Rays 9 Pirates 5
In Port Charlotte, Fla., Manny Ramirez, one of Tampa Bay’s key off-season acquisitions, singled and finished 1-for-2 in a brief Grapefruit League debut for the Rays, who got solo homers from Evan Longoria and Sean Rodriguez en route to beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-5 on Saturday.
Ramirez signed a US$2-million, one-year contract with the AL East champions, who are counting on the 12-time all-star to rebound from a disappointing season in which his production for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox was affected by injuries.
Ramirez singled off right-hander Charlie Morton in the second inning. The 38-year-old designated hitter left the game after he flied out to right field in the fourth.
“I’ve always been nervous the first game,” Ramirez said, adding, “Every year it’s a new year, and you’ve got to go out there and prove you still can do it. It doesn’t matter who you are.”
Phillies 5, Yankees 4
At Tampa, Fla., Cole Hamels allowed one unearned run over two innings for the Phillies. The lone hit off Hamels was a two-out double in the second by Francisco Cervelli that tied it 1-1.
Yankees starter Bartolo Colon gave up one run and two hits in two innings. The right-hander threw 23-of-36 pitches for strikes.
The Yankees held a pre-game ceremony to honour former owner George Steinbrenner, who died last July at the age of 80. This marked the Yankees’ first spring training game at George Steinbrenner Field since his death.
Angels 4, Dodgers (ss) 1
At Tempe, Ariz., Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer for the Angels. He could be the Angels’ starting first baseman should Kendry Morales’ recovery from a broken leg limit him to hitting duties.
Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda allowed one hit in two innings with a strikeout.
Giants 8, Dodgers (ss) 3
At Scottsdale, Ariz., the new, lighter Pablo Sandoval, the refurbished Mark DeRosa and the same old Aubrey Huff were in the groove for San Francisco.
The three combined for six of 11 hits and five RBIs as the World Series champion Giants spoiled the spring managerial debut of Don Mattingly.
Run-scoring singles by Huff and Sandoval and a two-run triple by Nate Schierholtz highlighted the third inning. A two-run home run by Sandoval, the Giants’ first long ball of the spring, was the key in the fourth. DeRosa, meanwhile, appeared as if he is feeling no effects from surgery halfway through 2010 to repair an injured left wrist for a second time.
Rockies 8, Diamondbacks 7
10 innings
At Scottsdale, Ariz., Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez threw two scoreless but slightly shaky innings and the Rockies inaugurated the fancy new spring training facility they share with Arizona by beating the Diamondbacks.
Ryan Spilborghs and Craig Reynolds each doubled in two runs off Arizona relievers in front of a capacity crowd of about 12,514 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the $130-million complex built by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Red Sox 6, Boston College 0
At Fort Myers, Fla., Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer in the first inning for Boston. In his first game action since Aug. 2, when a thumb injury ended his 2010 season, Youkilis went 1-for-1 with a walk.
Dustin Pedroia, whose fractured left foot limited him to just 73 games last season, walked and scored on Youkilis’ homer.
Braves 5, Mets 5, 10 innings
At Port St. Lucie, Fla., The Mets fought back from deficits of 2-0, 3-2 and 5-3 thanks to a two-run, fifth-inning homer from Fernando Martinez, an RBI-double by Jordany Valdespin in the ninth and a two-run blast to dead centre by veteran Willie Harris in the bottom of the 10th.
Eric Hinske homerd off Mets’ reliever Pedro Beato in the fourth.