Spring Training Capsules

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Spring Training Capsules

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte threw with both arms for the New York Yankees on Tuesday, giving up one run in 1 1-3 innings during a 9-6 split-squad loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Making his first appearance for the Yankees, Venditte took over for CC Sabathia with two outs in the fifth inning and tossed four warmup pitches with each hand. Venditte switched back and forth, depending on whether he was facing a righty or lefty, and gave up two hits and a walk.

The 24-year-old reliever, who uses a six-finger glove, pitched for two teams in Class A last season and went a combined 4-2 with 22 saves and a 1.87 ERA.

If he makes the majors, Venditte wouldn’t be the first pitcher to throw as a left-hander and right-hander. Greg Harris, who pitched from 1981-95, was a righty throughout his career. He pitched from the left side for two batters in his second-to-last game.

Sabathia tuned up for his start in the major league opener Sunday night at Boston, allowing five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings. He has a 7.23 ERA this spring.

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Dontrelle Willis struggled in a win over Baltimore, then got good news from Detroit manager Jim Leyland: The left-hander will start the season in the Tigers’ rotation.

Willis will be the No. 3 man in the rotation. His position became solidified earlier in the day when the Tigers traded left-hander Nate Robertson to Florida for pitcher Jay Voss.

Willis had his worst outing of spring training, giving up five runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 1-3 innings. The performance lifted his ERA from 1.20 to 3.26.

Miguel Cabrera hit two long home runs for the Tigers. Miguel Tejada went 4 for 4 with three doubles for Baltimore.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Jamie Moyer has won the fifth spot in the Philadelphia Phillies’ rotation, a decision the team announced after its loss to the Houston Astros.

Moyer is the oldest player in the majors at 47. Kyle Kendrick, who was Moyer’s competition for the spot, started against Houston and allowed one run in two innings. Manager Charlie Manuel assured Kendrick that he has a roster spot and would be an important part of the bullpen for the two-time NL champions.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Matt Holliday hit his first two home runs this spring and the St. Louis Cardinals roughed up Oliver Perez in a win over the New York Mets.

The Cardinals homered three times off Perez. Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run shot in the first inning and Holliday followed with a long drive.

Brendan Ryan added a two-run homer the next inning, and Perez made it through just 2 1-3 innings before being pulled. The left-hander, coming back from knee surgery late last season, gave up seven runs on six hits and two walks.

Cardinals opening-day starter Chris Carpenter walked six in five innings. He allowed one earned run and four hits in five innings.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Francisco Liriano locked up the final spot in the Twins’ rotation, striking out eight in six shutout innings of Minnesota’s 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Liriano also walked three, and said later he’d been told he will be the Twins’ fifth starter. He was competing with Brian Duensing for the job and also was discussed as a possible replacement for injured closer Joe Nathan.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Rizzo and Josh Reddick homered to help build an early lead that slipped away from Boston before newcomer Kevin Frandsen’s ninth-inning RBI single gave the Red Sox a tie against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rizzo hit a two-run homer off Rafael Soriano that put the Red Sox up 6-0 in the third inning. Tug Hulett also drove in two runs with a double off Soriano, who the Rays acquired this winter to be their closer.

Frandsen, acquired this week from San Francisco, delivered his tying single off Paul Phillips with two outs in the ninth.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Chris Volstad pitched 6 2-3 innings in his best start of the spring and added three hits and 2 RBI in the Florida Marlins’ win over the Washington Nationals.

Nationals right-hander Garrett Mock, trying to win a rotation spot, allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Mark Buehrle pitched five shutout innings and Carlos Quentin homered as the Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics.

Buehrle gave up four hits and finished spring training with a 2.08 ERA.

Ben Sheets, who struggled earlier this month and entered the game with a 17.28 ERA, put together a second straight quality start, going 5 1-3 innings and allowing a run on three hits. He struck out five and walked five.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Left-hander Greg Smith threw himself into the chase for the final spot on the Colorado staff, pitching four shutout innings in the Rockies’ victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Smith retired his first 10 batters. He gave up two hits, struck out four and walked none.

Todd Helton hit a two-run homer off Dodgers pitching prospect Josh Linblom.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Chad Tracy celebrated his addition to the Cubs’ opening-day roster with a two-run homer in the eighth inning, leading Chicago over the San Francisco Giants.

Tracy edged out veteran infielder Kevin Millar for the final spot earlier in the day. He homered off Guillermo Mota, making a bid for a short role in the Giants’ bullpen.

Former Cubs player Mark DeRosa gave the Giants a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer in the fourth.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Scott Kazmir pitched five sharp innings in his final Cactus League start, and the Los Angeles Angels and Milwaukee Brewers played to a tie in 10 innings.

Kazmir allowed one run and four hits. The left-hander missed his previous start because of shoulder stiffness.

Brewers starter Chris Narveson worked three scoreless innings, running his string to 12 consecutive scoreless innings.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Right-hander Mat Latos had no problems with his elbow in his return to the mound, and the San Diego Padres made it another challenging afternoon for Cincinnati opening-day starter Aaron Harang.

Latos missed a start last week because of a tender pitching elbow. He struggled with his control at times, but allowed only one unearned run and three hits in three innings. Latos is competing for the fifth starter’s spot.

Harang gave up five hits and five runs in 4 2-3 innings, pitching deep into counts. He also had a throwing error — one of three by the Reds that extended his innings. In his last two starts, Harang has given up 14 hits and 12 runs in 7 1-3 innings.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — There was no great sentiment in Arizona Diamondbacks final game at Tucson Electric Park, their spring training home since the franchise was born a dozen years ago.

Just a crowd of 5,184, about half of capacity, watching Arizona ace Dan Haren go through a routine final outing before his opening day start and Texas’ Colby Lewis shut out the Diamondbacks for seven innings in the Rangers’ victory.

The Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies will move from Tucson next spring to a new facility on the outskirts of Scottsdale. Arizona plays Colorado at the Rockies’ Hi Corbett Field on Wednesday in the final spring game in Tucson.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Toronto pitcher Marc Rzepczynski struggled before departing in the fifth inning with a bruised left middle finger and the Blue Jays lost to a Yankees split squad.

Rzepczynski, likely in his final start before Toronto picks it starting staff, was injured when his pitching hand was struck by Ramiro Pena’s grounder. The left-hander, who allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings, said the finger is not too bad and expects to throw again within a couple days.

Opening day starter Shaun Marcum and Ricky Romero are the only two pitchers who have to locked up spots in Toronto’s rotation.

New York right-hander Sergio Mitre gave up two runs and three hits over six innings.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Brayan Pena hit a two-run homer in Kansas City’s five-run first, leading the Royals over Cleveland.

Kyle Davies pitched 5 1-3 innings for the Royals, allowing two runs and two hits. The right-hander struck out four and walked three, likely securing a spot in the rotation with the solid start.

Indians right-hander Mitch Talbot struggled, allowing seven runs, six earned and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run double in the third for Cleveland.

Yuniesky Betancourt went 3 for 3 with the Royals, and David DeJesus finished with two hits. Closer Joakim Soria, who gave up four runs without retiring any of the five batters he faced Monday, worked a scoreless seventh.