#384---CLE @ CIN, 3/2/2016

Spring Training ties aren’t that exciting, unless I suppose the game is tied in the bottom of the ninth and the winning run stranded at third with nobody out. With runners at the corners, Ryan Merritt snagged a liner back to him, struck out Jake Cave looking, and coaxed a flyout to center to escape.

#383---STL @ CHN, 4/5/2015

 

The overall season opener was an inspired choice, as these two teams (plus the Pirates) would wage a fierce division race and then meet up in the NLDS. As would be the case for the regular season as a whole, the Cardinals got the upper hand as Adam Wainwright pitched six shutout innings and a trio of flamethrowers (Carlos Martinez, Jordan Walden, Trevor Rosenthal) finished it by allowing two walks but six strikeouts, with each adding one K to his predecessor’s total. In his one St. Louis season, Jason Heyward had a big opener with three hits as Jon Lester’s Chicago debut saw him not at his sharpest, allowing three runs over 4 1/3.

#382---PHI @ NYA, 3/1/2014

The Phillies were only retired in order twice, but in each of the other seven innings put a solitary runner on base en route to being shut out. The Yankees used three starters (CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kurdoa, Masahiro Tanaka, each of whom tossed two frames and struck out one more batter than his predecessor) which is interesting, even for the opening of the spring schedule.

#381---SD @ CLE, 3/2/2013

The Indians jumped Edinson Volquez for six runs in the first, capped by a three-run shot from Ryan Raburn, but the Padres would answer with a seven-run third (the first five charged to Ubaldo Jimenez) as their first seven batters reached and Logan Forsythe had two triples in the frame. Other big offensive days came from Asdrubal Cabrera (single, double, triple in three at bats) and Nick Swisher (two singles and a double in three at bats).

#380---CHN @ CLE, 3/25/2012

Alfonso Soriano drove in three, including a two-run homer in the seventh as the Cubs bested the Indians. An interesting play came in the seventh when Carlos Santana made an errant throw into center field while attempting to pickoff the runner at second. Former Cub prospect Felix Pie then booted his attempt to back it up allowing the sixth Cub run to cross the plate. Otherwise, pretty standard late spring training stuff.