Shortstop Jeremy Pena Smacks Grand Slam as Astros Defeat Marlins
Astros 6, Marlins 4
Shortstop Jeremy Pena hit a grand slam to spark a six-run sixth inning, leading the host Houston Astros to a 6-4 victory over Miami on Saturday in Palm Beach, Fla.
Astros starter Framber Valdez pitched four scoreless innings, striking out six while allowing just three hits and a walk. Nick Hernandez (1-1) claimed the win despite allowing a run in his 1/3 of an inning. Jose Altuve went 2-for-3 with an RBI from the leadoff spot.
Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara also posted four scoreless innings, recording two strikeouts while allowing two hits and one walk. Declan Cronin (0-1) took the loss after surrendering five runs in relief. Nick Fortes and Otto Lopez had two hits apiece, while Agustin Ramirez hit a solo homer in the ninth.
Braves 7, Red Sox 3
Reigning National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale struck out nine in six innings to help visiting Atlanta defeat Boston in Fort Myers, Fla.
Sale (1-1) allowed four hits and two runs, both on solo homers by Alex Bregman and Triston Casas, during his longest stint this spring. The Braves racked up 14 hits, including three apiece by Nick Allen and Conner Capel.
Quinn Priester (1-1) started for the Red Sox and allowed six hits, three walks, and three runs in his 2 2/3 innings. Casas had two of the team’s six hits, while Jarren Duran added a double.
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Pirates 15, Orioles 5
Henry Davis hit a grand slam in the eighth to cap a late surge that powered Pittsburgh past visiting Baltimore in Bradenton, Fla.
Oneil Cruz, Jack Suwinski, Nick Gonzales, and Ji Hwan Bae each had two hits for the Pirates, with Cruz also stealing his fifth and sixth bases of the spring. Starter Carmen Mlodzinski allowed one run and struck out three in his three innings.
Dylan Carlson (2-for-2) led off the game with a home run for the Orioles. Rookie Coby Mayo contributed a single and a double in three trips. Starter Thaddeus Ward surrendered five hits, three walks, and four runs in his 2 2/3 innings, while Gregory Soto (0-1) took the loss after allowing a run in the fourth.
Phillies 2, Tigers 2
Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler each allowed two runs over five innings, resulting in a tie in Clearwater, Fla.
Skubal struck out seven without issuing a walk for the Tigers but gave up six hits and two runs. Colt Keith had two of Detroit’s three hits, including a two-run double off Wheeler in the first inning.
Wheeler struck out three while allowing three hits, one walk, and two unearned runs for the Phillies. Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh each posted two hits, while Harper and Trea Turner notched RBIs.
Rays 7, Yankees 7
Tres Barrera hit a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning to cap a three-run frame, securing a tie for Tampa Bay against New York in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen struck out six with no walks over four innings, allowing five hits and three runs. Jose Caballero and Kenneth Piper each had two hits and scored a run.
Jasson Dominguez went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple, while Jorbit Vivas had three hits for the Yankees. Starter Will Warren fanned four with no walks over four innings but also allowed five hits and three runs.
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Cardinals 9, Blue Jays 5
Alex Burleson and Lars Nootbaar homered as host St. Louis never trailed against Toronto in Jupiter, Fla.
The Cardinals recorded 16 hits, with Brendan Donovan (3-for-4), Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, Burleson, and Nootbaar all collecting multiple hits. Starter Andre Pallante (2-0) stretched out to five innings, striking out five while allowing two walks, six hits, and three runs (two earned).
Robert Brooks and Will Robertson each hit ninth-inning homers for the Blue Jays, while Ernie Clement had two hits. Starter Bowden Francis allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out five in his 3 2/3 innings. Brendon Little (1-1) surrendered two runs in the fifth to take the loss.
