Hamels Pitches Phillies Over Red Sox 2-0
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Come October, neither the Boston Red Sox nor the Philadelphia Phillies would mind this matchup of teams.
Cole Hamels pitched one-hit ball over four innings, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Thursday in a spring-training matchup of teams favored to reach the World Series.
Hamels, the winner, 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 had good workouts in the offseason and my endurance is there. I just need to fine tune my mechanics. To go four innings on March 3, I should be locked in by game time."
Among Boston's top batters, only Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez were missing. Hamels faced the Yankees on the road in his first spring training outing.
"I like it because it helps me get focused," he said. "Facing teams like the Yankees and Boston prepares you for the regular season. You have to make pitches."
Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee was pleased with Hamels' performance.
"His delivery still needs some work, but his arm is working well," Dubee said.
Loser Stolmy Pimentel, starting because Josh Beckett was hit on the head while shagging flies during batting practice Monday, gave up two runs, three hits, a walk and a balk in two innings.
Reliever Bobby Jenks, in his first season with the Red Sox, made his spring training debut.
"Actually, it went a little better than I expected," Jenks said. "Made some really good pitches. Threw the ball for the most part exactly where I wanted to. So, all in all it was a really good day."
He gave up a leadoff double to Shane Victorino in the fifth.
"I thought the ball came out of his hand really well," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I think he's been a notoriously slow starter in spring training."
Jeff Parish hit a two-run double with one out in the second.
Left-hander Andrew Miller, vying for a spot in the Red Sox bullpen, went one inning and allowed a two-out single to Dane Sardinha in the third. He has given up one hit over two innings in two outings, and he struck out three.
"Good inning," Francona said. "Gave up the base hit, and then threw out of the stretch and got a first-pitch out. With his stuff, if he works ahead he's going to have success."
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
