Spring Training: HRs carry Twins to 8-7 victory
Jeremy Guthrie returned from the World Baseball Classic less than 24 hours after the United States was eliminated and pitched into the fourth inning Monday, giving up four runs and five hits in the Baltimore Orioles’ 8-7 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium.
Guthrie struck out four and walked three in 3 2/3 innings. Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer off Guthrie.
“I made some pitches I felt really good about,” Guthrie said. “I feel positive about what I was able to do and realize I’ve got to get better. I’ve got a couple more outings to do that.”
Guthrie was Baltimore’s opening day starter last season, but manager Dave Trembley has yet to name one this year. After going 10-12 with a 3.63 in 30 starts last season for the Orioles.
Adam Eaton gave up home runs to Delmon Young, Matt Tolbert and Brendan Harris in four innings. He allowed eight hits.
Young went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two strikeouts and leads the Twins with three homers this spring. The 23-year-old hit .290 with 10 home runs last season.
“He’s swinging great,” manager Ron Gardenhire said of Young. He’s doing just fine and having a good time.”
Francisco Liriano struck out five in five innings for the Twins. He walked two and gave up three runs and four hits, including a solo home run by Scott Moore.
Red Sox 7, Tigers 6: Brad Penny pitched three hitless innings in his spring training debut and the Red Sox hit four consecutive homers in a win over Detroit in front of a record crowd of 8,278 at City of Palms Park.
Earlier in the day, injured Red Sox ace Curt Schilling announced his retirement after missing all of last season with a shoulder ailment. Penny is coming back from shoulder trouble that limited him to 19 outings and a 6.27 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers last year.
Penny, who was scratched from a scheduled start March 4 against Puerto Rico, walked one and struck out three.
“I thought the ball came out of his hand really well,” Francona said. “And just as importantly, he came out in the first inning and really let the ball go, and then he followed it up in his next two innings.
Mike Lowell, Jason Bay, Chris Carter, and Ivan Ochoa hit consecutive homers to left field off Brandon Lyon in the sixth inning for Boston.
Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who returned from the World Baseball Classic Wednesday with a mild sprain of his left ankle and mild Achilles’ tendinitis in his left foot, also made his Grapefruit League debut and played four innings in the field, going 0-for-1 with a walk. He is scheduled to play again Wednesday and Friday.
Pirates 4, Rays 1: Zach Duke pitched five shutout innings and Jack Wilson’s two doubles led to a pair of two-run innings created in part by their baserunning, helping the Pirates beat the Rays.
Duke gave the Pirates their second strong start in three days, following up Paul Maholm’s six shutout innings against Cincinnati Saturday by limiting Tampa Bay to two hits – lowering his ERA to 1.83. Duke has allowed only three earned runs in 18 2/3 innings in his last five starts.
Eric Hinske, the former Rays outfielder, got the Pirates’ two-run second going against Jason Hammel by turning a double into the right-center gap into a triple, a baserunning gamble that allowed him to score on Brandon Moss’ grounder. Duke, batting for the first time this spring, followed with a double and scored on Wilson’s double.
Astros 10, Marlins 8: Lance Berkman homered twice and Houston beat Florida.
Berkman hit a solo drive in the third inning and a two-run shot in the fifth. Miguel Tejada also had two hits for Houston, including a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning.
The Marlins scored four runs in the sixth to grab a 7-5 lead, but Houston pushed across four in the seventh to take the lead for good.
Michael Bourn was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI for the Astros.