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| Thursday, March 22 | |||||
| Bonds homers in return to lineup | |||||
| SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – It didn't take Barry Bonds long to get
his timing back.
Bonds, who had missed the previous two games with shin splints
and had not played since Sunday, homered to deep center in his
first at-bat Thursday, starting the San Francisco Giants to a 10-1
split-squad win over the Chicago Cubs.
Bonds, who is hitting .412, hit his second homer of the spring
far over a 30-foot backdrop in center field that's about 430 feet
from home plate.
"That was awesome, really, especially since he hadn't played in
three days," Giants manager Dusty Baker said.
Jeff Kent, the reigning NL MVP, added a two-run homer as the Giants scored five in the sixth. Bobby Estalella, trying to hold on to one
of San Francisco's two catching spots, added a two-run homer in
that inning.
Rangers' Kapler sidelined by leg injury DALLAS – Texas Rangers outfielder Gabe Kapler tore a leg muscle in one of Thursday's games against Philadelphia and is expected to be on the injured list for two to four weeks. Kapler hurt himself while running to first base in the seventh inning of the first game of a doubleheader, in which the Rangers lost to the Phillies, 8-2. An MRI scan Thursday evening confirmed the injury to his right quadriceps muscle. Kapler batted .302 with 14 homers and 66 RBI in 116 games with Texas in 2000. He was sidelined from May 3 to June 8 with a similar injury last season. Griffey, Reds tee off on Blue Jays SARASOTA, Fla. – Ken Griffey Jr. hit one of Cincinnati's seven homers on a windy afternoon and Rob Bell solidified his spot in the rotation as the Reds beat the Toronto Blue Jays 16-3 on Thursday. Griffey hit one of four homers in the Reds' nine-run fifth inning, a three-run shot off Esteban Loaiza that was his third this spring. He also singled and was grazed by a pitch, and threw a runner out at the plate. The wind was blowing out to left-center field, pushing fly balls over the walls. The teams combined for 27 hits, nine of them homers. Michael Tucker hit a pair of solo homers and Dmitri Young, Aaron Boone, Jason LaRue and Tim Spehr each hit one for the Reds, who had 18 hits in all. Before the game, the Reds sent knuckleball pitcher Jared Fernandez to the minors, leaving 12 pitchers in camp – one over their limit. Manager Bob Boone was still undecided about who will fill out the five-man rotation anchored by Pete Harnisch and Osvaldo Fernandez. Bell, who went 7-8 as a rookie last season, gave his best performance of the spring. The right-hander gave up five hits and didn't walk a batter in five innings. Mulholland shines in starter's role FORT MYERS, Fla. – Terry Mulholland, pressed into Pittsburgh's starting rotation because of injuries, allowed one run in five innings as the Pirates beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 Thursday. Mulholland, 38, was acquired to pitch middle relief and provide clubhouse leadership. But after starters Jason Schmidt and Francisco Cordova were injured, Mulholland became a starter. Mulholland allowed six hits and struck out one, lowering his spring ERA to 3.94. Marc Wilkins pitched the final two innings for the save. Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead on Kevin Young's solo home run in the second inning, Pat Meares home run in the fourth, and Brian Giles sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Red Sox got one back in the fifth when Trot Nixon tripled into the right-field gap and scored on a sacrifice fly by Craig Grebek. Cordova heading back to doctor BRADENTON, Fla. – Francisco Cordova is headed back to the doctor. The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander will visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., next week to determine the cause of pain in his right elbow. Cordova underwent arthroscopic surgery Aug. 17 to remove a bone spur in his elbow. Cordova has been feeling pain in the elbow again this spring. He was sore again Thursday, a day after throwing in the bullpen. It was the first time Cordova had pitched since allowing five runs in one inning against Philadelphia on March 14. "Francisco wasn't any worse than the last time he threw but he wasn't any better," Pirates general manager Cam Bonifay said Thursday. "It's my opinion that he needs Dr. Andrews to take a look at him and get his opinion. He didn't make any progress in the past week, so it's time to see what's going on." Another Pirates right-hander, Jason Schmidt, who has yet to pitch in an exhibition game this spring, played catch Wednesday and Thursday. He made 75 throws from 75 feet and said his shoulder and strained rib cage, which hampered him the past 10 days, felt fine. "We're very encouraged about Jason," Bonifay said. Like Cordova, Schmidt will begin the season on the disabled list. However, Bonifay now projects Schmidt could be ready to make his first start of the season either April 16 against Houston or April 21 against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh. A-Rod, Rangers salvage split PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs and Bo Porter homered twice as the Texas Rangers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 Thursday to earn a split of a doubleheader. Jimmy Rollins had a three-run double in the fifth inning off former Phillies reliever Jeff Brantley as Philadelphia won the opener 8-2. Rodriguez drove in his seventh and eighth runs of the spring with a double and a sacrifice fly. Andres Galarraga and Bill Haselman homered for the Rangers. Rick Helling, Texas' Opening Day starter, allowed six hits and two runs in six innings. Cliff Politte, in contention for a spot in Philadelphia's starting rotation, allowed seven runs and six hits in three innings. In the first game, Travis Lee and Jason Michaels hit back-to-back home runs off Pat Mahomes. Amaury Telemaco, in a battle with Politte for a spot in Philadelphia's rotation, allowed four hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings. Ordonez, Durham power White Sox in 10-run first TUCSON, Ariz. – Magglio Ordonez and Ray Durham homered in Chicago's 10-run first inning as the White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 14-9 Thursday. Trailing 3-0 in the third, the White Sox sent 14 men to the plate and got nine hits against starter Mark Mulder. Frank Thomas had a two-run single in the inning. Mulder (0-1) worked three innings, allowing 10 runs and 11 hits. Jim Parque (2-1) yielded back-to-back solo homers by Frank Menechino and Olmedo Saenz in the first inning. Parque worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs. Julio Ramirez was 4-for-4 with a homer, Josh Paul was 2-for-3 with a double, and Thomas was 2-for-3 with two RBI for Chicago. Menechino was 3-for-4 with a double and a homer for the A's. Jeremy Giambi was 2-for-4 and John Jaha was 1-for-3 with a double. Batista comes up big vs. Yankees TAMPA, Fla. – Tony Batista hit a three-run homer and Chris Michalak allowed one run in six innings as a Toronto Blue Jays split squad beat the New York Yankees 4-2 Thursday night. Batista homered off Dwight Gooden in the eighth inning. Roger Clemens, the projected Opening Day starter, allowed one unearned run and four hits over six innings for the Yankees. ""I'm not really looking at that right now," Clemens said. ""I'm on schedule for it. I'd just like to get through one more (spring start)." Clemens, who has been battling a cold the past few days, struck out six and walked two. ""Everything was pretty good tonight," said Clemens, who threw 59 of 90 pitches for strikes. ""I pretty much had command of everything." Yankees manager Joe Torre said he will officially name the Opening Day starter this weekend. Michalak, trying to win a spot as Toronto's fifth starter, gave up three hits. The left-hander struck out four and walked three. ""All I know is I went out and had a good outing, but it's not my decision," Michalak said. The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead when New York shortstop D'Angelo Jimenez misplayed Brad Fullmer's first-inning pop fly. Raul Mondesi, who walked and stole second base with two outs, scored on the miscue.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | ALSO SEE Spring report: Yanks' Hernandez reports improvement | ||||