At George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the New York Yankees won 7-1 vs. Baltimore Orioles.
The Yanks outhit the O's, 11-3.
Japanese righthander Masahiro Tanaka started for the Yankees and threw three strong innings, giving up only one basehit and striking out three batters.
He was supported with solid hitting, including three basehits by Didi Gregorius and two by Jacoby Ellsbury, who also batted in two runs.
Gregorius scored twice and batted in one run, while Brian McCann added two RBI's, that gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Gregorius started as short stop for the Yankees and went 3-for-3.
With the Yankees leading 2-0, Gregorius led off the second inning off of Mike Wright and singled.
He then stole second base and scored on a 2-out single by Ellsbury.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Yankees rallied for four runs with two outs.
Wright started the inning by striking out Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, but then walked McCann and Starlin Castro.
Hereafter, Mitch Horacek took over the pitching and was greeted with an RBI-single by Gregorius.
A following walk for Aaron Judge loaded the bases, then singles by Chris Denorfia (2-run) and Ellsbury (1-run) lifted the lead to 7-0.
In the fifth inning, now facing reliever Odrisamer Despaigne, Gregorius singled with one out, but this time, he was forced out at second base.
Gregorius was then replaced in the top of the sixth inning.
Jonathan Schoop had the day off and didn't play for the Orioles.
At Space Coast Stadium in Viera, the Washington Nationals won 9-5 in a home-game vs. the New York Mets.
Leading 4-1, the Nationals rallied for five runs in the eighth inning, then the Mets scored four in the top of the ninth, but ended up short.
The Nats collected 14 basehits, including three by Jason Martinson.
In this game, two professionals with a Dutch passport played.
Roger Bernadina started in rightfield for the Mets, was 1-for-2 and scored a run.
Spencer Kieboom entered the game in the eighth as catcher and was 0-for-2.
Coincidentally, both batted in the eighth spot in the batting order.
In the top of the third inning, Bernadina led off for the Mets with a double, moved on an one-out grounder by Alejandro De Aza, then scored on a single by Juan Lagares, giving his team an 1-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, Bernadina led off again, but this time flied out.
He was then replaced in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the eighth, Kieboom entered the game, becoming the third catcher in the game for the Nationals.
He led off in the bottom of the eighth, but flied out.
Kieboom also was the last batter in this inning.
In between, the Nationals had scored five runs.
With two outs and runners on first and second base, Kieboom hit a force play-grounder that ended the at bat.
At Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, the home-playing St. Louis Cardinals won 4-3 against a split-squad of the Atlanta Braves.
The Cards led 3-1 after five innings, but then the Braves came alongside in the top of the eighth.
In the bottom half, the Cardinals scored what would be the decisive run.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ozzie Albies became the new second baseman for the Braves.
He then switched to short in the next inning.
In the sixth inning, Albies grounded out.
In the eighth, Reid Brignac hit a 2-run homerun that tied the score.
Hereafter, Albies singled, moved on a grounder, but was left behind.
At Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Phoenix, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and lost 8-4.
The Dodgers led 4-3 after seven innings, then the Angels scored three runs in the eighth and added two more in the ninth.
Andrelton Simmons had the day off for the Angels, but both Shawn Zarraga and Kenley Jansen both saw action for the Dodgers.
Zarraga was the starting designated hitter and was 2-for-3, including a double.
Trailing 3-1, the Dodgers came alongside in the bottom of the second inning.
First, Austin Barnes led off with a homerun.
Hereafter, Rob Segedin walked and moved to third base on a ground-rule double by Zarraga.
He then scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Corey Brown, but Zarraga would strand on third base.
Adrian Gonzalez homered in the third inning to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
Kenley Jansen then took over in the top of the fourth inning.
Jansen is the closer in the staff of the Dodgers and normally throws in the eighth and/or ninth inning.
However, this is Spring Training and preparation for the upcoming season.
So, Jansen now entered the game in what was in fact a save-situation.
The righthander did fine.
He walked lead-off hitter Ji-Man Choi, but then retired the next three batters to earn a 'Hold'.
In the bottom of the fourth, Zarraga led of with a single, but was then eliminated when a double play followed.
He grounded out in the sixth, then was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.
At Sloan Park in Mesa, a split squad of the Cincinnati Reds visited the Chicago Cubs and lost 7-4.
The Cubbies trailed 3-1 in the third, then scored once and added three runs in the fourth to take charge of the game.
Calten Daal entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning as new short stop.
He got his lone at bat in the top of the ninth off of Spencer Patton, who then over the pitching for the Cubs.
Patton struckout all three batters he faced, including Daal, whose strikeout ended the game.
At Maryville Baseball Park in Phoenix, the Texas Rangers scored three runs in the second and five in the sixth inning to win 8-5 against the home-playing Milwaukee Brewers.
Jurickson Profar was the starting short stop for the Rangers, was 0-for-2, but also walked and scored a run.
In the top of the second inning, after Joey Gallo had hit a 3-run homerun, Profar flied out in his first at bat.
Profar then struckout in the fourth.
In the sixth, with the score at 3-3, the Rangers got the bases loaded with no outs, thanks to Justin Ruggiano (throwing error), Joey Gallo (single) and Profar (walk).
Hereafter, Robinson Chirinos delivered a 2-run single, then Profar scored on an one-out, 2-run triple by Delino DeShields.
Pedro Ciriaco added an RBI-single to bring in the fifth run in this at bat.
Profar was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh.
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Wawoe added; Productive day for Gregorius and Zarraga
JUPITER / TAMPA / VIERA, Florida (USA) / MESA / PHOENIX, Arizona (USA) -
On Friday (March 11), eighth Dutch professional players participated in today's games of the Major League Spring Training.
Shawn Zarraga also was successful, hitting two basehits, including a double for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Roger Bernadina and Ozzie Albies both recorded one basehit.
