Phillies' Hamels sharp vs. Red Sox

Times wires
Thursday, March 3, 2011

FORT MYERS — Come October, neither the Red Sox nor the Phillies would mind this matchup of teams.

LHP Cole Hamels pitched one-hit ball over four innings, and the Phillies beat the Red Sox 2-0 Thursday in a matchup of teams favored to reach the World Series.

Hamels struck out three and walked one, throwing 29 of 50 pitches for strikes. Relievers Scott Mathieson, Michael Stutes, and Juan Perez held the Red Sox hitless.

"My body felt really good. I'm pleased about that," Hamels said. " … I just need to fine-tune my mechanics. To go four innings on March 3, I should be locked in by game time."

Pitching coach Rich Dubee was pleased. "His delivery still needs some work, but his arm is working well," he said.

Yanks: Garcia strong

PORT CHARLOTTE — Freddy Garcia expects to win a job in the Yankees rotation.

The 34-year-old right-hander is so confident about his chances that he believes if he doesn't earn one of two openings behind CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett that he will have no one to blame but himself.

"I lose the spot, that's my fault," the two-time AL All-Star said after working two scoreless innings during a 1-1, 10-inning tie with the Rays. "That's my responsibility, to do my job in spring training."

Garcia, signed to a minor-league deal after going 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA for the White Sox last season, allowed two hits and struck out one in his debut.

RHP Ivan Nova, also competing for a rotation spot, followed Garcia with a three-inning scoreless stint of his own. Bartolo Colon and Sergio Mitre are also in the running.

"We're going to evaluate. That's what we have to do," manager Joe Girardi said.

Jays: Cecil shines

DUNEDIN — Sixty pitches in three innings were just right for Blue Jays LHP Brett Cecil against Pittsburgh. Especially since he finished with six strikeouts.

Cecil struck out the first four batters he faced and gave up just one hit in three scoreless innings before leaving with a 1-0 lead. Three innings later, the Pirates tagged Scott Richmond for two runs and beat the Blue Jays 4-1.

"The way I see it, (60 pitches) is just a glimpse of the future of how (manager John Farrell) is going to let us pitchers go deeper into the game," Cecil said. " … I'd like to be a pitch-to-contact pitcher."

Short hops: Farrell said he plans to start Travis Snider, who hasn't played due to a ribcage injury, in leftfield Saturday. … 3B Jose Bautista, back in the lineup after sitting out a day with tightness in his left quadriceps muscle, had a hit and an RBI.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/phillies-hamels-sharp-vs-red-sox/1155136

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