Spring training roundup: Astros beat Nats in 10-8 slugfest

Shay Whitcomb hit two RBI doubles and Jacob Melton smashed the eventual game-winning home run as the Houston Astros put together 10 consecutive runs and held off the host Washington Nationals 10-8 in a spring training game Friday in Palm Beach, Fla.

Melton's two-run homer in the seventh inning put the Astros ahead 9-4, and Joey Loperfido added a run-scoring double in the eighth before Washington pushed back. Alex Call hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame and two runs scored on his fielder's choice in the ninth -- one on a throwing error -- before Houston put the game away.

Hunter Brown (1-0) got the win with two innings of relief for Houston, in which he allowed one run, two hits and one walk. Grae Kessinger went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs for the Astros.

Nats reliever Jake Irvin (0-1) was shelled for seven runs (six earned) on five hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. CJ Abrams opened the scoring with a solo homer in the first and an RBI single in the second to steer Washington to a 4-0 lead. The teams combined for 22 hits.

Pirates 12, Rays 8

Gilberto Celestino hit a grand slam and totaled five RBIs, Jared Triolo hit a three-run homer and host Pittsburgh outlasted Tampa Bay in Bradenton, Fla.

Bryan Reynolds hit his second homer of spring training in the bottom of the first after the Rays had opened a 3-0 lead.

Mitch Keller (1-0) got the win despite allowing three runs on four hits and two walks in two innings. He struck out two.

Jose Siri had three RBIs on a sacrifice fly, a fielder's choice and a single for the Rays. Reliever Erasmo Ramirez (0-1) gave up Triolo's home run.

Orioles 3, Braves 1

Ryan O'Hearn's two-run double to cap a three-run third inning proved the difference for visiting Baltimore in a win over Atlanta in North Port, Fla.

O'Hearn finished 2-for-3 while Ryan Mountcastle had an RBI single and a run for the Orioles. Tyler Wells (1-0) yielded one hit over two scoreless innings as Baltimore's starter.

The Braves were held to six hits and scored their only run on Leury Garcia's fielder's choice grounder in the sixth. Starter Bryce Elder (0-1) was responsible for all three earned runs; he scattered four hits and three strikeouts over three innings.

Twins 5, Red Sox 3

Royce Lewis rocked a grand slam to left field to lift Minnesota past visiting Boston in Fort Myers, Fla.

Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito (0-1) allowed Edouard Julien's solo shot leading off the bottom of the first before loading the bases in the third. Lewis then took Jordan DiValerio yard on a 3-0 pitch, with Giolito finishing with four earned runs, two hits, three walks and a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.

Twins reliever Louie Varland (1-0) struck out four with one walk over two scoreless, hitless innings. Romy Gonzalez homered for the Red Sox.

Cardinals 3, Mets 2

Dylan Carlson and Alec Burleson had RBI singles as host St. Louis edged New York in Jupiter, Fla.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore gave up just one run -- Mark Vientos' homer -- and scattered two hits and a walk over three innings. Burleson finished 2-for-3 while Jose Fermin went 3-for-3.

Tomas Nido hit an RBI single in the eighth for the Mets, but they drew no closer. Blade Tidwell (0-1) gave up all three Cardinals runs on four hits with four strikeouts over 1 2/3 frames.

Marlins 6, Phillies 6

Cam Gallagher launched a two-run homer in the eighth before David Dahl hit a game-tying solo shot in the ninth as Philadelphia pulled out a draw with visiting Miami in Clearwater, Fla.

Vidal Brujan hit two RBI singles and Jesus Sanchez added two hits and a run for the Marlins, who built a 6-3 lead in the seventh inning thanks to an RBI sacrifice fly and a run-scoring groundout.

The Marlins took Phillies starter Aaron Nola for four runs and seven hits over three innings. Miami starter Jesus Luzardo pitched three scoreless frames with two hits, a walk and two strikeouts.

Tigers 4, Phillies 2

Parker Meadows, Ryan Kreidler and Eddys Leonard each hit their first home runs of spring training as host Detroit beat Philadelphia's split squad in Lakeland, Fla.

Meadows put Detroit on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot and Kreidler hit the go-ahead, two-run homer two batters later. Leonard had his moment in the seventh. Tigers reliever Joey Wentz (1-0) scattered three hits and struck out one over two scoreless innings.

Nick Podkul and Carlos De La Cruz had the Phillies' RBIs. Reliever Ryan Burr (0-1) gave up the two sixth-inning homers.