The No. 1 prospect in baseball, shortstop Konnor Griffin, hammered two home runs over the replica Green Monster at the spring training home of the Red Sox to power the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 16-7 win over Boston on Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla.
They were Griffin’s first two homers of the spring, and they came as part of a 21-hit bludgeoning by the Pittsburgh offense. Griffin first hit a 374-foot sky ball in the second and added a 440-foot shot in the fourth. He added a fourth RBI in the fifth inning on a groundout.
Nick Gonzales (3-for-3, two RBIs), Nick Yorke (3-for-4), Jake Mangum (2-for-3, two RBIs) and Yordany De Los Santos (homer, three RBIs) also contributed to the Pirates’ feast at the plate.
Ceddanne Rafaela and Willson Contreras homered in a losing effort for the Red Sox, who went through 10 pitchers.
Yankees 8, Blue Jays 7
Paul Goldschmidt homered, doubled and drove in four runs, prospect Jace Avina hit the solo shot that provided the winning run and New York defeated host Toronto in Dunedin, Fla.
The Yankees built a 7-1 lead through five innings as they played most of their regulars, including Aaron Judge (two runs), Cody Bellinger (two hits, RBI) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (RBI single). Will Warren (1-0) scattered one run and four hits while fanning four batters in 2 2/3 inning as New York’s starter.
The Blue Jays rallied within 7-5 in the sixth thanks in large part to Charles Mcadoo, who hit a two-run double and came around to score on a throwing error. Avina, 22, homered to left in the eighth inning, which became important when Toronto’s Jacob Casey offered up a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth.
Braves 8, Tigers 1
Matt Olson hit a two-run homer, Ozzie Albies had a two-run double and host Atlanta beat Detroit in North Port, Fla.
The Braves worked just four pitchers — Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, Joey Wentz and Owen Murphy — who combined to strike out 11 while yielding just three hits and four walks. Murphy fanned four in a three-inning save.
Jace Jung singled in the Tigers’ only run. Enmanuel de Jesus (0-1) made a 3 1/3-inning start and allowed three unearned runs on two hits.
Orioles 10, Twins 5
Jeremiah Jackson ignited a seven-hit, six-run first inning with an RBI single for visiting Baltimore to start a blowout of Minnesota’s split squad in Fort Myers, Fla.
Jackson finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Leody Taveras went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI doubles as the Orioles amassed 10 runs and 14 hits without a home run or triple. Coby Mayo and Luis Vazquez also had two hits.
Kala’i Rosario hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to make the final margin more respectable for the Twins. Byron Buxton and James Outman contributed two hits apiece.
Rays 12, Twins 1
Junior Caminero drove in Tampa Bay’s first three runs and Jake Fraley added a bases-clearing double as host Tampa Bay rode past Minnesota in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Yandy Diaz (solo) and Hunter Feduccia (three-run shot) added home runs as the Rays opened up a 12-0 lead before yielding a run in the ninth. Starter Joe Boyle (1-0) threw two innings and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
Garrett Spain homered in the ninth to let the Twins avoid a shutout.
Marlins 6, Phillies 1
Joe Mack hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the fifth inning and host Miami beat Philadelphia in Jupiter, Fla.
Mack’s four-bagger traveled just 336 feet and scored Ethan O’Donnell, who later tacked on an RBI double, plus Otto Lopez and Deyvison De Los Santos. Nine pitchers threw an inning apiece and combined for 12 strikeouts and just four hits.
Trea Turner scored the Phillies’ only run in the first inning when he come home on a pickoff error.
Astros 6, Mets 6
Kellen Strahm hit a run-scoring fielder’s choice and Lucas Spence had the game-tying RBI single to help Houston rally from five runs down to tie host New York in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Carlos Perez went 2-for-2 with a two-run single for the Astros, while Taylor Trammell and Nick Allen added two hits apiece.
The Mets got out to a 5-0 lead thanks to home runs in the first inning by Mike Tauchman (three-run shot) and Ronny Mauricio (solo), plus a sacrifice fly in the second from new acquisition Bo Bichette.
