Indians fall to KC, 5-3

GARY SCHATZ Associated Press Published:

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- Adam Moore hit two of the Kansas City Royals' seven doubles and drove in two runs in a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

Moore, bidding for a job as backup catcher, had three hits as the designated hitter.

Starting catcher Salvador Perez had two hits, including a double. Mike Moustakas, David Lough, Johnny Giavotella and Chris Getz all had doubles.

Zach McAllister pitched 31⁄3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, a walk and two hit batters. Terry Francona told McAllister that he earned the fourth spot in the Cleveland rotation on Sunday.

Lonnie Chisenhall hit his third homer of spring training and doubled off Jeremy Guthrie, who will be in the Royals' rotation. Matt Carson hit his fourth home run off Kansas City closer Greg Holland.

Guthrie pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits.

The Kansas City Royals gave the Cleveland Indians a close look at baseball's hottest offense.

Adam Moore hit two of the Royals' seven doubles and drove in two runs in a 5-3 victory over the Indians on Thursday. Kansas City began the day hitting 36 points higher than the next closest club and had 12 hits against Cleveland.

Moore, bidding for a job as backup catcher, had three hits as the designated hitter.

Starting catcher Salvador Perez had two hits, including a double. Mike Moustakas, David Lough, Johnny Giavotella and Chris Getz also had doubles.

"Adam Moore had a great day," manager Ned Yost said. "He had a great battle in his last at-bat. He won the battle with a double down the line. David Lough is really doing a nice job, great at-bat. It was a good day for both of those kids."

Zach McAllister pitched 31⁄3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits, a walk and he hit two batters. Indians manager Terry Francona told McAllister that he earned the fourth spot in the rotation on Sunday.

"I'm going to keep the same mindset as before," said McAllister, who will open the season in the big leagues for the first time. "It has worked for me so far."

McAllister now has the freedom to work on other aspects of his game.

"All day he was fighting to find a rhythm," Francona said. "He found it for periods of time. It was a battle for him all day but saying that he did a great job of holding runners. That is something we asked him to do over the winter."

Tigers 9, Mets 1

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Dillon Gee couldn't pinpoint the reason for his lack of command.

One thing he's certain about, it's not related to his health.

The Mets right-hander couldn't find the plate Wednesday, giving up six runs while walking four, hitting two batters and throwing three wild pitches in New York's 9-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

"I don't even want to think about it," Gee said. "All (my pitches) were terrible."

Gee had shoulder surgery to repair a damaged artery in July, but he had been solid his first three outings, giving up just two earned runs in nine innings going into Thursday.

Gee loaded the bases in the first on a pair of walks and a hit batter. He then walked in a run and forced in another one by plunking Matt Tuiasosopo.

Tuiasosopo made him pay the next inning, hitting a two-run homer over the left field wall with Miguel Cabrera on base. Cabrera had reached base with a two-run single.

Gee said he felt good all week and was pleased with his last bullpen session.

When asked what he learned from the outing, Gee said, "How not to pitch."

"I don't know what happened," Gee said. "It reminded me of 2011, my first loss to the A's. I couldn't throw a strike, walked four or five guys. Some days I don't know what happens. I just literally cannot throw the baseball anywhere I want it to go. I don't know what happens, but we'll figure it out."

Mets manager Terry Collins said the outing was "very uncharacteristic" of Gee.

"I asked (pitching coach) Dan (Warthen) if he was trying to work on something in particular, and he just said he's having a real tough time finding his release point," Collins said. "It's an easy fix.

There's no injury issues or anything else. I've watched this guy pitch for four years, and I've never seen that, so I'm not too concerned about it."

Tigers starter Doug Fister, meanwhile, enjoyed his best outing of the spring after giving up a combined nine runs in seven innings spread over four previous appearances. He allowed just one run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts over four innings Thursday.

Anthony Recker drove in the Mets' only run on a single to right in the second inning.

"Overall, I was pleased," Fister said. "There's still a lot of room for improvement. My sinker was all over the place today, so it's definitely been one of my focuses, getting it contained. I'm still working on it. I felt better with everything else today. I felt the curveball and changeup were coming along, and I'm figuring out some things with my cutter.

"I felt like I threw some good (sinkers) during the day but I just didn't have quite the command I wanted to for the most part."

Tigers finished with 11 hits.

Cabrera and Tuiasosopo both went 2 for 4 with two runs scored, combining for five RBIs. It was Cabrera's first spring training game since leaving to play with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. He homered in one at-bat for the Tigers in an exhibition against Florida Southern on Wednesday.

Tuiasosopo, in camp on a minor league deal, originally wasn't scheduled to start the game but replaced Prince Fielder, who was scratched because of a flat tire on the way to the game. Manager Jim Leyland said he has been impressed with Tuiasosopo.

"He started off slow, but he's picked it up and done pretty well,"

Leyland said. "He's slung the ball pretty good recently, and he's a versatile guy. He can also play the outfield, play first and third, and he's a right-handed bat, so he's kind of an interesting guy."

Mariners 8, Reds 7

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Michael Morse made the Mariners out of camp five years ago thanks to big offensive production in spring training. Now he's back, and even though he's a big league regular, he's still having another fruitful spring for Seattle.

Morse hit two home runs and drove in five runs to lead the Mariners back from a six-run deficit for an 8-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds Thursday in spring training.

Morse's 3-for-3 afternoon included a double and run scored in the second inning. He hit his first two-run shot in the fourth off Reds starter Homer Bailey and connected for a three-run shot in the fifth off reliever Clay Hensley. Morse is 11-for-31 in spring training and leads the team in home runs with five.

"Didn't try to do too much, and got good results," Morse said. He was most satisfied with his double, an at-bat in which he made an adjustment to a two-strike curveball.

"I'm always working. I'm always trying to fine-tune my swing, fine-tune my defense or offense, whatever it could be," Morse said. "It's good to get results, no matter what time of year it is. My at-bats are starting to become quality at-bats in a row."

Kendrys Morales and Justin Smoak added two hits and an RBI each for Seattle, which snapped a four-game losing streak.

"Too much Morse," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Those balls were hit like a 2-iron."

Catcher Mike Zunino, the Mariners' first-round draft pick in 2012, hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning.

Bailey allowed three runs on six hits in four innings. Zack Cozart had two hits including a two-run single in the fourth inning and Chris Heisey had two hits for the Reds.

"Got a lot of ground balls, which is something we were looking for," Bailey said. "One pitch, kind of left it middle, and it hasn't landed yet."

All-Star first baseman Joey Votto went 0-for-2 with a run scored before being replaced after three innings. Manager Dusty Baker said Votto has been feeling ill and because Votto gets Friday off, Baker decided to take him out early.

Mariners left-hander Joe Saunders was roughed up for five earned runs on nine hits in 3 2-3 innings. He pitched through pain from a blister on his left foot.

"Actually my arm felt good, the velocity is starting to get up there," Saunders said. "I'm not a big guy that looks at results in spring training. I look at where my body is, how my arm feels and working on pitches. The results will come."

Saunders, who projects as a middle-rotation starter this season, said he noticed the blister during his warmup before Thursday's game.

Mariners setup man Oliver Perez pitched in first game since returning from Team Mexico and the World Baseball Classic. Perez retired the Reds in order in the ninth inning.

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