Norris Leaves With Back Trouble, Blue Jays Beat Tigers 16-1
JEFF BERLINICKE, Associated Press
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Tigers starter Daniel Norris exited because of tightness in his lower back after getting just one out and Toronto Blue Jays went on to beat Detroit 16-1 Tuesday.
Norris, competing for the final spot in the rotation, gave up three runs on three hits and two walks.
Norris was scratched from his previous start over the weekend because of a stiff back. He is considered day-to-day.
Troy Tulowitzki homered and drove in five runs. Darrell Ceciliani also homered for Toronto.
Josh Donaldson and Chris Colabello each had three this for the Blue Jays.
Toronto starter Drew Hutchison gave up one run in four innings.
Hutchison doesn't have any guarantees, but he gave himself a shot at the final spot in the rotation. He was 13-5 with 28 starts for the Blue Jays last season, but also finished with a 5.57 ERA.
"All I can focus on is what I am doing right now," he said. "I feel comfortable and am just trying to doing what feels right for me."
Toronto manager John Gibbons said that Hutchison has been impressive. As an incumbent in the Blue Jays rotation, Gibbons said he likes what he's seen.
"It was another good outing despite the two walks," Gibbons said. "He has to make some adjustments."
As for Hutchison's won-loss record last year, Gibbons said he wasn't taking a long hard look at the numbers.
"He won 13 games and he keeps getting better and better. He can get even better and that's what we are looking to find out," he said.
HARD DAY AT THE OFFICE
Mike Pelfrey started for the Tigers in a minor league game on the back fields at Joker Marchant Stadium after a rainout over the weekend backed up the rotation. He entered the game with 10 straight scoreless innings but got rocked, allowing nine runs in five innings. He laughed it off.
"I thought I was lights out," Pelfrey said. "I'd throw a splitter and duck. I'd throw a slider and duck. I bulked up the bases all day. I'd throw a fastball and duck. I got my cardio in chasing them all over the bases. They hit everything I threw. I got in lots of work trying to keep it in the park. I threw a lot of sliders and got to work on it. They just all got hit," he said.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez will make his fifth start of the spring, facing off against Bartolo Colon of the New York Mets.
Tigers: After the team's only off-day of the spring Wednesday, Matt Boyd will pitch on Thursday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.
HEAVY WORKLOAD
Tigers: Used a spring-high 10 pitchers. No one went more than 1 1/3 of an inning. The Tigers allowed 23 hits and walked seven.
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