Yankees defeat Blue Jays 11-5

On Thursday, the New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 11-5, in Dunedin.

Yankees batters scored seven of their 11 runs in the game’s final three innings (1R in the seventh, 2R in the eighth and 4R in the ninth).

RHP Luis Cessa started and recorded a no decision in 1 .2 IP (6H, 4ER, 1BB, 2K). RHP Bryan Mitchell pitched in relief, allowing 1ER in 3 .0IP (2H, 1BB, 5K). RHP James Kaprielian earned the win in his spring debut, tossing 2 .0 scoreless innings (1BB, 3K).

LF Aaron Hicks (2-for-3), 1B Rob Refsnyder (1-for-3), 2B Starlin Castro (2-for-3) and LF Clint Frazier (2-for-3, 2RBI) each hit solo HRs.

1B Ji-Man Choi (1-for-2, 2RBI) and CF Mason Williams (1-for-1, 2RBI) also had multi-RBI games

Nova, Sale start as Pirates, Red Sox play at JetBlue Park

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are scheduled to visit the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers at 6:05pm ET.

Ivan Nova is expected to start for the Bucs against Boston's LHP Chris Sale. Edgar Santana, A.J. Schugel , Dan Runzler and Dovydas Neverauskas are also scheduled to pitch for Pittsburgh.

The 30-year-old righthander Nova is making his third Grapefruit League start tonight. He most recently threw 62 pitches (4.0ip) in a minor league game at Pirate City on March 11.

Sale is 1-0 this spring with a 1.50 ERA.

Cessa, Sanchez start as Yankees and Blue Jays face off

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The New York Yankees (14-5 this spring) will face the Toronto Blue Jays (5-11 this spring) at the Florida Auto EXchange Stadium in Dunedin, Florida on Thursday. The game is listed as a 1:05pm ET start.

Today's game is the third of five between these two teams this spring.

Yankees RHP Luis Cessa (0-0, 3 .00 ERA) will make his second spring start. Cessa was scratched from his scheduled start on 3/10 (illness). He last pitched on 3/5 vs . Pittsburgh, earning the save (2 .0IP, 2H, 1R/0ER, 2K). Cessa started and allowed 2ER in 2 .0 IP (2H, 1BB, 1K, 1WP, 40pit ./24str .) on 2/28 at Boston, and tossed 2 .0 scoreless innings (2K) on 2/24 vs . Philadelphia.

The Blue Jays will start RHP Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 10.80 ERA). Sanchez went 15-2 in 192.0 IP in 2016, with a 3.00 ERA in 30 starts in 30 games pitched.

Puerto Rico defeats DR 3-1

For the first time since 2009, the Dominican Republic suffered a loss in the World Baseball Classic. In a rematch of the last Classic's title game, Puerto Rico defeated the reigning champions, 3-1, on Tuesday night in the Pool F opener at Petco Park.

"The motivation was there," Puerto Rican manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "We were waiting for this for four years."

After a day of rest, the Dominican Republic resumes play Thursday against Venezuela at 10 p.m. ET. It's a must win for the Dominican team, which could fall out of contention with a second loss in Pool F.

A Friday evening matchup with Team USA looms for Puerto Rico after two days off.

Eickhofd has best start of sleing as Phillies beat Braves 9-0

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff had his best start of the spring Tuesday afternoon in a 9-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves in a Grapefruit League game at Spectrum Field.

"I was attacking the zone a lot better today," said Eickhoff, who pitched so efficiently he had to throw more pitches in the bullpen afterward. "I had a good feel for my pitches today. I had some good, clean innings."

Braves right-hander Aaron Blair allowed six hits, three runs, one walk and struck out three in four innings. Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel tripled to score two runs in the second. Cesar Hernandez singled to score Goeddel to hand the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Brock Stassi also tripled and homered in his quest to make the Phillies' bench.

DR, Puerto Rico face off in WBC 2017 Group F matchup

Tonight in San Diego, we'll see a 2017 World Baseball Classic Group F matchup between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Both teams are 3-0 in WBC 2017. Puerto Rico has outscored three opponents, 29-7.

The Dominicans are running their winning streak going back to the 2013 tournament to 11 games. In the 2017 classic, They trailed Team USA, 5-0, before rallying to win, 7-5, on Saturday. On Sunday, they needed seven runs in the 10th inning to beat the Colombian team, 10-3.

The last time these two teams faced in the Classic was in the 2013 Championship Game at AT&T Park. The Dominicans won 3-0.

Yes in-Didi: Gregorius powers Dutch past Israel

By Danny Knobler / Special to MLB.com

TOKYO -- Four years ago, the Netherlands were the World Baseball Classic's surprise team. Now, the Dutch are an offensive powerhouse, trying to slug their way back to the semifinals.

The Netherlands moved a step closer with a 12-2 win over Israel on Monday at Tokyo Dome, handing the surprise team of WBC 2017 its first loss in the tournament in a game shortened to eight innings by the early-termination rule. Didi Gregorius of the Yankees doubled, homered and drove in five runs as the Dutch evened their second-round record at 1-1.

Israel is also 1-1, meaning the two teams that advance from Pool E can't be decided before Wednesday's doubleheader. The Netherlands and Israel don't play Tuesday, when Japan (1-0) will face Cuba (0-1) at 6 a.m. ET on MLB.TV and MLB Network.

Israel likely needs a win over Japan on Wednesday (6 a.m. ET) for a chance to advance to the semifinals. The Netherlands' final scheduled second-round game is against Cuba (Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET).

Netherlands starter Jair Jurrjens, who pitched in the Major Leagues for eight seasons with the Tigers, Braves, Orioles and Rockies, held Israel to one run in six impressive innings. Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, Wladimir Balentien and Yurendell de Caster each had three hits for the Netherlands.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Coco, Coco: Balentien is a local star, having played the past six seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and set a Japanese single-season record with 60 home runs in 2013. So Japanese fans came to Monday's game with signs showing his nickname, "Coco." They also serenaded him with "Coco, Coco Balentien" when he came to the plate. In two games at Tokyo Dome the past two days, Balentien has a home run, three singles and five RBIs.

Rough night for Baker: Israel has a strong bullpen, but the Israelis need to get to it with a chance to win. That happened Sunday when Jason Marquis went into the sixth inning against Cuba, but Cardinals right-hander Corey Baker didn't get an out in the third inning against the Netherlands.

Bunting for runs: Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens opted against having Jurickson Profar bunt when the 11th inning began with runners at first and second Sunday against Japan. Profar did bunt with first and second, none out in the third inning Monday. A big difference: Balentien had been removed for a pinch-runner Sunday. He came up behind Profar on Monday and delivered a two-run single.

Didi the DH: There's nothing wrong with the way Gregorius plays shortstop, but Simmons is one of the best defenders in the world at the position. So Gregorius has been the Netherlands' designated hitter for four of the first five games in the tournament. He was 6-for-16 (.412) in the first four games, and had a run-scoring double and a three-run home run in the first four innings against Israel.