Angels crush Cubs

By JIM RICHARDS

By JIM RICHARDS

Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. — Mike Trout wasted little time in showing off his million-dollar swing.

The young star hit a grand slam onto the berm by the left-field foul pole and drove in five runs Friday in the Los Angeles Angels’ 15-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Trout struck out in the first and hit an RBI single that capped a four-run second against Cubs starter Chris Rusin. He hit the grand slam against James McDonald in a nine-run fourth.

Trout agreed Wednesday to a $1 million deal, a record for a one-year major league contract for a player not yet eligible for arbitration who wasn’t coming to the big leagues from Japan or Cuba or wasn’t required to have a larger amount because of the maximum-cut rule.

Jered Weaver allowed one hit in three innings, Darwin Barney’s infield single in the first, against a Cubs team that featured mostly backups and players bound for the minors.

Chris Iannetta homered and drove in three runs for the Angels. Barney homered against Brian Moran in the fourth, and prospect Kris Bryant hit a two-run drive off Jarrett Grube in the seventh.

J. B. Shuck played left in place of injured Josh Hamilton and went 2 for 3 with a triple with three RBIs. Hamilton strained a left calf muscle Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks.

Giants (ss) 4, Brewers 3

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner allowed one hit in two scoreless innings in his first spring training outing as he prepares for a his first opening-day start, and a San Francisco Giants’ split squad defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Friday.

Bumgarner, slated to pitch the opener at Arizona on March 31, struck out two and walked none.

Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo, aiming for his fifth opening-day start, gave up an infield hit, struck out one and walked none.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was impressed with the outing.

“I really liked the way the way he (Gallardo) threw the ball,” Roenicke said. He spotted his fastball really well. I really liked his curveball.”

Mark Minicozzi’s homer and Angel Pagan’s sacrifice fly gave San Francisco a 2-0 lead in the third against Tyler Thornburg.

Hector Gomez hit an RBI triple in the ninth off George Kontos and scored on a single by Matt Pagnozzi, who is with Milwaukee on a minor league contract.

Giants reliever Brett Bochy, manager Bruce Bochy’s son, gave up a home run to Caleb Gindl for Milwaukee’s first run.

Notes: Catcher Buster Posey made his first start of the spring for the Giants and tagged a runner out at the plate for the first time since Major League Baseball enacted a new rule that will limit violent collisions at home.

When the Brewers’ Jeff Bianchi, who reached on a triple, made a bid to score on a grounder to first base by Scooter Gennett, Posey took the throw from Minicozzi, set up just a bit inside the baseline and slapped a quick tag on Bianchi, who made a popup slide.

Posey was a major proponent of the new rule after he sustained a season-ending injured in a play at the plate in 2011.

Brewers: Gallardo was working on pitch selection.

“Mostly fastballs. I threw some curveballs for first pitch, that was something I was going to be working on, and even doubled them up, first one to Posey, and then to (Michael) Morse,” he said. “Overall, it went pretty good.”

Giants: Bumgarner said his body felt good, “but my mechanics were just a bit off. That’s understandable at this point. I was just happy to be able to go out and get outs.’

As far as his schedule leading up to the opener is concerned, he said, “I feel pretty good where I’m at. There is not a lot to fine-tune before April.”

Ryan Vogelsong follwed Bumgarner and gave up one hit over two innings. He struck out one.

Athletics 7, Giants (ss) 6

PHOENIX — Derek Norris hit a tying, two-run, homer in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to beat the split-squad San Francisco Giants 7-6 on Friday.

Brandon Crawford and Hector Sanchez each drove in two runs and top pitching prospect Edwin Escobar threw two perfect innings with a strikeout for the Giants.

“I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Crawford said. “I still have to get my timing back and feel things out a little bit.”

Jarrod Parker, in line to be the A’s starter on opening day, lasted only 1 1-3 innings. He allowed six runs on five hits, a walk and a hit batter.

“It was good to get out there and get the different feeling,” Parker said. “Pitching to hitters and then coming in here, the speed is up a little bit. You want to keep the same tempo.”

Brandon Belt and Gary Brown each added two hits and drove in a run for the Giants.

Stephen Vogt and Jed Lowrie drove in runs for the A’s.

The Giants scored all their runs in the first two innings. Sanchez hit a double into right field to score two runners in the first, Crawford tripled into the right-center field gap to score two runners and Belt singled home Crawford.

Sam Fuld tripled and scored on Lowrie’s sacrifice fly in the fourth. Vogt singled home Daric Barton in the fifth.

Royals 11, Rangers 1

SURPRISE, Ariz. — James Shields threw a perfect inning and Mike Moustakas drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Texas Rangers 11-1 on Friday.

Shields, who can become a free agent after this season, needed only 10 pitches to get three quick groundouts.

“For me, it’s the ups and downs, it’s what you’ve got to get used to as a starter,” Shields said. “You heat up and cool down, heat up and cool down. We don’t practice that.”

“The pitches don’t really matter as much. I went to the bullpen and threw an extra 20 pitches to get my pitch count up. It’s all about pacing yourself,” he said.

Shields said in his next outing he would probably throw 45 pitches and three innings.

Moustakas, who batted only .233 with 42 RBIs last year, hit a two-run double in the second inning off Alexi Ogando and a RBI single off Jose Contreras in the third.

“It’s just spring and we’re working on some stuff to iron some things out,” Moustakas said. “The results are second right now in spring training, although it’s always good to have them. It’s a little bit of a confidence boost. The work is translating right now from out early in the mornings to the games.”

The Royals got 16 hits. Billy Butler went 3 for 3 and Alex Gordon and Norichika Aoki each singled and doubled.

Aoki also walked and reached on shortstop Elvis Andrus’ throwing error.

“That’s who Aoki is,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He’s a real consistent performer.”

The Rangers managed just six singles off seven Kansas City pitchers.

Indians 4, Reds 0

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Ryan Raburn hit a two-run home run off Homer Bailey to lead the Cleveland Indians to its second straight win over the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0 Friday.

Lonnie Chisenhall, who is trying to hold on to the starting third base job in Cleveland, walked to set up Raburn’s second-inning drive off Bailey, who tossed his second career no-hitter last season.

Indians likely closer Jon Axford walked one and struck out two in a scoreless inning.

Cleveland’s competition for the No. 5 starter’s role is picking up. Josh Tomlin followed Carlos Carrasco’s sharp outing Thursday with a solid appearance of his own Friday — two hits and two strikeouts in two innings.

“The way Carrasco pitched yesterday and Tomlin today, I hope we have a tough decision by the end of spring,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.

Trevor Bauer and Aaron Harang are also in the mix for the final spot in the Indians’ rotation.

Cleveland scored two runs off Robert Stephenson in his first major league spring appearance. Stephenson was the Reds first pick in the 2011 draft.

Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick hit consecutive singles in the fourth off Josh Tomlin for two of the Reds’ three hits.

Reds’ closer Aroldis Chapman struck out all three batters he faced.

“One thing we do know. They are ready to go. We keep tabs on our guys and we had a pretty visual on Chappy (Chapman),” Reds first-year manager Bryan Price said. “It was an early spring game but I like the energy and the effort by our guys today.”