Spring training roundup: Red Sox use 9-run first to bully Yankees

 

[March 18, 2024]  Trevor Story, Connor Wong and Rafael Devers hit home runs during a nine-run first inning as the host Boston Red Sox stormed past the New York Yankees 12-6 during spring training action Sunday in Fort Myers, Fla.

Two fielding errors during the bottom of the first helped the Red Sox get baserunners on for their big swings. Story went deep to left and Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run single to briefly chase Yankees starter Will Warren (2-1). Wong greeted Luis Arejula with a two-run shot and Devers also homered off him before the Yankees returned to Warren for the next two innings.

Red Sox starter Tanner Houck (2-0) pitched 3 2/3 innings and yielded two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Boston's bullpen added seven strikeouts.

Kevin Smith hit a three-run triple to get the Yankees on the board in the fourth. After Boston grew its lead to 12-3 thanks in part to Eduardo Lopez's solo shot, Oscar Gonzalez had an RBI double and T.J. Rumfield added a two-run single for New York.

Mets 7, Marlins 6

Jose Iglesias hit a walk-off home run to right center with one out to deliver host New York past Miami in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Iglesias' homer off Eli Villalobos (0-1) capped a six-run rally for the Mets from down 6-1. Mark Vientos blasted a three-run home run 439 feet in the sixth and Harrison Bader hit a game-tying solo shot an inning later. Tyler Jay (1-0) pitched ninth for the win.

Dane Myers went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and Christian Bethancourt went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for the Marlins.

Nationals 9, Mets 8

Washington scored five unanswered runs across the fifth and sixth innings, outhitting New York's split squad 14-12 to prevail in Palm Beach, Fla.

James Wood and Nasim Nunez had RBI singles and Alex Call and Lewin Diaz added RBI doubles in the sixth. Richard Bleier (1-1) earned the win in relief after Nationals starter Mackenzie Gore gave up eight runs on nine hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings but struck out 10 batters.

Luke Voit homered for the Mets while Jesse Winker went deep for the Nationals. A five-run fifth inning highlighted by Omar Narvaez's RBI double vaulted the Mets ahead 8-4 before Austin Adams (0-1) blew the save.

Orioles 4, Tigers 4

Kyle Stowers hit three home runs to drive in all four of Baltimore's runs in a tie with host Detroit in Lakeland, Fla.

Stowers homered twice off Tigers starter Kenta Maeda and again off long reliever Reese Olson to get his spring training total to seven, but it wasn't enough for an Orioles victory.

Bligh Madris hit a solo shot and Ryan Kreidler bashed a two-run homer in the eighth inning to erase a 4-1 deficit and tie the game for the Tigers. Maeda, Jason Foley and Reese Olson combined to strike out 12 batters while yielding five hits -- including Stowers' trio of homers.

Orioles 8, Braves 2

John Rhodes hit a pair of two-run home runs as Baltimore rallied past visiting Atlanta in a split-squad game in Sarasota, Fla.

Rhodes got the Orioles on the board in the bottom of the seventh by tying the game at 2 with his shot off Dylan Lee. Baltimore then poured on six runs in the eighth, with Rhodes' second homer coming amid doubles by Gunnar Henderson, Michael Perez and Coby Mayo.

O's reliever Mike Baumann (1-0) picked up the win by pitching a scoreless eighth, while Braves reliever Hayden Harris (0-1) yielded four runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Austin Riley homered in the first inning for Atlanta.

Red Sox 3, Braves 3

Ozzie Albies went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI as host Atlanta drew with Boston in a split-squad game in North Port, Fla.

Albies' run-scoring hit in the sixth inning was followed by Leury Garcia scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game 3-3. Albies also scored the Braves' run earlier in the game on Matt Olson's double-play grounder.
 

Bobby Dalbec and Pablo Reyes had solo homers for the Red Sox.

Cardinals 10, Astros 6

Luken Baker hit a game-tying two-run shot and Brody Moore followed with a go-ahead grand slam to push St. Louis over visiting Houston in Jupiter, Fla.

Dylan Carlson had an RBI double and a solo shot earlier in the game for the Cardinals. Reliever Andre Pallante (1-0) struck out four over two innings with two runs (one earned) on two hits.

Jose Abreu hit a two-run homer, Mauricio Dubon had a solo shot and Quincy Hamilton hit an RBI triple to help the Astros build a 6-4 lead. Luis Contreras (0-1) was dinged for five runs on two hits and three walks in two-thirds of the eighth inning.

Pirates 8, Rays 4

Matthew Gorski hit the tiebreaking home run in the seventh and Shawn Ross added a two-run shot an inning later as host Pittsburgh defeated Tampa Bay in Bradenton, Fla.

Nick Gonzales had a two-run home run earlier in the game for the Pirates. Chase Anderson (2-0) threw four innings of relief, gave up three runs on five hits and struck out six with one walk.

Brandon Lowe went deep for the Rays before Gonzales' shot put them down 4-3. Osleivis Basabe tied the game in the top of the seventh with a single, but Erasmo Ramirez (0-3) was hit for four runs (two earned) on four hits in two innings.

Blue Jays 5, Phillies 5

Garrett Spain drove in the tying run in the top of the ninth for Toronto to draw with host Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla.

Mar 17, 2024; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Oscar Gonzalaz (72) hits a base hit against the Boston Red Sox in the fourth inning at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

New Blue Jays addition Joey Votto, playing for his hometown team, homered on the first pitch he saw in his club debut but later reportedly rolled his ankle on a bat in the dugout. Alejandro Kirk hit an RBI double and scored on an error.

Jordan Luplow went 2-for-2 and homered to put the Phillies ahead 5-3 before the Blue Jays rallied.

Blue Jays 9, Twins 4

Kevin Kiermaier hit two solo home runs as Toronto's split squad beat visiting Minnesota in Dunedin, Fla.

George Springer hit a three-run homer in the fifth to put the Jays ahead for good, as Toronto scored the game's final seven runs. Mitch White (2-0) pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief and allowed three runs on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Brooks Lee had a solo homer and an RBI triple for the Twins and Alex Kirilloff added a run-scoring triple one batter after Lee in the third inning. Hobie Harris (0-1) blew the save by allowing Springer's homer.

White Sox 3, Athletics 3

Gavin Sheets hit a solo homer in the ninth to give Chicago a one-run lead but Will Simpson answered with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning for host Oakland as the teams settled for a tie in Mesa, Ariz.

White Sox starter Nick Nastrini threw four shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out two to lower his spring ERA to 0.82.

Athletics starter Alex Wood gave up two runs (one earned) and four hits in five innings, striking out six.

Rockies 5, Giants 3

Starter Cal Quantrill (2-0) threw 4 2/3 shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out three, to help visiting Colorado top San Francisco in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rockies reliever Jake Bird threw a perfect ninth for his first save and lowered his spring ERA to 1.42.

Giants starter Logan Webb (0-3) continued to have a rough spring, allowing four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings as his ERA rose to 9.00.

Cubs 8, Rangers 6

Jacob Slaughter hit a three-run homer to punctuate a six-run sixth inning as host Chicago held off Texas in Mesa, Ariz.

Cubs starter Javier Assad (3-1) gave up one run on four hits, striking out four in 3 2/3 innings. Daniel Palencia struck out two in the ninth for his first save of the spring.

Rangers starter Jose Urena (1-1) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings, striking out four. Jared Walsh hit his third homer of the spring, a two-run shot in the seventh.

Diamondbacks 2, Angels 0

Starter Zac Gallen (1-1) threw 4 1/3 shutout innings, striking out four and giving up one hit, to help host Arizona silence Los Angeles in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Miguel Castro gave up one hit and struck out one in the ninth for the save for the Diamondbacks.

Angels starter Patrick Sandoval (0-3) went 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks, striking out five.

Diamondbacks 5, Mariners 4

Timothy Tawa drove in two of Arizona's three runs in the ninth in a comeback win over host Seattle in Peoria, Ariz.

Dakota Chalmers (1-0) allowed no runs and no hits in two innings to pick up the win for the Diamondbacks' split squad.

Mariners starter Logan Gilbert struck out seven in five shutout innings, allowing three hits and no walks.

Guardians 4, Reds 2

Shane Bieber (1-0) struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits and two walks, as host Cleveland doubled up Cincinnati in Goodyear, Ariz.

Tim Herrin struck out the side in order to pick up the save for the Guardians.

Starter Brandon Williamson (0-3) gave up four runs on three hits and three walks in two innings. The Reds bullpen gave up only one hit in the final six innings.

Brewers 6, Royals 4

Joel Payamps, Elvis Peguero and Abner Uribe combined for 4 2/3 innings of one-hit relief, helping visiting Milwaukee hold off Kansas City in Surprise, Ariz.

Payamps (1-0) came away with the win and Uribe picked up his first save of the spring. The Brewers led 4-0 before the Royals scored four runs in the fifth. Blake Perkins hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the sixth for Milwaukee, which got some insurance from Eric Haase's run-scoring double in the seventh.

Kansas City's fifth-inning outburst got left-hander Cole Ragans off the hook. He allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings, walking one and fanning six.

Source: Field Level Media

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