Spring Training Report: Despite walks, Jays top Rays
Brett Cecil was tougher on himself than Toronto manager Cito Gaston thought he should be.
Cecil, in the hunt for a spot in the starting rotation, walked four Tampa Bay batters and failed to get through the fourth inning Friday, but the Blue Jays still beat the Rays 3-1.
Rays left-hander Carlos Hernandez, a longshot to make the big league club, gave up three runs before getting the first out in the bottom of the third inning.
“Four walks is not really me, hasn’t been me the past couple of years,” said Cecil, who threw 27 pitches in the third inning. “It’s really frustrating. I’d rather give up four home runs than four walks.
The only hit Cecil allowed, Shawn Riggans’ single to left, came on his 74th and last pitch. Jeremy Accardo gave up the Rays’ run in the fifth on Adam Kennedys single and stolen base and Justin Ruggiano’s single to center.
Hernandez started the bottom of the third with walks to Michael Barrett and Joe Inglett. Brad Emaus doubled them home and he came around on singles by Adam Lind and Kevin Millar.
They were the first three earned runs Hernandez has allowed this spring in 12 innings.
Braves 9, Marlins 2: Hanley Ramirez returned from the World Baseball Classic and doubled, stole a base and scored a run in the Marlins’ loss to Atlanta.
It was Ramirez’s first game since Dominican team was upset by the Netherlands – twice.
Marlins right-hander Josh Johnson allowed his first run of the spring on three straight singles in the second inning, the only hits he allowed over three innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Cardinals 6, Orioles 5: Adam Eaton let the first three batters he faced reach base in his debut with Baltimore. How he handled the last seven is what impressed his new team.
Signed March 1 after his release from Philadelphia, Eaton allowed two runs in three innings of the Orioles’ loss to St. Louis.
Eaton retired seven in a row before heading to the bullpen to do more throwing.
Second opinion: Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer will see a doctor in Baltimore Saturday to get a second opinion on his ailing back.
Mauer, the two-time American League batting champion who hit .328 last season, has not played at all in spring training. He had surgery on Dec. 22 to remove a blockage from his kidney.
The Twins expected Mauer to miss the first two weeks of spring training, but recent setbacks have prolonged his return.