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	Wednesday, March 8 Gonzalez slams homer; Braves top Tigers
	ESPN.com news services
	LAKELAND, Fla. -- Juan Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa hit their first home runs of the spring, while Jose Canseco and Jay Buhner tried to show they've recovered from injury problems on Tuesday. Gonzalez connected for one of five homers in the Detroit Tigers' 10-7 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Lakeland, Fla. Reds shortstop Travis Dawkins leaps over hurdles Philadelphia's Ron Gant to complete a double play. "He just looks menacing at the plate, doesn't he?" new Tigers manager Phil Garner said. Gonzalez, acquired from Texas during the offseason, hit a long, two-run shot. He's been nursing a strained left hamstring. As a result, he has been used only as a designated hitter this spring, and only at Joker Marchant Stadium. "I want to see him get to where he wants to be, which is swinging the bat," Garner said. "He doesn't need to make road trips in spring training." Diamondbacks 9, Cubs 8 TUCSON, Ariz. -- Sosa homered in a five-run fifth, but the Arizona rallied for four runs with two outs in the ninth to beat Chicago. Sosa's drive off the left-field scoreboard at Electric Park was estimated at 425 feet. Devil Rays 3, Rangers 1 ST PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jose Canseco's back felt fine and he had a run-scoring single in his spring debut. "I'm healthy. That's my main concern," the 35-year-old designated hitter said after going 1-for-3 with a walk in Tampa Bay's win. Canseco sat out the first weekend of exhibition games after arriving in camp five days late. He was sidelined for six weeks following back surgery last summer, and manager Larry Rothschild is allowing him to get into playing shape at his own pace. Mariners 5, Angels 3 PEORIA, Ariz. -- With Ken Griffey gone, Seattle is counting on Buhner to become a home run threat again. He appears ready for the challenge. Buhner hit his second home run of the spring as the Mariners beat the Angels. Twins 7, Yankees 5 TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees dropped to 0-6 with the loss to Minnesota. New York has been outscored 56-21 and has not held a lead in any game. "Am I worried about it? No," Yankees manager Joe Torre said before the game. "Does it consume me? No. Am I going to try and do something different? No. Losing in spring training is not important. It's important to make sure you play the game right. We've been a little sloppy playing the game and that bothers me." Reds (ss) 3, Phillies (ss) 1 SARASOTA, Fla. -- Ken Griffey Jr. went hitless and Sean Casey bruised a knee. Griffey flied out to left field and walked twice, leaving him 2-for-8 in four games with one homer. Casey was hit on the back of the right knee by one of Joe Grahe's pitches in the fourth inning. The first baseman came out of the game but was expected to play Wednesday. Reds (ss) 5, Phillies (ss) 4 CLEARWATER, Fla. -- With his father watching from the stands, Pete Rose Jr. went 2-for-3 in his first start of the spring. He tied the game at 2 with an RBI single in the second off Ron Villone. Cardinals (ss) 2, Dodgers (ss) 1 VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Five St. Louis pitchers combined on a two-hitter, dropping Los Angeles to 0-5. Starter Garrett Stephenson, Luther Hackman and Gene Stechschulte pitched two hitless innings each. Jose Vizcaino got the Dodgers' first hit off Mike Mohler in the seventh. Mike James finished, allowing a single to Juan Castro. Cardinals (ss) 5, Dodgers (ss) 4 JUPITER, Fla. -- Kent Bottenfield unveiled a new sinker and Larry Sutton was 2-for-2, breaking an eighth-inning tie with an RBI single off Terry Adams as the Cardinals improved to 5-1. Red Sox 13, Pirates 2 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Ramon Martinez pitched two scoreless innings and Trot Nixon had three hits. Indians 2, Astros 1 WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Lance Johnson singled and scored the winning run on a head-first slide into home plate. The loss was the Astros' first in spring training after four straight wins. Houston starter Shane Reynolds pitched three scoreless innings and Dwight Gooden followed with two perfect innings. Blue Jays 3, Royals 2 DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Carlos Delgado hit his first home run of the spring in a three-run seventh inning, dropping Kansas City to 0-5. Mets 5, Orioles 4 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Mike Hampton allowed one earned run and two hits in four innings for the Mets, who made four errors but went ahead with a pair of unearned runs in the ninth on third baseman Jesse Garcia's error. Expos 5. Marlins 3 VIERA, Fla. -- A.J. Burnett lasted just 1 2-3 innings, giving up five runs and four hits. Jose Vidro homered as Montreal took a 5-0 lead. Rockies (ss) 9, Brewers 8 TUCSON, Ariz. -- Jeff Manto hit an RBI single off Joe Crawford in the 10th. Kevin Barker went 3-for-3 and had five RBIs for the Brewers, including a grand slam off Manny Aybar in the third. Padres 6, Athletics 3 PEORIA, Ariz. -- San Diego third baseman Phil Nevin sprained his right ankle when he slipped on wet grass during a rundown play in the third. He left the game immediately and was taken for precautionary X-rays, which were negative. His replacement, Ed Sprague, hit a two-run homer off Omar Olivares in the third. Giants 3, White Sox (ss) 2 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Kirk Rueter pitched three hitless innings. Calvin Murray, a former first-round pick making his bid to win a job with the Giants as a reserve outfielder, hit a go-ahead, two-run double off loser Aaron Myette in the sixth. White Sox (ss) 4, Rockies (ss) 1 TUCSON, Ariz. -- James Baldwin pitched three scoreless innings and Greg Norton drove in two runs with a double, lifting Chicago past Colorado. Rockies starter Brian Bohanon pitched three scoreless innings.		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