Indians, Cubs tie 1-all in 1st matchup since World Series
MESA, Ariz. (AP) Danny Salazar breezed through his first outing for the Cleveland Indians this spring. No extra adrenaline from facing the Chicago Cubs. No interest in revisiting the World Series.
Just another day at work.
Salazar pitched two crisp innings, and Cleveland and Chicago played to a 1-1 tie in the Cactus League on Sunday.
''I was just trying to work on my fastball,'' said Salazar, who allowed one hit and struck out three. ''Trying to work down on it and the first guy that I face, it was a walk. But after that, just trying to relax and try to get my tempo back.''
The Indians were hit hard by injuries last season, but still won the AL Central and made it all the way to the World Series. Then they won three of the first four games against Chicago, but the Cubs rallied for their first title since 1908, winning in the 10th inning of Game 7.
The rematch - in name only, really - looked nothing like their classic meeting last fall, with each side taking the opportunity to a look at several players in front of a sellout crowd of 15,388 on a typically sunny Arizona day. Cubs manager Joe Maddon called it just another spring game, and Salazar sounded a similar note.
''What happened already happened,'' he said. ''I think that's the past. This is a new year and we have a new goal and right now we're just trying to get ready for the season.''
Salazar missed the final part of last season because of tightness in his right forearm, but returned in the World Series and pitched three scoreless innings in relief. He went 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 25 starts last year before he got hurt, making the All-Star team for the first time.
''I think if you keep yourself healthy, you know there's a lot of things that you can do,'' he said.
Albert Almora Jr. walked and scored in the fourth for Chicago. Almora is expected to share time in center field with Jon Jay after Dexter Fowler signed with St. Louis as a free agent.
Jake Buchanan pitched two hitless innings for the Cubs, and Matt Szczur went 2 for 2 with an RBI single.
AROUND THE CACTUS AND GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUES
PHILLIES 10, BLUE JAYS (ss) 3
At Dunedin, Florida, Kendrys Morales homered and drove in two runs for Toronto, and Jose Bautista also had two hits.
Morales signed a $33 million, three-year deal with the Blue Jays over the winter, and Bautista returned to Toronto on an $18.5 million, one-year contract.
Jeremy Hellickson struggled through two innings for the Phillies, allowing four hits and two runs. J.P. Crawford, Philadelphia's top prospect, went 1 for 3.
METS 5, TIGERS 2
At Port St. Lucie, Florida, Michael Conforto went deep for New York, and Jose Reyes drove in a run.
Conforto had two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice. He is looking to bounce back after hitting .220 last season and getting demoted to the minors.
Tigers starter Matt Boyd threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
YANKEES 7, BLUE JAYS (ss) 2
At Tampa, Florida, Starlin Castro hit a three-run homer for the Yankees, and prospect Billy McKinney also connected.
New York right-hander Luis Severino pitched two hitless innings
Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run homer for Toronto. Brett Oberholtzer allowed three runs in two innings.
TWINS 5, NATIONALS 1
At Fort Myers, Florida, Jason Castro hit a two-run homer off A.J. Cole, and Byron Buxton also had a nice day for Minnesota.
Buxton doubled to deep left in the first. He walked, stole second and scored on Jorge Polanco's single in the second.
Cole was charged with four runs in 1 2/3 innings.
ASTROS 3, BRAVES 2
At Kissimmee, Florida, Julio Teheran pitched two scoreless innings for Atlanta, and Freddie Freeman had two hits.
Freeman is preparing to play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic.
Houston slugger Evan Gattis, one of Atlanta's most popular players before a 2015 trade, hit an RBI single. Max Stassi added a two-run homer.
RAYS 7, RED SOX 3
At Port Charlotte, Florida, Chris Archer made his spring debut for the Rays and allowed one hit over two scoreless innings.
Tampa Bay's Joe McCarthy homered, doubled and drove in three runs.
Boston starter Hector Velazquez gave up one run in two innings.
CARDINALS 7, MARLINS 4
At Jupiter, Florida, Yadier Molina, Aledmys Diaz and Eric Fryer had two hits apiece for St. Louis.
Molina and Fryer each drove in two runs.
Miami's Christian Yelich, slated to play for Team USA in the WBC, had two hits and two RBIs. Giancarlo Stanton doubled in a run for the Marlins, and Dan Straily worked a scoreless inning.
ORIOLES 8, PIRATES 3
At Sarasota, Florida, Adam Jones and Manny Machado homered for Baltimore, and Wade Miley pitched two innings of one-run ball.
Top prospect Tyler Glasnow struck out six over two scoreless innings in his first spring appearance for the Pirates. Glasnow was up to 98 mph on the stadium radar gun, and among his strikeout victims were Machado, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo. The 6-foot-8 right-hander seems likely to grab a spot at the back of Pittsburgh's rotation.
RANGERS 6, ROYALS 4
At Surprise, Arizona, Yu Darvish threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings for Texas, with two strikeouts and two walks.
Ryan Rua launched a two-run homer for the Rangers.
Hunter Dozier hit an RBI triple and Royals starter Kyle Zimmer, rebounding from August surgery, gave up four hits and two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings.
GIANTS 9, REDS 5
At Goodyear, Arizona, Joe Panik, Conor Gillaspie and Jarrett Parker homered for San Francisco. Jimmy Rollins singled and scored twice.
Giants lefty Matt Moore went 1 1/3 innings in his first start of the spring, allowing one run and one hit. He walked two and struck out three.
Cincinnati starter Tim Adleman pitched two innings, giving up four hits and two runs.
ROCKIES (ss) 6, DIAMONDBACKS 1
At Scottsdale, Arizona, Charlie Blackmon hit a leadoff homer against Braden Shipley and added an RBI single. Nolan Arenado belted his first home run of the spring, and Chris Rusin tossed two shutout innings for Colorado.
DODGERS 10, BREWERS 8
At Phoenix, Justin Turner hit a two-run single and Chase Utley followed with a two-run double for Los Angeles. Utley finished with three RBIs.
Dodgers starter Rich Hill, beginning his first full season with the club, threw two scoreless innings. Top prospect Cody Bellinger homered in the eighth.
Wily Peralta pitched two shutout innings for Milwaukee.
MARINERS 13, PADRES 2
At Peoria, Arizona, Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz homered for the second time in two days. Eight pitchers combined to walk 14 batters for San Diego.
ANGELS 5, ATHLETICS 3
At Mesa, Arizona, newcomer Ben Revere hit an RBI double for Los Angeles. Ryan LaMarre, hoping to win a roster spot with the Angels, had a two-run single and stole two bases. Bud Norris, a candidate for the No. 5 starter spot, threw 40 pitches in 1 2/3 hitless innings.
WHITE SOX 7, ROCKIES (ss) 3
At Glendale, Arizona, Jose Quintana tossed two innings in his spring debut for Chicago and gave up a home run to Pat Valaika. Quintana, the subject of trade speculation this offseason, is scheduled for one more Cactus League start before leaving Arizona on March 6 to pitch for Colombia in the World Baseball Classic.
Looking to bounce back from a herniated disk that ended his breakout season on Sept. 21, White Sox shortstop Tyler Saladino had two hits and scored a run.
