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Roundup: Cano homers as Yankees win spring opener

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Robinson Cano smashed a home run as the Yankees won their spring training opener.

Robinson Cano smashed a home run as the Yankees won their spring training opener.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Robinson Cano and Zoilo Almonte homered for the New York Yankees, who opened spring training with an 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Cano and Mark Teixeira were about the only big names who made the trip to Disney World with the injury-plagued Yankees. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and Mariano Riviera are all still in rehab mode.

Almonte hit a two-run homer in the third inning off Jordan Walden, while Cano went deep in the fifth. The Braves didn't help their pitchers with three errors and a passed ball.

New York starter David Phelps pitched two scoreless innings.

Evan Gattis hit a two-run homer that landed halfway up the berm in left field and set up Atlanta's other run with a double.

Mets 5, Nationals 3

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Washington ace Stephen Strasburg gave up a single and home run to the first two batters he faced in his return to the mound, and the New York Mets beat the Nationals 5-3 Saturday in a spring training opener.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis led off the Mets' first inning with a single and Ruben Tejada followed by homering over the left-center field fence on a full count.

Strasburg gave up three hits in two innings. He struck out two and walked none.

Strasburg pitched in a game for the first time since Sept. 7 when the Nationals shut him down for the season, rather than push his innings total.

Mets newcomer Shaun Marcum gave up four hits and three runs in two innings. Top Mets prospect Zack Wheeler pitched two shutout innings.

Rays 4, Red Sox 3

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Boston starter John Lackey returned to the mound after missing last year, allowing one run in one inning Saturday as a split squad of Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox 4-3.

Lackey had Tommy John surgery after the 2011 season. Tampa Bay loaded the bases against the right-hander with no outs before he retired three straight batters.

Lackey gave up one hit, a walk and hit a batter. He struck out one.

Rays starter Alex Colome pitched a hitless inning.

Marlins 8, Cardinals 3

JUPITER, Fla. -- Giancarlo Stanton drove in two runs to lead the Miami Marlins past the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3 Saturday in the Grapefruit League opener for both teams.

David Freese hit a solo homer off John Maine with one out in the second. Maine allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one in his first spring start since making one for Colorado in 2011. He threw 31 pitches, including 18 strikes in two innings.

Miami's Alfredo Silverio homered off lefty reliever Randy Choate in the fifth. Silverio is a Rule 5 selection from the Los Angeles Dodgers .

St. Louis starter Trevor Rosenthal gave up four runs and five hits in two innings. He walked two in two innings.

Miami went ahead 2-0 in the first. Juan Pierre led off with a triple to left-center and scored on Stanton's one-out groundout. Joe Mahoney then doubled off the right-field wall and scored on Donovan Solano 's single.

The Marlins scored twice in the third. Pierre's two-out push bunt to shortstop scored Adeiny Hechavarria . Following a walk to Placido Polanco , Pierre scored on Stanton's single to center.