ATLANTA — Nolan Gorman hit a two-run homer in a four-run second inning and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame two homers by Marcell Ozuna to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-5 and avoid being swept in Saturday’s split doubleheader. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Gray “did a nice job navigating that lineup” and regrouped after the rocky sixth inning to pitch …
By the time Cubs outfielder Brennen Davis actually saw a pitch from Arizona’s Joe Mantiply, the count was already at a ball and a strike. Both the hitter and pitcher were penalized at the start of Davis’ at-bat to lead off the top of the third inning of Monday’s spring training game, the latest odd twist in baseball’s speed-up rules. …
Cal Conley of the Atlanta Braves thought he had just won the game with a two-out, full-count, bases-loaded walk-off walk on Saturday. It was a far more dramatic moment than when San Diego Padres slugger Manny Machado on Friday became the first player to draw a pitch clock violation when he was called for an automatic strike in the bottom …