Spring Training: Halladay rocked by Twins

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Roy Halladay was yanked in the third inning after getting rocked in the Minnesota Twins’ 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Halladay allowed five runs and seven hits, including two homers, in 2 2-3 innings. Halladay gave up a long three-run homer to Chris Parmelee in the third. He left after walking the next batter on four pitches.

It was a rare sight to see the eight-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Award winner struggle like this. Halladay is 40-16 with a 2.40 ERA, 17 complete games and five shutouts in his two seasons with the Phillies.

Twins starter Jason Marquis gave up four runs and eight hits in four innings.

Josh Willingham hit a solo shot off Halladay in the first. His RBI single in the third tied it 2-2.

TIGERS 7, METS 6 (10)

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Prince Fielder homered and had three hits.

Fielder’s two-run homer came off Mets starter Dillon Gee in the fourth inning. Delmon Young had two hits for the Tigers, including a two-run single in a four-run fifth — all unearned — against Mets left-hander Chuck James.

Gee struck out five in four innings in his third spring start.

Detroit starter Max Scherzer did not get through the Mets’ four-run third. After giving up a hit and two walks and hitting Zach Lutz with a pitch, Scherzer was replaced by Casey Crosby.

Daniel Schlereth pitched two innings of shutout relief for the win. Quintin Berry drove in Andy Dirks with the winning run in the 10th inning.

ASTROS 4, CARDINALS 3

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis starter Lance Lynn retired the final eight batters he faced in the loss.

Lynn was destined for the bullpen when spring training opened. But the Cardinals said this week Lynn would be treated like a starter until Chris Carpenter shows he can return to the rotation.

A 24-year-old right-hander, Lynn made his major league debut in 2011, going 1-1 in 18 appearances (two starts) with a 3.12 ERA. He appeared in 10 post-season games and was 2-0. His two spring appearances before Wednesday came in relief.

Lynn allowed a pair of one-out singles in the first Wednesday before striking out Jack Cust and inducing a lazy fly ball from Jimmy Paredes. He cruised through his final two innings without allowing a base runner.

PIRATES 11, ORIOLES 5

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Baltimore’s Nick Markakis was hitless in three at-bats in his first game since returning from off-season surgery.

Markakis left the final game of the 2011 season with an injury to his abdomen. He tried to rehabilitate it, but had surgery in January to repair the torn muscle. Manager Buck Showalter started him for the first time as the designated hitter. He struck out, grounded out and walked before leaving the game after five innings.

The Pirates scored four runs in the second off Orioles starter Jake Arrieta, who pitched 2 2-3 innings. They added three in the fifth and four in the seventh.

Pittsburgh’s James McDonald allowed five runs and six hits in three innings.

MARLINS 4, RAYS 2

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Anibal Sanchez was dominant in his spring debut, striking out four in two scoreless innings.

The right-hander, whose debut had been pushed back due to soreness in the back side of his right shoulder, allowed two hits.

Jeremy Hellickson, making his second spring start — and third appearance — gave up four runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts in three innings.

A scary moment occurred in the top of the fourth inning when Rays outfielders B.J. Upton and Desmond Jennings collided chasing a flyball by Austin Kearns. It was ruled an inside-the-park home run, and the speedy outfielders were carted off the field. Both Upton and Jennings told reporters they are OK.