Advertisement

Royal Returns: KC's Duffy, Perez back in Cactus League

Danny Duffy stepped off the big stage and back into spring training.

Following a stint with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, Duffy allowed three runs over six innings for the Kansas City Royals in a 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

It was Duffy's first start with the Royals since March 5 because of the international tournament. He allowed three hits and a walk.

"This might be my first quality start in spring training ever," Duffy said. "I'm excited about that. Everything clicked in the fourth, fifth and sixth. I wanted to go back out for the seventh, but we threw a few more pitches in the 'pen. Today, I'm very pleased with the results."

Not only did Duffy return, but Salvador Perez was behind the plate for the first time since March 12th when he injured his left knee and left elbow in a collision at the plate while playing for Venezuela in the WBC against Italy.

ANGELS NO-HIT MARINERS

Bud Norris and seven relievers combined on a spring training no-hitter for the Los Angeles Angles in a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Norris struck out two over two perfect innings, and Jose Alvarez, Cam Bedrosian and Andrew Bailey followed with a perfect inning each. Austin Adams walked Zach Shank during the sixth inning, and then Drew Gagnon, Justin Anderson and Abel De Los Santos closed up shop with a perfect inning each.

Bailey struck out three during the fifth inning, and the Angels pitchers totaled 12 strikeouts.

MARTINEZ TO MISS OPENING DAY

Detroit Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez is expected to miss the beginning of the season with a right foot injury.

Martinez sprained his foot last weekend, and manager Brad Ausmus told reporters he is expected to be out three to four weeks. The injury is an early blow to a Detroit team that was hoping for improved health this season after keeping its roster largely intact.

AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES

PIRATES 4, RAYS 0

Trevor Williams tossed five scoreless innings, striking out four for Pittsburgh. Phil Gosselin had two hits, a run and an RBI.

YANKEES 3, PHILLIES 2

C.C. Sabathia went 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs and nine hits. He dropped his spring ERA to 6.75.

BLUE JAYS 3, RED SOX 2

Troy Tulowitzki had two hits with a run and RBI, and Jose Bautista added a run-scoring single. Starter J.A. Happ gave up two runs — one earned — and struck out five over 5 1/3 innings.

CARDINALS 3, NATIONALS (ss) 1

Dexter Fowler tripled in a run for St. Louis after Carson Kelly reached on a fly ball lost in the sun. Michael Wacha gave up two hits and a walk in five shutout innings.

TIGERS 3, BRAVES 2, 10 INNINGS

Tigers starter Matt Boyd struck out five over five shutout innings. Brendan Ryan and Nicholas Castellanos both hit RBI doubles in the third, and prospect JaCoby Jones singled in the winning run.

ASTROS 2, METS 0

Charlie Morton threw 4 1/3 solid innings for Houston, and prospect J.D. Davis clubbed a pinch-hit solo homer while Derek Fisher had two hits and three stolen bases.

DODGERS 13, DIAMONDBACKS 6

Logan Forsythe drove in two with a single during a four-run second inning, and Scott Van Slyke had a hit, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored for Los Angeles. Yasmani Grandal added two RBIs, and Trevor Oaks, who had allowed just one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings this spring, gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings.

ATHLETICS 8, WHITE SOX 2

Oakland batted around the order in a five-run first inning and Ryon Healy hit a two-run homer in the second. Trevor Plouffe and Mark Canha each had two hits and an RBI. The A's left 34 runners on base. Kendall Graveman, who was named Oakland's opening day starter Thursday, scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings.

INDIANS 4, CUBS 2

Carlos Carrasco allowed one hit and two walks over three scoreless innings for Cleveland. Austin Jackson, who is battling for a roster spot, continued his strong spring, getting two hits with a double — his fifth in eight games. Lonnie Chisenhall left the game after crashing into the wall trying to track down a fly ball in the second inning. He is day-to-day.

REDS 12, BREWERS 11

Cincinnati's Zack Cozart hit his third spring homer and Scott Schebler had a two-run single in a four-run first. Cozart had three hits and Arismendy Alcantara had two, including a walk-off, two-run double. Starter Sal Romano gave up seven runs — five earned — and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings.

RANGERS 4, PADRES 3

Martin Perez, making just his third start after pitching for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, gave up just three hits and one walk while striking out six over five innings for Texas. Delino DeShields had two hits, including a bunt single that scored two after a throwing error in the fifth, and Elvis Andrus hit his first homer of the spring — a two-run shot in the sixth. Adrian Beltre was 0 for 3 and is now hitless in 12 spring at-bats, and Jurickson Profar went 0 for 2, dropping his average to .111.

GIANTS 6, ROCKIES 5

Jeff Samardzija allowed two hits over four scoreless innings and added an RBI double for San Francisco. Chris Marrero hit his team-leading sixth homer, and Brandon Belt hit a three-run shot.

ORIOLES 5, TWINS 5, 9 INNINGS

Ervin Santana allowed one unearned run over four innings while striking out six. Byron Buxton had two hits, and Max Kepler and Buxton had back-to-back two-out RBI doubles during Minnesota's five-run second inning. Kennys Vargas left in the third inning and is listed as day-to-day after fouling a ball off his left foot.

MARLINS 3, NATIONALS (ss) 0

Jacob Turner gave up two runs over 4 1/3 innings for Washington. Clint Robinson had two hits, while Adam Lind went 0 for 3, dropping his batting average to .179 this spring.