Spring Training Capsules

Spring Training Capsules

VIERA, Fla. — Stephen Strasburg allowed two solo homers and struck out eight in four innings, and the Washington Nationals beat a St. Louis Cardinals split squad 13-5 on Friday night.

Strasburg, the top pick in June’s draft who signed a record $15.1 million contract, gave up four hits in his longest of three spring training starts. The right-hander threw 73 pitches, 53 of them for strikes.

In his three outings, Strasburg has yielded two runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out 12 in nine innings.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Alex Rodriguez hit a long solo homer, CC Sabathia allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings and the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2 in a split-squad game on Friday.

Rodriguez hit his first homer, a towering drive over the scoreboard in left in the third off Rick Porcello, who was charged with four runs — one earned — and four hits over three innings.

Sabathia, lined up to pitch the regular season opener April 4 at Boston, gave up four hits, two walks and struck out eight. He left in the sixth with two on — both reaching on walks — and one out. One of the baserunners scored later in the inning.

Porcello had his string of 10 consecutive shutout innings end in the second when the Yankees scored three unearned runs with two outs.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Evan Longoria had an RBI double and scored a run, and Ben Zobrist and Carl Crawford each hit late RBI singles for the Tampa Bay.

Yankees starter Sergio Mitre gave up two runs and struck out seven in five innings. Chad Gaudin gave up seven singles and four runs — three earned — in 2 1-3 innings.

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Josh Beckett pitched 3 1-3 innings after missing his last start because of flu-like symptoms, allowing four runs on six hits in the loss.

Pirates left-hander Paul Maholm worked four innings and gave up three runs, two of them unearned. David Ortiz hit a two-run homer off Maholm in the first inning.

Delwyn Young knocked Beckett out of the game with a two-run home run, and Garrett Jones and Steve Pearce also hit two-run homers for the Pirates.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Johan Santana lasted 3 1-3 innings, allowing nine hits and five runs against his former team.

Santana struck out three and walked one. Twins third baseman Danny Valencia and catcher Wilson Ramos both hit second-inning home runs off Santana.

Twins starter Kevin Slowey allowed one run on three hits in three innings, striking out two and walking two. Mets catcher Omir Santos hit a homer for the lone run surrendered by Slowey.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Albert Pujols hit his first home run of the spring, but right-hander Chris Carpenter was pounded for seven runs in the loss.

Carpenter gave up six runs on seven hits in the first inning. He threw 21 of his 29 pitches in the first inning for strikes, and the Marlins didn’t miss. Eleven batters came to the plate, with Chris Coghlan singling twice in the inning.

Anibal Sanchez two runs on four hits in five innings for Florida.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Fill-in starter Josh Banks pitched three innings in place of Bud Norris, who was sick with the flu, and Houston threw its third shutout in 15 spring games.

Toronto’s Brandon Morrow also was scratched after feeling soreness in his right shoulder while warming up.

Cory Sullivan homered and potential Astros closer Matt Lindstrom struck out two in an inning. He has pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings in five appearances.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano each hit two-run homers for the Cubs.

Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot was 2 for 3, upping his spring average to .536. Marlon Byrd and Xavier Nady hit solo home runs for the Cubs, and Kosuke Fukudome had an RBI triple and scored in the first.

Gordon Beckham drove in a run with a double for the White Sox in the third inning, the second baseman’s fourth double of spring training. Key relievers Scott Linebrink and J.J. Putz each gave up a home run.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Aaron Laffey scattered four hits over four strong innings to lead a Cleveland split-squad.

Laffey, one of three pitchers fighting for the last two spots in the Indians’ rotation, walked one, hit a batter and struck out three.

Texas starter Brandon McCarthy needed 42 pitches to get through the first inning. He allowed five runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts over four innings.

Vladimir Guerrero made his first appearance in right field for the Rangers and finished 1 for 2 with a double and a run scored.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Brian Anderson went 5 for 5 with seven RBIs and hit for the cycle. Anderson, a Tucson native, hit a two-run triple in the first inning, a double in the second, a two-run single in the third, and a two-run homer in the fourth. He doubled in the fifth.

The Royals finished with 27 hits while the Diamondbacks had 12.

Royals starter Brian Bannister threw four shutout innings, striking out three and walking one.

The Diamondbacks’ Billy Buckner allowed eight runs and nine hits in two innings. He struck out three and walked one.

PHOENIX (AP) — Jeff Suppan allowed six hits and five earned runs with three walks and four strikeouts for Milwaukee. After allowing six of the first seven batters he faced to reach base, Suppan retired eight of his last 11.

Kendry Morales reached base in his first three at-bats, including a fifth-inning home run.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Greg Smith gave up three hits and a run while striking out six and walking one in five innings.

A’s starter Trevor Cahill allowed five hits and one run in five innings, throwing 68 pitches, 45 strikes, in his longest outing of the spring.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Buster Posey hit a run-scoring double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Giants.

Aubrey Huff hit a two-run double off Indians right-hander Justin Masterson in the first inning.

Masterson, the likely No. 3 man in the rotation, gave up six runs on nine hits in 3 1-3 innings.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Johnny Damon hit a long home run and added a single for Detroit.

Damon connected in the fifth inning off Braves starter Kenshin Kawakami.

Jeff Larish homered in the fourth off Kawakami, who allowed six hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked none.

Jeremy Bonderman worked three innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and a hit batter.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Dennis Sarfate gave up a single to John Mayberry Jr. with one out in the eighth inning for the Phillies’ first hit.

Brian Matusz, Will Ohman and Jim Johnson preceded Sarfate. Ross Wolf pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to preserve the one-hitter.

Matusz struck out six in 5 1-3 innings. he walked two.

Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick saw his Grapefruit League shutout string end at 13 innings when Baltimore scored twice in the fifth inning.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Chris Heisey had a pinch-hit, two-run homer — the first of four off left-hander Jason Vargas.

Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley was ejected for disputing a called third strike for the second time in three days.

Bradley had an RBI double off Aaron Harang, who had his best performance of the spring. The right-hander, who will pitch the Reds’ season opener, allowed six hits and one run in five innings, striking out six.

Mariners starter Doug Fister was hit in the arm by a line drive and left in the first inning.

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Third baseman Chase Headley had two hits, including an RBI triple, and San Diego scored six runs in the seventh inning to beat Los Angeles.

Padres starting pitcher Chris Young and Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda each allowed three earned runs and seven hits in four innings.

Young walked three batters and Kuroda one and both struck out three.

Matt Kemp and Rafael Furcal each had two hits for the Dodgers while Manny Ramirez singled and walked in three at-bats.