Pete Alonso, signed as a free agent for his powerful bat, homered in his first game with Baltimore to account for all of the scoring in the Orioles’ 2-0 win over the visiting New York Yankees to open spring training on Friday in Sarasota, Fla.
In his third at-bat, Alonso crushed a first-pitch curveball from right-hander Bradley Hanner (0-1) over the left-field fence in the sixth inning with Jeremiah Jackson already aboard on a single. A five-time All-Star first baseman who was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2019, Alonso had spent all seven years of his major league career with the New York Mets before joining Baltimore on a five-year, $155 million contract. He belted a franchise-best 264 career homers for the Mets.
Right-hander Jose Espada (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth with two strikeouts for the Orioles, and righty Trey Gibson went three scoreless innings with two hits and three strikeouts for the save.
New York totaled only three hits and two walks while striking out 13 times in the shutout loss.
Diamondbacks 3, Rockies 2
Nolan Arenado homered in his first at-bat against one of his former teams as Arizona went on to edge host Colorado in their Cactus League opener in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Arenado, an eight-time All-Star third baseman, hit the fourth pitch, a slider, from right-hander Antonio Senzatela over the fence in left center in the top of the second inning. Arenado was traded to the Diamondbacks on Jan. 13 from the St. Louis Cardinals, where he played for five seasons. He began his career with the Rockies (2013-20) before a February 2021 trade to the Cardinals.
Arizona used eight pitchers, including right-hander Taylor Rashi (1-0), who pitched a perfect seventh. Righty Jose Cabrera walked two and struck out one in two scoreless, hitless innings to collect the save. Colorado right-handed reliever Patrick Weigel (0-1) was touched up for two runs and three hits with one strikeout in one inning.
Royals 7, Rangers 3
Salvador Perez and Michael Massey each batted 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs as Kansas City beat host Texas in the spring training opener for both teams in Surprise, Ariz.
Starter Stephen Kolek earned the win for the Royals as the right-hander allowed one run, three hits and one walk with two strikeouts in two innings. Eight Kansas City pitchers yielded seven hits, three runs and four walks with seven strikeouts. Perez hit one of four doubles for the Royals, and Bobby Witt Jr. added a triple.
Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi took the loss after the right-hander was touched up for three hits — including both home runs — and three runs with two strikeouts in two innings. Seven Texas pitchers gave up a combined seven runs, nine hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
White Sox 8, Cubs 1
Designated hitter Korey Lee went 3-for-4 as the White Sox pounded out 12 hits in dominating the host Cubs in their spring training opener in Mesa, Ariz.
Austin Hays hit a two-out, 428-foot solo homer in the top of the first inning, and White Sox teammate Sam Antonacci added a 417-foot blast to drive in two runs in the second. Munetaka Murakami hit a two-run double in the fourth.
Right-hander Jonathan Cannon (1-0) started for the White Sox and gave up two hits — including Seiya Suzuki’s solo homer in the bottom of the first — one run and one walk with three strikeoutsm in 1 2/3 innings. Right-hander Jameson Taillon (0-1) started for the Cubs and gave up four hits — including two homers — four runs and one walk while fanning one in 1 2/3 innings.
Mariners 7, Padres 4
Michael Arroyo and Leo Rivas homered as part of a 13-hit attack as host Seattle defeated San Diego in Peoria, Ariz.
Arroyo, who also doubled, joined Luke Raley with two hits for the Mariners, who never trailed. Nine pitchers took the mound for Seattle, with the seventh, right-hander Jason Ruffcorn, collecting the win with one-third of an inning of work with the game tied 3-3 in the seventh.
Jose Miranda homered and doubled, and Romeo Sanabria also homered for the Padres, who totaled eight hits. Left-hander Jackson Wolf (0-1), the fifth of seven San Diego hurlers, gave up two runs, three hits and one walk with one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings.
