Worley Solid In Phillies Win Over Pirates
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Vance Worley is getting ready for whatever the Philadelphia Phillies want him to do.
Worley struck out five while pitching into the fourth inning and the Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-4 in a split-squad game on Saturday.
The 23-year-old right-hander allowed one run and two hits in 3 1-3 innings. He went 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA in five games, two starts, with the Phillies last season, but spent most of the year with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
"I'm still just trying to get a feel for being at this level in spring training,'' Worley said. "Today was my first start. It's probably the best I've thrown in spring training so far.''
Worley likely will start this season at Triple-A, given the Phillies' star-studded rotation, but he does have a chance to make the major league club.
"There's opportunity in the bullpen,'' Worley said. "I don't know if they want to use me as a starter or a reliever. That's out of my control. All I can do is what they ask.''
John Mayberry had three hits and three RBIs for Philadelphia, which pushed across four runs in the first and four in the fourth.
Ross Ohlendorf was scheduled to pitch four innings for the Pirates, but was lifted before he could record an out in the third.
He allowed four runs and five hits, walked three and struck out one.
Ohlendorf was trying to throw inside more often against left-handed batters, but struggled with his fastball command.
"I threw more balls than I'd like when I went inside,'' he said. "The main problem was, I was leaving the fastball up in the zone, both for balls and for hittable pitches. And I gave up some two-strike hits.''
The right-hander has made three appearances this spring but only worked 6 2-3 innings, allowing six runs and 10 hits.
"My arm feels great and my stuff is good,'' Ohlendorf said. "I'm encouraged by that. I would've liked the results today to have been better, but the results aren't necessarily (what's in) the box score. It might be how hard they hit the ball, and most of the hits I gave up weren't hit that hard.''
Lyle Overbay hit a solo homer for Pittsburgh, his third in 26 at-bats this spring.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
