Beckett in fine form as Red Sox top O's  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Josh Beckett's fourth spring tune-up went off without a hitch, and Cody Ross showed his home run power for the first time this Grapefruit League season in a 7-4 win for the Red Sox over the Orioles on Saturday afternoon.

Rivera Throws Scoreless Inning as Yanks Top Astros  —  TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Mariano Rivera makes spring training look like a breeze,  —  Rivera threw his third consecutive scoreless inning in the New York Yankees' 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday.  —  “I feel good,” Rivera said.

Yankees' Garcia not thrilled about fellow veteran Pettitte's return  —  TAMPA — With memories of postseasons past dancing in their heads, many of Andy Pettitte's former teammates welcomed the news of his return to the Yankees.  —  “Andy can help us big- time,” said Mariano Rivera …

NY Mets manager Terry Collins claims he never said Johan Santana would be his Opening Day starter  —  Claims it was only a hunch but now says lefty might not be ready  —  Terry Collins points out that John Santana was never his official candidate for Opening Day and righty then allows 4 runs over 2.2 innings.

Yoenis Cespedes was very close to being a Cub  —  PHOENIX — Cuban superstar Yoenis Cespedes said he was willing to sign with the Cubs and had reason to believe this winter that he might wind up in Chicago.  —  The bottom line, Cespedes told the Sun-Times on Saturday, was that the Cubs offered six years …

Phillies stop Jays in extra innings  —  Hector Luna's RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies over a Toronto Blue Jays split squad 4-3 on Saturday.  —  Brian Bocock hit a go-ahead solo homer in the top of the ninth, but Freddy Galvis answered with a solo shot in the bottom half.

Ramirez Homers for Marlins in Loss to Twins  —  JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Hanley Ramirez is healthy this spring, and the results are showing.  —  Ramirez hit his second home run and Ricky Nolasco pitched five solid innings Saturday but a Miami Marlins split squad lost to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, 5-2.

Cruz's homer helps Dodgers tie Giants  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. — Brandon Belt homered and hit a game-knotting sacrifice fly Saturday night in a 3-3 split-squad tie at Camelback Ranch before a Cactus League-record 13,655 fans.  —  Belt's two-run wind-blown home run into the Dodgers bullpen gave …

Uggla powers Braves as Beachy fans six  —  Split Atlanta squad bests visiting Blue Jays with solid pitching  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Dan Uggla extended his recent power surge with a two-run home run that provided the Braves the necessary cushion to claim a 5-3 win over the Blue Jays at Champion Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Vin Scully scales back his Dodgers broadcasts a bit further  —  Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully acknowledges the opening-day crowd at Dodger Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / April 13, 2009)  —  Reporting from Phoenix—  Dodgers' broadcaster Vin Scully plans to scale …

Kubel cracks pair of homers in D-backs' win  —  Dingers are slugger's first of spring; Saunders goes three innings  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Powered by a pair of home runs by left fielder Jason Kubel, the D-backs rallied from an early deficit to complete an 8-6 come-from-behind victory …

Matt Garza sees ‘special stuff’ in Cubs  —  Matt Garza, pitching Friday against the Giants, retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced.  Chris Carlson~AP  —  MESA, Ariz. — Don't believe the Cubs have much of a season waiting for them in less than three weeks?  Join the not-very-exclusive club.