Major League Baseball

Buchholz pitches into 5th inning, Red Sox top Cardinals

Published Mar. 21, 2016 7:20 p.m. ET

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JUPITER, Fla. (AP) Clay Buchholz pitched into the fifth inning, Pablo Sandoval and Jackie Bradley Jr. each drove in two runs and the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Monday.

Buchholz gave up one run and five hits in 4 2-3 innings. He missed much of last season with an elbow strain and had allowed four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings earlier this spring.

Red Sox reliever Carson Smith left after only five pitches with forearm tightness. Manager John Farrell called the move precautionary and said Smith was returning to Fort Myers to be evaluated.

In his 11th Grapefruit League at-bat, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina got his first hit of the spring, a single over shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Molina is still trying to strengthen his left hand following offseason thumb surgery.