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A-Rod showing no rust

Alex Rodriguez is showing something extra this spring.Rodriguez hit his first home run of the exhibition season and the New York Yankees outslugged the Houston Astros 10-8 on a windy Sunday.
Juan Pierre
Chicago White Sox left fielder Juan Pierre misses a foul ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Gregor Blanco during the second inning of spring training baseball game Sunday

Yankees 10 Astros 8

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez is showing something extra this spring.

Rodriguez hit his first home run of the exhibition season and the New York Yankees outslugged the Houston Astros 10-8 on a windy Sunday.

With girlfriend Cameron Diaz cheering from a front-row seat near the Yankees dugout, Rodriguez kept his extra-base hit streak going — he’s gotten at least one in all five games he’s played. This time, he hit a two-run drive over the centre-field wall off Jeff Fulchino in the fifth inning.

Greg Golson also homered for the Yankees on a day when a strong wind blew straight out at Osceola County Stadium. Jason Michaels and Carlos Lee homered for the Astros, connecting off starter Phil Hughes.

Canadian Russell Martin had his first two hits of the spring for the Yankees, who collected 21 overall. Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Andruw Jones and Justin Maxwell also had two each.

Phillies (ss) 5, Rays 4

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Cliff Lee threw four shutout innings, Ryan Howard hit his second home run of the spring and a split squad of Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays.

Lee, the prize of the winter free-agent market, was in mid-season form. He held Tampa Bay to two singles while striking out five and walking none in his second start.

Giants 6, Mariners 1

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Tim Lincecum struck out seven in 3 2/3 scoreless innings and worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam to lead the San Francisco Giants over the Seattle Mariners.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner gave up three hits and walked three.

Padres 7, Athletics (ss) 6

PEORIA, Ariz. — Padres closer Heath Bell pitched a scoreless inning in his spring debut and San Diego defeated the Oakland Athletics.

Bell had been out since the first day of camp because of a strained left calf. The All-Star reliever struck out two.

Mets 6, Red Sox 5

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Carlos Beltran tested his right knee in a game for the first time this spring, getting a hit and sliding home in the New York Mets’ win over the Boston Red Sox.

Rangers 8, Brewers (ss) 1

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Zack Greinke threw two uneven innings for Milwaukee’s split squad and Michael Young drove in his first runs of the spring for Texas.

Greinke gave up five hits in two innings, but allowed only one run.

Young singled off Greinke in the first, then added an RBI single, two-run triple and a sacrifice fly to finish 3 for 3 with four RBIs.

Athletics (ss) 5,Brewers (ss) 4

PHOENIX — Gio Gonzalez struck out five in three hitless innings and the Oakland Athletics beat the Milwaukee Brewers in a split-squad game for both teams.

Gonzalez started and walked two. Tyson Ross followed with three scoreless innings, working around four hits and striking out four.

Reds 10, Cubs (ss) 0

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Johnny Cueto pitched three scoreless innings and World Series MVP Edgar Renteria got two hits as the Cincinnati Reds beat a Chicago Cubs split squad.

Cueto, who signed a US$27 million, four-year contract in the off-season, allowed one hit and one walk.

Royals 8, White Sox 3

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mark Buehrle was hit hard in his second outing of the spring, allowing five runs and nine hits in three innings as the Chicago White Sox lost to the Kansas City Royals.

Mike Aviles had three hits and Clint Robinson two RBIs for the Royals, who had 17 hits.

Twins 3, Orioles 0

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Danny Valencia kept showing he might be Minnesota’s long-term solution at third base, putting the Twins ahead early in their win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Valencia doubled and scored in the first inning and later walked.

Brian Duensing, already part of Twins manager Ron Gardenhire’s rotation, gave up two hits in three innings.

Braves 5, Nationals 0

VIERA, Fla. — Tommy Hanson pitched three hitless innings and the Atlanta Braves held the Washington Nationals to just two hits.

Hanson allowed only one walk while striking out one.

Nationals starter Ross Detwiler also had an impressive outing, giving up one unearned run in three innings. He struck out five, including the final four he faced.

Tigers 2, Phillies (ss) 1

LAKELAND, Fla. — Phil Coke pitched four innings as he prepares for a starting role and the Detroit Tigers beat a split squad of Philadelphia Phillies.

Coke gave up four hits, including a long home run to John Mayberry.

Marlins 7, Cardinals 2

JUPITER, Fla. — Chris Volstad turned in a solid start, pitching three scoreless innings as the Florida Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals. The game was called in the middle of the eighth inning because of rain.

Volstad allowed just a single in his second spring start. He struck out two and walked none.

Angels 7, Diamondbacks 2

TEMPE, Ariz. — Jered Weaver was sharp, Bobby Abreu had a two-run double and the Los Angeles Angels hit former teammate Joe Saunders hard in a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Weaver allowed three hits and a run in three innings.

Saunders gave up six hits and four runs in two-plus innings.

Cubs (ss) 5, Dodgers 3, 10 innings

MESA, Ariz. — Canadian Ryan Dempster made progress toward his opening day start with four solid innings, Marlon Byrd had three hits and the split-squad Chicago Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in 10 innings.

Rookie D.J. LeMahieu hit a game-ending home run.

Dempster gave up a run on three hits and struck out three. Cubs closer Carlos Marmol struck out three in the fifth.

Rockies 3, Indians 1

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ty Wigginton homered and doubled, Jason Hammel threw three solid innings and the Colorado Rockies beat the Cleveland Indians.

Hammel allowed a run on five hits. He did not walk a batter.