Mar 6, 2014; Jupiter, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Allen Webster (64) throws against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Extreme weather on the Gulf Coast of Florida wreaked havoc with the Grapefruit League schedule, causing the cancellation of five games so it’ll be a short update today.
The visiting Boston Red Sox sent a team full of prospects played the Miami Marlins regulars to a 0-0 tie in eight innings before the game was called. Jackie Bradley, Jr. went 1-3 with a single and Alex Hassan had a 1-4 game with a double. Garin Cecchini had an oh-fer (0-4) but made at least one excellent defensive play. Catching prospect Blake Swihart went 1-1 with a single and first baseman Travis Shaw went 0-2 with two walks. Second baseman Mookie Betts got into the game but didn’t hit. On the pitching side for the Sox, Allen Webster starteed and threw three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and striking out a batter. Drake Britton threw two scoreless, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out one. 6-foot-6, 24-year-old righty Miguel Celestino threw a clean inning with a strikeout.
For the Marlins, there weren’t nearly as many prospects (the Red Sox are definitely blessed with outstanding young talent), although the Marlins have said that they are lodging a complaint with the MLB office on the grounds that the club didn’t bring enough of the major league starters (or any of them). While there is an MLB rule that requires at least four “regulars” at spring training road games, few clubs actually stick to it, especially for longer road trips.
Getting into the game for the Marlins was Avery Romero (0-1) and Derek Dietrich (0-0). Prospect Nathan Eovaldi got the start and had a terrific outing, throwing two innings with just one hit and one walk against with four strikeouts. 23-year-old Brad Hand relieved Eovaldi and, despite giving up four hits and a walk over his two innings, didn’t allow a run and struck out a pair. Sam Dyson, 25, finished the game off, allowing a hit in two-thirds of an inning.
While some games were called, the Yankees and Phillies got their complete game in in Clearwater. For the Yankees, J.R. Murphy relieved starting catcher Brian McCann and went 0-3. Another catching prospect, Gary Sanchez, subbed for Alfonso Soriano, the DH, and went 1-2, scoring a run and raising his spring batting average to .375. Prospect Mason Williams started in center field, going 0-2 with a strikeout and 21-year-old Ramon Flores hit a solo home run and added a sac fly, going 1-3 and driving in two runs.
Masahiro Tanaka started and gave up a run on two hits (including a home run) with one strikeout in his three innings. Danny Burawa gave up just a hit in his inning and 23-year-old Mark Montgomery struck out one in two-thirds of an inning.
For the host Phillies, Leandro Castro went 0-1 as did Maikel Franco. On the mound, Mario Hollands went two scoreless innings, giving up a hit and striking out two.
In the only other Florida game, the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting Washington Nationals 3-2 in Orlando. The Nationals sent Anthony Rendon who had a pair of singles playing second base as well as Jeff Kobernus who had a single in his only at bat. Michael A. Taylor played center field and went one for two and Matt Skole hit a double in two at bats. Brian Goodwin went 0-2 as did Steven Souza.
On the mound, Blake Treinen bent but didn’t break, giving up three hits and a walk but no runs in his two innings of work while striking out two. Felipe Rivero, recently acquired threw a clean inning while Danny Rosenbaum gave up the walk-off run in the ninth.
For the Braves, 22-year-old Edward Salcedo went 1-2 with a single while Todd Cunningham went 1-4 with a single and RBI. On the mound, despite earning the victory, Lay Batista gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in the ninth inning but was able to recover and strike out a pair before giving up the lead.