Spring training roundup: Athletics' offense explodes in rout of Angels

 

[March 07, 2024]  Miguel Andujar clubbed a pair of homers and drove in four runs as the Oakland Athletics cruised to a 12-5 victory over the host Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday in Tempe, Ariz.

Andujar went 2-for-3 and is now batting .421 in spring training. JJ Bleday and Shea Langeliers also had two hits apiece for the Athletics, who piled up 17 on the afternoon.

Mike Trout hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to pull the Angels within 6-5, but Oakland ended any chance of a comeback with six more runs, five of which came in the top of the ninth.

Athletics starter Joe Boyle (1-1) didn't allow a hit but did give up a run across his three innings. Joey Estes closed the door with three perfect frames for a nine-out save, striking out five in the process.

Patrick Sandoval (0-1) was shelled for four runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss.

Dodgers 12, White Sox 9

Freddie Freeman hit a grand slam and had five RBIs as visiting Los Angeles overcame a rough start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto to beat Chicago in Glendale, Ariz.

Yamamoto, a prized offseason acquisition by the Dodgers who signed a 12-year, $325 million deal in December, allowed five runs and six hits in three innings. He walked three and fanned four, but Los Angeles' offense rode to the rescue.

Paul DeJong had a 3-for-3 day at the plate with three RBIs for the White Sox. Chicago's Eloy Jimenez tied things at 7 with a two-run homer in the fourth, but the Dodgers ran away with the contest by scoring the next five runs.

Brewers 2, Reds 0

Seven pitchers combined on a five-hitter for Milwaukee, which blanked host Cincinnati in Goodyear, Ariz.

Starter Bryse Wilson (1-0) set the tone by giving up just one hit in three innings before six relievers kept the shutout intact. Christian Arroyo provided the Brewers all the offense they would need with a run-scoring double in the first.

Jake Fraley doubled among his two hits as the Reds failed to come through for Brandon Williamson (0-2), who absorbed the loss despite surrendering just one run and four hits in four innings.

Twins 7, Red Sox 1

Joe Ryan logged three strong innings and Edouard Julien ripped a three-run shot to lead Minnesota past visiting Boston in Fort Myers, Fla.

Ryan (1-0) gave up one run on two hits while striking out one without issuing a walk. Jair Camargo also homered for the Twins, hitting a two-run blast.

The Red Sox scored their lone run on Wilyer Abreu's solo home run in the second.

Rays 4, Yankees 3

Tampa Bay scored all four of its runs on homers and held off a rally from host New York in Tampa, Fla.

Solo shots from Yandy Diaz and Amed Rosario and a two-run homer from Richie Palacios put the Rays up 4-1. Gleyber Torres went deep in the sixth and Carlos Narvaez did so in the eighth as the Yankees made it 4-3, but that was the closest New York would get.

Taj Bradley (1-0) went three scoreless innings to get the win, while Carlos Rodon (1-1) was hit around for three runs on five hits in three innings to take the loss.

Nationals 9, Marlins 3

Dylan Crews, the No. 1 prospect in Washington's organization, went 2-for-3 with a home run, double, two RBIs and two runs as the visiting Nationals had little trouble with Miami in Jupiter, Fla.

Crews was the second overall pick of the 2023 draft but is already projected to reach the majors in 2024, per MLB Pipeline. He is 4-for-14 (.286) this spring. Patrick Corbin (2-1) went four innings, giving up two hits and two runs for Washington.

Griffin Conine connected on a Corbin cutter for a two-run home run for the Marlins. Left-hander Jesus Luzardo (0-1) surrendered five runs (four earned) on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He fanned three.

Cubs 6, Angels 5

BJ Murray Jr. smacked a go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift host Chicago over Los Angeles' split squad in Mesa, Ariz.

The Angels had built a 4-1 cushion following Jo Adell's solo home run in the fourth, but the Cubs struck for four runs in the fifth before Adell scored on a fielding error in the sixth to tie things at 5-all.

Jimmy Herget (0-1) served up Murray's homer, which made a winner out of Javier Assad (2-1).

Mariners 8, Royals 7

Visiting Seattle used a five-run sixth to rally past Kansas City in Surprise, Ariz.

Solo home runs from Salvador Perez and Michael Massey helped the Royals build a 5-1 lead, but the Mariners plated a pair of runs in the fourth, then Josh Rojas ignited the outburst in the sixth by walking with the bases loaded. Samad Taylor capped the rally with a two-RBI single.

CJ Alexander had a two-run single in the home half of the sixth for Kansas City, but the Royals never scored again.

Reds 6, Padres 2

Carson Spiers turned in four innings of scoreless relief to help Cincinnati post a split-squad victory over host San Diego in Peoria, Ariz.

Spiers gave up three hits and struck out five, but it was starter Graham Ashcraft (1-0) who came away with the win. Tyler Stephenson and Christian Encarnacion-Strand had two-run homers for the Reds.

Padres starter Randy Vasquez (1-1) surrendered five runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. San Diego got an RBI double from Jake Cronenworth.

Rangers 6, Rockies 6

Colorado brought home a pair of runs in the eighth to salvage a tie with visiting Texas in Scottsdale, Ariz.

It was tied 4-4 until the Rangers' Blaine Crim drilled a two-run blast in the seventh. With the Rockies down to their final five outs, Jordan Beck scored on Hunter Goodman's groundout and Aaron Schunk followed with a run-scoring base hit to even the score after eight innings.

Adolis Garcia homered for Texas.

Guardians 3, Brewers 3

Host Milwaukee's split squad overcame a three-run deficit to break even with Cleveland in Phoenix.

Eric Haase hit a two-run blast for the Brewers, whose bullpen kept them in the game. Four relievers combined to give up just one unearned run and three hits in six innings.

Angel Martinez had an RBI triple as the Guardians built a 3-0 lead. Carlos Carrasco was responsible for all three Milwaukee runs (two earned) in his 2 1/3 innings.

Orioles 6, Pirates 4

Anthony Santander and Coby Mayo each drove in two runs for Baltimore, which edged visiting Pittsburgh in Sarasota, Fla.

Santander had a two-run homer in the first and Mayo plated the go-ahead runs with a double in the eighth. The Orioles watched a 3-0 lead turn into a 4-3 deficit when the Pirates' Jake Lamb singled home Joshua Palacios in the fifth.

Baltimore got to Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller, who was charged with three runs on four hits in four innings.

--Field Level Media

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