>>Mets Beat Cardinals
(Jupiter, FL) — Pete Alonso smacked a two-run single in the Mets’ 3-2 exhibition win over the Cardinals in Jupiter. Matt Carpenter led off the Cards’ first with a solo home run and Edmundo Sosa had an RBI double in eighth. Miles Mikolas tossed three scoreless innings for St. Louis. The Cardinals visit the Astros today, with John Gant opposing Houston’s Framber Valdez.
>>Lopez And Lopez Key Win For Royals
(Surprise,AZ) — Royals rotation candidate Jorge Lopez threw two scoreless innings and struck out two in his first spring training outing as Kansas City edged by the Padres 3-2 in Surprise. Infield prospect Nicky Lopez drove in two Royals’ runs. Bubba Starling drew a walk-off bases-loaded walk. Kansas City is 4-and-3 in the Cactus League. The Royals will play the Angels today in Tempe. Arnaldo Hernandez will start for the Royals.
>>Gordon Will Bat Third To Start Season
Alex Gordon will begin the Royals’ season batting third. The 35-year-old hit .220 last season and .208 in 2017. Gordon, however, hit .274 with 18 RBIs in 22 games last September. Manager Ned Yost likes Gordon batting behind speedsters Whit Merrifield and Adalberto Mondesi at the top of the order. Yost said, “we saw at the end of the season he can still hit.”