Guerrero Jr. has four hits for Jays Tiger up to the task on a tough day at Innisbrook
Sarasota, Fla. — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had four singles in his spring training debut for the Toronto Blue Jays, a 9-3 win at the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
The 18-year-old third baseman, whose father Vladimir will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, signed with Toronto in July 2015 for a $3.9 million bonus.
He hit .323 with 13 homers and 76 RBIs at a pair of Class A teams last year with a .910 OPS.
Rays 6, Red Sox 6
Boston's J.D. Martinez had three hits, including an RBI double, while Xander Bogaerts added two hits and also had a run-scoring double. Adeiny Hechavarria singled twice and drove in a run for the Rays. Tampa Bay ace Chris Archer allowed two runs and five hits in three innings.
Nationals 8, Mets 5
Noah Syndergaard struck out his last seven batters, allowing two hits over 3 1/3 scoreless innings in his third start for New York.
He struck out the side in consecutive innings, including Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon in the third. Stephen Strasburg gave up two runs, three hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings, striking out five. Turner doubled in a run, Harper had an RBI single and Matt Adams hit a two-run home run in a four-run fifth against Jeurys Familia.
Brandon Nimmo had three hits leading off for the Mets, including a triple and a double.
Phillies 7, Yankees 6
Luis Severino allowed an unearned run over 3 1/3 innings in his first start, Didi Gregorius hit a tworun homer and Giancarlo Stanton had a two-run single. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman struck out two in the fourth. Aaron Altherr doubled in a run for Philadelphia.
Palm Harbor, Fla. — Tiger Woods discovered how tough Innisbrook can be in a swirling wind, and he was up to the task.
Woods smacked his hands into an oak as he let loose of the club during a bold escape from the trees, came within inches of an ace on the next hole, and most importantly was among 27 players — just under 20 percent of the field — to break par Thursday in the Valspar Championship.
Canadian rookie Corey Conners, who got into the field as an alternate not long after he failed to get through Monday qualifying, didn't make a bogey until his final hole at No. 9 and shot a 4-under 67.
That gave him a one-shot lead over Nick Watney, Whee Kim and Kelly Kraft. Only three other players, including former PGA champion Jimmy Walker broke 70.
Woods made five birdies to counter his mistakes in his round of 70, the first time he broke par in the opening round of a PGA Tour event since his 64 in the Wyndham Championship in August 2015 — just six tour events ago because of back surgeries.
This was his first time playing the Valspar Championship, and it got his attention.
"I enjoy when par is a good score. It's a reward," Woods said. "There are some tournaments when about four holes you don't make a birdie, you feel like you're behind. Today,