead dinger the next inning off Grant Holmes (0-2).

Reliever Brock Stewart (1-0) pitched a perfect fifth with one strikeout for Minnesota. Dylan Neuse added an RBI single for an important insurance run.

Matt Olson hit a two-run homer for the Braves, his first of the spring, and Luke Williams added an RBI hit in the ninth before the Twins' Hobie Harris polished off a two-inning save.

Twins 7, Orioles 2

Emmanuel Rodriguez homered as Minnesota's split squad rang up a seven-run lead during a win over host Baltimore in Sarasota, Fla.

Jair Camargo and Brooks Lee each went 2-for-3 with an RBI double, and Royce Lewis went 2-for-2 with an RBI single for the Twins. Starter Cole Sands (1-0) pitched one scoreless, hitless inning before giving way to seven relievers who gave up just three hits.

Orioles starter Dean Kremer (1-1) gave up two runs on four hits and two walks over two innings, striking out three. It took them till the bottom of the ninth to score on a fielder's choice and a bases-loaded walk.

Pirates 7, Rays 3

Jack Suwinski, Canaan Smith-Njigba and Henry Davis went yard in the first three innings as visiting Pittsburgh defeated Tampa Bay in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Pirates starter Luis Ortiz (1-0) yielded one unearned run on one hit and one walk while fanning three over three innings. Davis' two-run shot was his third home run of the spring and put the Rays in a 5-0 hole.

Amed Rosario homered and Francisco Mejia had an RBI single for the Rays after starter Aaron Civale (0-1) was shelled for five runs and four hits over 2 2/3 innings.

Nationals 1, Cardinals 0

Keibert Ruiz hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center to score Lane Thomas, enough run support for Washington to defeat visiting St. Louis in Palm Beach, Fla.

Nationals starter Trevor Williams struck out three with one hit over two innings. Williams and seven relievers combined to hold St. Louis to six hits and one walk while striking out nine.

Mar 4, 2024; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas (18) steals second base from Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) in the second inning at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals starter Sonny Gray pitched 1 2/3 innings with one strikeout and one hit before JoJo Romero (0-2) gave up Thomas' run.

Blue Jays 5, Phillies 2

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a solo homer and an RBI single, both with two outs, as host Toronto beat Philadelphia in Dunedin, Fla.

Bo Bichette hit the go-ahead two-run single for the Blue Jays and Luis De Los Santos added an insurance run on a single. Yimi Garcia (1-0) pitched a perfect fifth inning for the win.

Aramis Garcia had an RBI double and Kody Clemens added an RBI single for the Phillies, who lost despite outhitting the Jays 10-7. Reliever Griff McGarry (0-1) gave up three runs on three hits over 2/3 of an inning.

Tigers 2, Red Sox 1

Matt Vierling scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, starter Tarik Skubal fanned six over three frames and Detroit edged visiting Boston in Lakeland, Fla.

Skubal yielded just one hit before Will Vest (1-0) picked up the win with a perfect fifth inning featuring one strikeout. Javier Baez drove in Mark Canha with a second-inning sac fly to open the scoring, and Vierling came around on Joe Jacques' (0-1) wild pitch during a four-pitch walk to Riley Greene in the fifth.

Ceddanne Rafaela homered to tie the game at 1 for the Red Sox, but they mustered just four hits in all.

--Field Level Media

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