Saturday's MLB Spring Training Capsules

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - Roy Halladay pitched two innings in a rain-shortened final spring start, and the Philadelphia Phillies went on to an 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

Halladay allowed two runs and three hits, struck out three and walked none before a 37-minute rain delay interrupted the exhibition game.

Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Luis Valbuena homered for Toronto. Bautista hit a solo drive off David Herndon for his fourth spring homer.

Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero prepped for his opening-day start by retiring all six batters he faced, striking out two.

CARDINALS 6, NATIONALS 2

VIERA, Fla. (AP) - Stephen Strasburg pitched four innings in his tuneup to start on opening day for Washington in a loss to St. Louis.

Strasburg allowed three runs, two earned, all in the second inning. He gave up five hits overall, striking out three and walking one.

Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook gave up one run and two hits in 5 2-3 innings.

YANKEES 11, ASTROS 9, 8 INNINGS

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) - Robinson Cano and Raul Ibanez each had two-run homers, 19-year-old Dante Bichette Jr. connected on the first two pitches he saw this spring and New York beat Houston in a game shortened to eight innings by rain.

The Yankees and Astros combined for nine home runs.

Jordan Lyles, bidding for one of two open spots in the Astros' rotation, gave up eight runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Justin Ruggiano, Carlos Lee, Brian Bogusevic and Chris Johnson hit home runs for the Astros in their final spring home game in Florida.

TWINS 15, PIRATES (SS) 3

FORT MYERS (AP) - Justin Morneau continued his surge since moving to designated hitter, going 2 for 4 with a double to help Minnesota rough up Kevin Correia and a Pittsburgh split squad in a 15-3 win.

Correia gave up 10 runs and 12 hits in 2 1-3 innings.

Denard Span went 4 for 5 with a double for the Twins and Ryan Doumit homered and had two hits.

REDS 10, GIANTS 2

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Jeff Francis scattered three hits across seven strong innings, leading Cincinnati to the victory.

Francis, bidding for a spot in the Reds' bullpen, gave up a one-out infield single to Melky Cabrera in the first and then retired 15 straight hitters before hitting Brett Pill with a pitch with two outs in the sixth.

Buster Posey walked and Joaquin Arias homered to left field with one out in the bottom of the seventh for the Giants' runs.

Joey Votto doubled, his third extra-base hit of the spring, and Scott Rolen had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Reds.

PIRATES (SS) 6, ORIOLES 6, 9 INNINGS

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - Erik Bedard gave up four runs in five innings while preparing to start on opening day start for Pittsburgh, and a split squad of Pirates tied Baltimore.

The game was called after nine innings because both teams ran out of pitchers.

Bedard allowed five hits, walked two and struck out two. He's set to start on Thursday when the Pirates host Philadelphia.

The Orioles took a 4-1 lead in the fourth on consecutive home runs by Ronny Paulino and Jai Miller. Paulino's homer, his first of the spring, was a three-run shot.

Orioles starter Jake Arietta went five innings and gave up six runs and eight hits. He struck out five.

RED SOX 7, RAYS 7, 9 INNINGS

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) - Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria and Luke Scott homered for Tampa Bay, but four errors and a shaky relief outing from Wade Davis led to a tie with Boston.

The game was called after nine innings.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine left his regulars in Fort Myers and opted to bring minor leaguers and backups to Port Charlotte.

Rays manager Joe Maddon used a handful of relievers because scheduled starter Jeff Niemann was a late scratch because of a blister on his right middle finger. Niemann, who beat out Davis for the fifth spot in Tampa Bay's rotation, isn't expected to miss his first regular season start.

Davis gave up five runs - only one earned - on five hits in three innings.

MARLINS 6, METS 5

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Mark Buehrle allowed three earned runs in his final exhibition tuneup, and the Miami beat New York.

Buehrle gave up seven hits and four runs overall in 5 1-3 innings. He finished his first spring training with the Marlins with a 6.62 ERA.

Miguel Batista, who learned Friday he had made the team as a long reliever and spot starter, allowed a solo homer to Hanley Ramirez in the second inning.

TIGERS 2, BRAVES 1, 6 INNINGS

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) - Justin Verlander tuned up for opening day with a crisp outing in his final spring start and Detroit beat Atlanta in a game called after six innings due to rain.

Verlander allowed four hits in six innings to finish the spring with a 2.02 ERA. The right-hander will make his next start on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox.

Tommy Hanson also pitched six innings for the Braves, yielding five hits. He's also slated to start on opening day on Thursday against the New York Mets.

BREWERS 10, PADRES (SS) 7

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - Mat Gamel hit a grand slam and a solo home run and Milwaukee topped a split squad of San Diego Padres.

Alex Gonzalez and Carlos Gomez also homered for the Brewers.

Gamel hit his slam off Padres starter Tim Stauffer and later connected against San Diego closer Huston Street.

Stauffer allowed six earned runs and seven hits in five innings. Street gave up four earned runs and two homers in his inning.

Jesus Guzman hit a three-run homer off Milwaukee starter Chris Narveson, who allowed seven runs and seven hits in five innings.

Ryan Braun had two hits for Milwaukee.

MARINERS 6, PADRES (SS) 1

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - Kevin Millwood struck out eight in seven solid innings, leading the Mariners to the victory.

The veteran right-hander allowed one run on Andy Parrino's homer and five hits.

The Mariners fielded a team of minor leaguers behind Millwood while their regulars took the day to recuperate from a trip to Japan for two regular-season games.

The split-squad Padres had four projected starters in their lineup, with first baseman Yonder Alonso collecting a pair of hits off Millwood.

Padres left fielder Mark Kotsay left after the third inning with a calf injury, but manager Bud Black said it was a precaution.

ROCKIES 3, WHITE SOX 1

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - John Danks was sharp in his final outing before starting on opening day, pitching six innings for the Chicago White Sox in a loss to Colorado.

Danks allowed one run and three hits, walking none and striking out two. He will pitch Friday at Texas.

Rockies starter Drew Pomeranz threw six scoreless innings. He gave up four hits, struck out two and walked one. Pomeranz will join the Rockies' rotation as their fifth starter April 15.

Adam Dunn hit his fifth spring home run, connecting in the ninth for the White Sox against Matt Reynolds.

ANGELS 3, CUBS 3, 10 INNINGS

MESA, Ariz. (AP) - Albert Pujols hit his sixth home run this spring and the Angels played to 10-inning tie with the Cubs.

Pujols homered for the second straight day, connecting for a two-run shot in the first inning against Paul Maholm. Pujols had a career batting average of .564 (22 for 49) with two homers and eight RBIs in the regular season against Maholm.

DODGERS 9, DIAMONDBACKS (SS) 3

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Aces Clayton Kershaw and Ian Kennedy both struggled in their final spring tuneups, and the Dodgers defeated Arizona's split squad.

Kershaw, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, gave up three runs, six hits and a walk in 3 2-3 innings for the Dodgers.

Kennedy worked five innings and allowed three runs on five hits and a walk.

DIAMONDBACKS (SS) 10, ROYALS 3

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - Geoff Blum and A.J. Pollock homered to lead Arizona's split squad over Kansas City.

Pollock led off the game with a home run on Danny Duffy's fourth pitch. He also scored on Blum's drive in the Diamondbacks' four-run fifth.

Eric Hosmer singled in a run for the Royals, extending his hitting streak to 12 games and increasing his RBI total to a Cactus League-leading 29.

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