Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer made his Blue Jays debut Tuesday, striking out four over two innings of one-run ball in Toronto’s 3-2 victory over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in Dunedin, Fla.
Ahead of his 18th season, the 40-year-old right-hander — who signed a one-year, $15 million deal earlier this month — allowed one hit and no walks and threw 20 of his 34 pitches for strikes.
In relief of Scherzer, Bowden Francis tossed two innings and allowed a solo homer in his first spring outing. Alejandro Kirk, Andres Gimenez and Michael Stefanic each notched an RBI single.
For St. Louis, Victor Scott II belted a solo shot and Alec Burleson lifted a sacrifice fly. Starter Quinn Matthews whiffed three in two scoreless frames.
Orioles 8, Tigers 7
In his Baltimore debut, Charlie Morton tossed a scoreless inning in a victory over visiting Detroit in Sarasota, Fla.
Morton, 41, who signed for one season — his 18th — at $15 million in January, gave up two hits and no walks. Jeremiah Jackson capped a four-run eighth with a tiebreaking RBI single while Heston Kjerstad and Enrique Bradfield Jr. each belted two-run homers.
Detroit’s Riley Greene and Ben Malgeri (three RBIs) each smacked two-run shots and Kerry Carpenter went 3-for-3.
Astros 8, Mets 5
Cam Smith hit his first two spring home runs and drove in three as Houston came back to defeat visiting New York in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Victor Caratini put Houston ahead for good with a solo blast and finished 2-for-3 with two runs. Starter Ronel Blanco had a tough spring debut, giving up five hits and three runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Jose Siri and Brett Baty cracked their first spring homers, both solo shots, to highlight the Mets’ 11-hit output.
Braves 6, Red Sox 1
Marcell Ozuna smashed his first home run of the spring, a two-run shot, to help lead Atlanta over visiting Boston in North Port, Fla.
Former Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon also homered for Atlanta, which got a two-run single from Conner Capel. Starter Reynaldo Lopez tossed a pair of scoreless innings in his spring debut.
Boston outfielder Roman Anthony, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, collected an RBI single. In his first spring outing, Sean Newcomb delivered two scoreless innings and struck out three.
Phillies 5, Rays 4
Carson Taylor went 2-for-2, including a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, as Philadelphia edged host Tampa Bay in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez whiffed three over two scoreless innings in his first outing this spring, and Edmundo Sosa notched a two-run single.
Curtis Mead hit an RBI double and scored on Jose Caballero’s single for Tampa Bay. Starter Taj Bradley had a solid spring debut, yielding one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless frames.
Braves 2, Pirates 1
Starter Spencer Schwellenbach fanned a pair over two scoreless innings in his first spring start, helping Atlanta top host Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.
Jake Marisnick and Bryan De La Cruz each collected an RBI single for the Braves, whose staff limited the Pirates to just five hits.
Joey Bart contributed an RBI groundout and Ke’Bryan Hayes added two hits for Pittsburgh, while starter Jared Jones tossed two scoreless frames in his spring debut.
Twins 5, Yankees 4
DaShawn Keirsey Jr.’s walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning propelled Minnesota over visiting New York in Fort Myers, Fla.
Ty France and Harrison Bader ripped solo homers and Matt Wallner added a two-run blast for Minnesota. In his spring debut, starter Simeon Woods Richardson gave up a solo shot and fanned two in two innings.
In his first Yankees outing, starter Carlos Carrasco allowed one run and two hits in two innings. Everson Pereira swatted a solo shot and Dominic Smith smacked a two-run blast.
Nationals 14, Marlins 7
Andres Chaparro belted a two-run homer and drove in four as part of Washington’s 14-hit attack in a win over host Miami in Jupiter, Fla.
Robert Hassell III hit a two-run shot and Jacob Young added a solo drive for Washington, which had 13 players notch at least one hit.
For Miami, starter Edward Cabrera was touched for three runs on four hits in his one-inning spring debut. Matt Mervis smashed a two-run home run and Derek Hill delivered a solo homer.
–Field Level Media
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