Pujols, Ryan homer against Mets

Posted Mar 25, 2010 by TBO.com

Updated Mar 26, 2010 at 10:20 AM

JUPITER— Albert Pujols and Brendan Ryan each hit solo homers to back Chris Carpenter, who allowed one run in six innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday.

Carpenter struck out seven and allowed two hits in his longest outing of the spring. He held a Mets lineup mostly devoid of likely Opening Day starters hitless through four innings before Fernando Tatis hit a leadoff single for the Mets in the fifth. Frank Catalalanotto followed with a double, scoring Tatis, but Carpenter did not allow a hit the rest of the way.

John Maine allowed two hits in five innings for New York.

Orioles 8, Yankees 0

SARASOTA — Brad Bergesen took a shutout into the sixth inning and Adam Jones homered for Baltimore.

Bergesen allowed three hits, walked two and struck out two in 5 2-3 innings. Both his strikeouts were against Alex Rodriguez, who went 0 for 2 with a walk before leaving for a pinch runner in the sixth.

Jones hit a two-run homer against New York starter Alfredo Aceves in the second inning.

Rays 5, Twins 3

PORT CHARLOTTE — David Price looked sharp for much of his six-plus innings of work, and B.J. Upton had two hits and two RBI to lead Tampa Bay.

Price scattered seven hits and three runs in his longest outing of the spring. He struck out five and retired nine straight batters at one point.

Jason Kubel and Delmon Young each homered for the Twins, and Joe Mauer was 2 for 4 with a double.

Phillies 8, Astros 7

CLEARWATER — Greg Dobbs hit a two-out single to left to score John Mayberry, Jr. in the ninth inning to lift Philadelphia.

Houston right-hander Brett Myers left with a mild left groin strain during the loss. Myers, who spent eight seasons with the Phillies, was hurt while covering first base when Philadelphia first baseman Ross Gload grounded out to open the sixth.

Myers, who will be reevaluated Friday, doesn’t expect to miss his next start.

Red Sox 6, Marlins 4

FORT MYERS — Daisuke Matsuzaka made his first appearance of spring training, coming on in relief of starter Tim Wakefield, who allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

Matsuzaka, whose spring has been delayed by back and neck ailments, pitched two innings, giving up a run on two hits. He said he was not working at maximum effort.

Dan Uggla hit a two-run homer for the Marlins, his second home run of spring training.

Tigers (ss) 5, Blue Jays 1

LAKELAND — Dontrelle Willis overcame a shaky start and allowed just one run in four innings to lead Detroit.

Willis, who is competing for one of the final two spots in the Tigers’ rotation with Nate Robertson and Jeremy Bonderman, walked three, but allowed only one hit.

Marc Rzepczynski started for the Blue Jays and allowed three runs while walking four in five innings.

Tigers (ss) 7, Nationals 2

VIERA— Jeremy Bonderman worked out of trouble over 4 1-3 innings and Johnny Damon’s two hits helped a Tigers split squad beat the Nationals.

Still working his way back from shoulder surgery in 2008, Bonderman allowed five hits and two runs — one earned. He’s competing with Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson for two openings.

J.D. Martin gave up five runs in the first, then retired the last 11 Tigers he faced over five innings.

Pirates 7, Braves 6, 10 innings

BRADENTON — Nate McLouth and Eric Hinske homered against their former team, but Jesse Chavez allowed five runs in the eighth inning as Pittsburgh rallied.

John Raynor scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the 10th for Pittsburgh after Delwyn Young hit a two-run single during Pittsburgh’s big eighth inning.

McLouth hit right-hander Charlie Morton’s second pitch over the left field wall, and Hinske added a three-run shot for Atlanta, his first homer of the spring.
-The Associated Press