Postgame, Red Sox 3-2: A three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, capped by a rope down the right field line with the bases loaded. It was just an afterthought (only in spring training) following the game as the Red Sox announced their starting rotation, made another roster move and gave us an update on Mike Lowell.
As we had all assumed over the last couple of days, Josh Beckett will be the Opening Day starter against the New York Yankees on April 4. He will be followed in the rotation by Jon Lester, John Lackey and Tim Wakefield.
Beckett will go again on April 10 in Kansas City in the fifth game of the season, but Clay Buchholz will make his debut the next day. The five-man rotation will continue in that order, with Lester, Lackey, Wakefield and Beckett following Buchholz.
As for the plethora of other updates:
– X-rays on Mike Lowell's left leg came back negative. He is day-to-day but will definitely not see action as a designated hitter Saturday in Sarasota, as was originally planned. Manager Terry Francona said the foul ball off his left leg "didn't just get bone" and that Lowell was in a lot of pain.
As for what this setback means for Lowell's chances of breaking camp with the club, Francona said he had not even thought about that. He just wants Lowell to get back in there when he can.
"We try to get him back-to-back games [for the first time this spring] and we got him in for six minutes," Francona said.
– The Sox also traded for San Francisco infielder Kevin Frandsen, the team announced just as the 3-2 win was ending. With Jed Lowrie nowhere near returning and limited options to back up Marco Scutaro, Frandsen was an attractive player with one remaining minor league option.
"I think it's a good idea," Francona said of the move. "It gives us good depth."
In a sad twist of fate, one of the infielders trying to find a spot on the team is Tug Hulett, who was ripping the game-winning hit as the trade was announced. His future may have just become a bit cloudier.
Final, Red Sox 3-2: The magic is alive at City of Palms Park!
Dormant for eight innings, the Red Sox rally for three in the ninth off reliever Zach Jackson to win their third straight.
Kevin Youkilis had a one-out double to put runners on second and third and David Ortiz sawed off a bloop single to left to score one.
The tying run came in on a single by a pinch hitter whose name and number I missed and then another loaded the bases with one out for Tug Hulett.
With the 100th straight sellout at City of Palms on the edge of their seats (this is Florida, they can't stand for very long), Hulett lined a single into right to end it. Love that dirty water.
Mid 9th, Blue Jays 2-0: I'm back in the press box to see if the Sox can mount a rally. Here is a quick take from Jon Lester:
"It was awful muggy today which I think is a good thing. I helps in the long run…Obviously I reached my pitch count so there was no reason to go back out there [after six]."
Lester said he is not sure how many pitches he will throw in his next start but he feels about ready to go for the regular season.
He had mixed feelings on his defense, however.
"Yes and no," Lester said when asked if he was pleased with the start. "Parts of it I was really happy with, but that ball I threw down the right-field line, I wasn't too happy with that."
3:16 p.m.: Sure enough, Jon Lester is ready to talk. Be right back.
Mid 8th, Blue Jays 2-0: No real issues for Hideki Okajima in the eighth. He does yield an infield hit but strikes out the last man of the frame.
We are awaiting word from Jon Lester downstairs and with the way this game is going it might interfere with the last inning or so. I'll do my best to recap the last few outs if I'm pulled away.
End 7th, Blue Jays 2-0: There has been talk in camp about whether Terry Francona will bat David Ortiz ahead of J.D. Drew or split up the lefties.
He may want to keep them far apart if they carry this into the regular season. Ortiz and Drew are now a combined 14-for-77 (.182) with six RBI.
Mid 7th, Blue Jays 2-0: The one knock on Jonathan Papelbon's 2010 season (aside from how it ended) was a sudden increase in walks.
He had a career-high 24 walks in 68 innings, a year after he issued just eight bases on balls in 69 1/3.
It is a very small sample size this spring, but the Red Sox closer has allowed four walks in 8 1/3 innings. He also gave up two hits in the seventh but was helped out by a double play.
End 6th, Blue Jays 2-0: A new Blue Jays pitcher comes on but the Sox have the same results. They go 1-2-3 against Marty McLeary.
Jonathan Papelbon is in for Jon Lester. The southpaw has this line to show for his efforts:
6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
He threw 54 of his 90 pitches for strikes.
Mid 6th, Blue Jays 2-0: I said it before and I'll say it again: ground balls have managed to avoid Mike Lowell like the plague this spring, but the second he leaves because of an injury, his spot truly becomes the hot corner.
Jorge Jimenez, Lowell's replacement, is a factor in everything. In the sixth he makes a nick pick of a one-out grounder by Randy Ruiz and proceeds to throw the ball in the stands for the Red Sox' third error.
The inning ends and two men are left on when Jimenez has another stellar stop, this time getting it over to Kevin Youkilis successfully. Youk with a nice pick on the play.
Jon Lester's day may be through.
End 5th, Blue Jays 2-0: If by some chance Mike Lowell's injury sets him back enough that the Sox see fit to keep him in Florida when spring training ends, then the debate over who takes his place on the roster begins.
Two candidates would be outfielder Josh Reddick, now hitting .405 (17-for-42) is one such option but the club may not want to limit his at-bats.
Infielder Tug Hulett is also in the mix. He just struck out but is batting .273 (9-for-33) with eight RBI, tied for the team lead.
Mid 5th, Blue Jays 2-0: Another error dooms Jon Lester in the fifth and this time it came from one of the guys depended upon to make the plays.
Marco Scutaro simply missed what looked like a routine grounder hit directly at him. It allowed John McDonald — the man with whom Scutaro shared time last year – to reach.
Lester didn't do himself any favors by walking the next man and giving up a single to Brad Emaus to plate a run. A double play started by Scutaro got the Sox out the mess.
Both runs against Lester are unearned.
End 4th, Blue Jays 1-0: Brett Cecil has set down eight straight Red Sox hitters and Boston's only hit of the game was of the infield variety.
In the fourth, Cecil struck out Kevin Youkilis looking. David Ortiz flied to left and is close to falling below .200 for the spring. J.D. Drew grounded to second to fall to 5-for-31 (.161).
Mid 4th, Blue Jays 1-0: Since coming in for Mike Lowell in the first inning, Jorge Jimenez has been a busy man.
He has two assists and a putout in the third inning, roughly matching the number of chances Lowell has had all spring.
2:05 p.m.: The update on Mike Lowell is that he suffered a left knee contusion. Nothing more was offered, but we'll get the skinny on his status going forward.
End 3rd, Blue Jays 1-0: Brett Cecil has had a limited spring due to a cut on his throwing hand. He's getting some nice results against the Red Sox.
Cecil has his first 1-2-3 inning and it goes in a flash.
Mid 3rd, Blue Jays 1-0: The Jays get a run off Jon Lester in the third, but do nothing to earn it. Here's how a weak run gets manufactured.
With two outs Mike McCoy broke his bat and lofted a lazy pop to shallow center. Josh Reddick appeared to get a late jump and couldn't come up with it on a dive.
Lester then threw the ball down the right-field line on a pickoff attempt, allowing McCoy to scamper to third.
A grounder to third seemed to be what Lester needed to get out of it but Jorge Jimenez, for reasons we are unsure of, pulled his arm back and let the ball bounce to shorstop Marco Scutaro backing up the play. Even Scutaro was surprised. It was Jimenez's ball all the way.
Scutaro had no chance to get Brad Emaus at first and the run came in.
End 2nd, 0-0: For what it is worth, Jason Varitek's bat does look a bit quicker this spring.
He just hammered one into the hole between third and short, where third baseman Edwin Encarnacion made a diving stop.
The throw was late and Varitek improves to 5-for-13 this spring.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: Jon Lester looks very strong. He has gotten behind in the count against a handful of hitters but is battling back.
Edwin Encarnacion and John Buck are strikeout victims to end the second, and Lester has fanned three overall.
End 1st, 0-0: The Mike Lowell injury (see below) is all that really mattered in the first, but for those of you keeping score at home, here's what happened.
Marco Scutaro led off with a walk and moved to second on a tapper by Bill Hall. Jorge Jimenez, hitting for Lowell, was hit by a pitch. Kevin Youkilis flew to right and David Ortiz struck out to end the threat.
Jimenez stays in the game to play third.
1:26 p.m.: Mike Lowell just fouled a ball off his left knee or shin and immediately collpsed to the ground. He laid there for a solid minute before walking off with the help of a trainer and Terry Francona.
Lowell could put almost no weight on the leg. Jorge Jimenez came on to finish the at-bat and was promptly plunked by starter Brett Cecil.
Francona and the trainers had to make a second trip out to check on Jimenez, but he stayed in the game.
Updates on Lowell to come when we get them.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Jon Lester surrendered a hard single to left with one out but came back to blow one past Adam Lind and retire Vernon Wells on a lazy fly to center.
In addition to releasing Brian Shouse, the Red Sox announced two other minor roster moves.
Lefty Fabio Castro was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket and outfielder Darnell McDonald was reassigned to the minor league camp.
Castro has allowed two runs in six innings this spring. McDonald has been out for some time with a side injury.
1:02 p.m.: With Toronto in town we get "Oh, Canada" before a "Star Spangled Banner" that seemed to take about five minutes. It was a long time standing, but I'm a patriot through and through.
Now we're set for the first and only meeting between these two AL East rivals this spring. It is a bit cloudy but the field looks great after the morning's rain. Winds are blowing out to right.
12:05 p.m.: The sun is doing its best to make an appearance today and it's a bit steamy, good conditions for Jon Lester to test his physical shape at this point.
Lester will get six innings or so. Here is the lineup he'll face:
Mike McCoy, LF
Brad Emaus, 2B
Adam Lind, DH
Vernon Wells, CF
Randy Ruiz, 1B
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B
John Buck, C
Travis Snider, RF
John McDonald, SS
10:45 a.m.: Terry Francona confirmed that reliever Brian Shouse has been released by the club, tightening up the race for spots in the bullpen.
Francona said that Shouse's spring results were good (1-0, 0.96 ERA in 10 outings) but that his specialty of getting left-handed bats out was something the club would be comfortable accomplishing with other established guys in the pen. The skipper expects Shouse to find a job soon with someone in need of a lefty arm.
When the Sox signed Alan Embree to a minor league deal, it appeared as if Shouse faced an uphill climb to make the club. Look for more on what the Shouse move means to the team in a bit.
As for Dustin Pedroia, Francona said "he's fine" and will likely head to Sarasota on Saturday to play against the Orioles. With labor meetings and some rain cutting down warm-ups Francona felt it would be best to give his second baseman a more regular day to come back.
Boston's lineup against Toronto looks like this:
Marco Scutaro, SS
Bill Hall, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Jason Varitek, C
Tug Hulett, 2B
Josh Reddick, CF
9:30 a.m.: Greetings from a wet City of Palms Park, where the tarp is on and a light rain is falling.
The forecast suggests there will be no issues getting this one in. We will update you as the morning goes on.
Although Terry Francona said he would have Dustin Pedroia in the lineup against Toronto, his name was absent when they were posted this morning. Pedroia told reporters it is nothing serious and he is just being given an extra day to rest his left wrist, which he hurt in a dive Tuesday night.
We are awaiting a morning session with Francona but it has been delayed a bit due to labor meetings in camp.
8:02 a.m.: After a rainout robbed them of a meeting last week in Dunedin, the Red Sox and Blue Jays will meet in a matinee at City of Palms Park. It will be the first Grapefruit League meeting between the two AL East rivals.
Jon Lester will start for Boston. He is coming off his best outing of the spring Sunday at home. Facing Houston, Lester gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking none.
Relievers Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Daniel Bard and Manny Delcarmen are expected to get into the game as well.
Southpaw Brett Cecil gets the nod for Toronto.
First pitch will come at 1:05 p.m.
