Phils’ Thome gets work at first

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Associated Press

Associated Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Jim Thome played five innings at first base and hit a two-run double for a Philadelphia Phillies’ split squad Sunday in a 3-3, 10-inning tie against the Baltimore Orioles.

The 41-year-old, who has not played the field in the regular season since eight innings for the Chicago White Sox at the Phillies on June 13, 2007, did not have any grounders hit to him.

He hit a two-run double to deep center in a three-run third against Brian Matusz.

Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay struck out nine and walked two in 6 1-3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. Matusz gave up three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

TIGERS (SS) 6

PHILLIES 3

LAKELAND, Fla. — AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander overcame a rocky first to allow two runs and seven hits in six solid innings in his next-to-last start of spring training.

Hunter Pence singled in a run for the Phillies in the first, then scored on an RBI double by Ty Wigginton.

Scott Elarton, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2008 and was out of baseball completely in 2011, started for the Phillies and allowed one run and two hits in four innings.

TIGERS (SS) 1

YANKEES 1 (10)

TAMPA, Fla. — Michael Pineda allowed one run and five hits over five innings as he competes with Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia for three rotation spots behind opening-day starter CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda.

Derek Jeter hit a leadoff homer in the first and also had a double.

New York’s Alex Rodriguez was hit on the left side by a Brayan Villarreal pitch in the seventh and left the game. He is expected to play Tuesday.

Left-hander Duane Below, one of three candidates for the Tigers’ fifth starter spot, gave up one run and three hits in 3 2/3 innings.

NATIONALS 12 METS 0

VIERA, Fla. — Ian Desmond, Jayson Werth and Roger Bernadina hit first-inning home runs off Matt Harvey to back Stephen Strasburg as Washington stopped an 11-game winless streak.

Strasburg allowed five hits in five innings with five strikeouts and one walk. Jason Bay bruised his right forearm when hit by a Strasburg fastball in the third.

Harvey, the seventh overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft, gave up five runs and seven hits in one inning.

MARLINS 5, RAYS 1

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Josh Johnson allowed three hits in five scoreless innings as he prepared for Miami’s opener but walked five. He also hit an RBI double in the second.

Rays starter Wade Davis struggled in what could be his final bid to make Tampa Bay’s rotation. Davis gave up four runs, seven hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

BLUE JAYS 6

RED SOX 5 (10)

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Daniel Bard, competing for a spot in Boston’s starting rotation, gave up five runs and six hits in six innings, struck out five and walked three.

Bard allowed Adam Lind’s second home run of spring training and his double. He also gave up Edwin Encarnacion tying RBI double in a two-run sixth.

Toronto starter Aaron Laffey allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.

CARDS 9, TWINS 2

JUPITER, Fla. — Kyle Lohse allowed two runs and five hits in six innings and Matt Holliday homered. Lohse, projected to start the Cardinals’ opener, struck out six and walked one.

Minnesota pitcher Nick Blackburn retired his first 10 batters before Carlos Beltran’s bloop single fell barely inside the left-field line.

Luke Hughes homered for the Twins off Lohse. Shane Robinson and Jon Jay added home runs for the Cardinals.

ASTROS (SS) 9

PIRATES 7

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Jed Lowrie and Chris Snyder homered, and Yamaico Navarro had four of Pittsburgh’s 20 hits.

Pirates starter Brad Lincoln gave up three runs and four hit in four innings. Houston starter J.A. Happ gave up nine hits and three runs in five innings.

Prospect Jarred Cosart, appearing in his first exhibition game for the Astros, worked 3 1/3 innings, striking out his first three batters. He then gave up four runs.

BRAVES 11, ASTROS (SS) 1

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Jair Jurrjens allowed one run and three hits in six innings and struck out seven in lowering his ERA from 10.13 to 7.45, and struck out seven. He was also 2 for 3 at the plate.

Freddie Freeman homered twice and Brian McCann once.

Zach Duke who allowed 10 runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.

ANGELS 6, RANGERS 5

TEMPE, Ariz. — Albert Pujols hit his fourth homer and Trevor Bell allowed three hits and two walks in 4 1/3 scoreless innings in a bid to earn the Angels’ No. 5 starter role.

Both managers chose to keep their aces from facing a division rival. Instead, the Rangers’ Yu Darvish gave up four runs and six hits in five innings an intrasquad game. The Angels’ C.J. Wilson, former Rangers ace, allowed three runs — two earned — and six hits over five innings in a minor league game.

BREWERS (SS) 7

DODGERS 1

PHOENIX — Shaun Marcum allowed one hit in three scoreless innings in his spring training debut.

Norichika Aoki hit his first home run since joining Milwaukee from the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Central League.

NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw gave up two runs and six hits in six innings.

WHITE SOX 5, GIANTS 2

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Philip Humber allowed an unearned run and one hit in seven innings, struck out five and walked two.

Giants starter Barry Zito allowed consecutive homers to A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios in the third and five runs overall and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings.

San Francisco reliever Scott Munter left with a left calf strain after pitching to one batter in the third inning. He was injured while running to cover first base on a grounder .

CUBS 6, INDIANS 2

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cleveland’s Jeanmar Gomez, who had pitched shutout ball in his first four outings, gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He is competing with Kevin Slowey and David Huff for the Indians’ final rotation spot.

Alfonso Soriano had three RBIs, including a two-run homer for Chicago. The Cubs’ Joe Mather had two doubles and is hitting .432. He also made a nice catch near the warning track in center to rob Asdrubal Cabrera of extra bases.

Cubs starter Rodrigo Lopez allowed two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

PADRES 4, D-BACKS 3

PEORIA, Ariz. — Dustin Moseley induced four double plays in six innings, limiting Arizona to a run and seven hits.

Arizona pitcher Josh Collmenter allowed two runs, five hits and two walks in five innings.

ROCKIES 7, REDS 3

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Todd Helton hit his first two home runs of spring training and Casey Blake hit his first, all drives off Johnny Cueto.

Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin allowed two runs and six hits in five innings.

Joey Votto, in a 5-for-31 slide coming in, had an RBI single in the third and added a single in the fifth.

Cueto gave up five runs and six hits in six innings.