Twins Down Cards, Cubs Drop Spring Training Game To Padres

Pitching took center stage Monday as St. Louis' Mike Leake threw six strikeouts while Tommy Milone bolstered his bid to break camp as a member of Minnesota's rotation in the Twins' 5-3 victory.

Making his second start of the spring, Leake, a free-agent signing in the offseason, allowed only one hit in four shutout innings. The right-hander threw 38 of 54 pitches for strikes.

"That's all deception," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "That's all the ability to go ahead and start the ball off the plate and bring it on, or start the ball on the plate and run it off. I mean, that's just being a little different. He's got good, live stuff."

Leake's Twins counterpart, Tommy Milone, matched the four shutout innings and retired the first 11 batters before Matt Holliday smacked a two-out double in the fourth.

San Diego Bounces Cubs

The Cubs' Jake Arrieta struck out five batters in four innings of work and left with the game tied 1-1 before San Diego got to Chicago's bullpen for a 10-2 win Monday.

The reigning Cy Young winner had a solid second outing, allowing two hits, one earned run and two walks. He also had a chance to work on getting out of trouble.

"I wanted to pitch with guys on base," the right-hander said. "I wanted to work out of the stretch with good timing and tempo."

San Diego starter Colin Rea also went four innings, giving up one hit, one earned run and three walks.

Royals Beat White Sox

Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon and Travis Snider homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 9-3 Monday.

Cain hit his first spring home run in the third off Jacob Turner after Mike Moustakas walked.

Gordon homered on a 0-2 pitch from Turner to lead off the first. Gordon is 8 for 12 with three home runs and four RBI in his past four games. Snider ripped a three-run shot in the Royals' five-run seventh.

Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura struck out six in four innings, allowing one run and three hits.

"It feels good this time of year to have a good feel for your pitches," Ventura said.

Turner, who was limited to two minor league starts last season because of an elbow injury, allowed three runs and six hits in three innings.

Cueto Hit in Forehead by Line Drive

San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto returned to Scottsdale to be evaluated by team doctors after the right-hander was hit in the forehead by a line drive Monday night.

The team initially said he was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons before clarifying that team doctors were handling his care. Manager Bruce Bochy said Cueto was being treated for a contusion and monitored for concussion symptoms.

"We are going to monitor him tonight, tomorrow for concussion symptoms, but he's shown no sign of that, so he's just being treated for a contusion," Bochy said after the game. "He responded well out there. It's why he stayed in the game; he answered all the questions from our trainer out there. ... He wanted to stay out there. We did take him back to have our docs look at him at our complex."

Cueto was struck by a ball hit by Oakland Athletics leadoff man Billy Burns.

Monday, March 14 Scoreboard
    
Baltimore 8, Philadelphia 7
            
Pittsburgh 3, Boston 1            
    
Detroit 9, New York Mets 2            
    
Atlanta 5, Tampa Bay 0    
        
Houston 1, Washington 1    
        
Minnesota 5, St. Louis 3            
     
Cleveland 4, Texas 2
    
Kansas City 9, Chicago White Sox 3
            
San Diego 10, Chicago Cubs 2            
     
Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Milwaukee 2            
    
Los Angeles Angels 10, Cincinnati 2            

Colorado 6, Seattle 4
    
Arizona 8, Seattle 3            

Oakland 10, San Francisco 3            

Tuesday, March 15 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Detroit, 11:05 a.m.

Washington at Houston, 11:05 a.m.

New York at Miami, 11:05 a.m.

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay, 11:05 a.m.

Baltimore at Toronto, 11:07 a.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago White Sox, 2:05 p.m.

Cleveland at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Cincinnati, 2:05 p.m.

Seattle at Los Angeles Angels, 2:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at San Diego, 2:10 p.m.

Oakland at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

New York at Boston, 4:05 p.m.