JUPITER, Fla. (AP) – Jason Bay was the only regular in Boston’s lineup, joined by players who likely will start the season at Triple-A Pawtucket.

Still, the Red Sox eked out a soggy 4-3 victory over the Florida Marlins on Saturday, getting the go-ahead run when Ryan Kalish stole third base in the eighth inning and scored on catcher Mike Rabelo’s throwing error.

On an afternoon when the game began after a 2-hours, 39-minute rain delay, play was called because of more rain in the bottom of the eighth with two on and no outs.

Former Red Sox prospect Anibal Sanchez retired his first 14 batters. He wound up allowing three runs – two earned – and five hits in 5 2-3 innings, throwing 63 of 89 pitches for strikes.

“I’m real pleased,” Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Boy, he pounded the strike zone.”

Florida acquired Sanchez along with shortstop Hanley Ramirez in November 2005 as part of the trade that sent Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell to Boston.

“I have a job to do whether it’s Boston or another team I want to go to the mound and get outs. Anyway, that’s not the team we’re going to face in Boston this year,” Sanchez said. “I threw a lot of pitches but I’m OK. My command today was great. I’m working more on my command.”

Ramirez returned to the lineup after missing a week and went 0-for-2 with a third-inning sacrifice fly. He aggravated a shoulder injury while playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Ramirez also made a throwing error that allowed the Red Sox to tie the score 1-1 in the fifth.

Red Sox starter Michael Bowden allowed one run and three hits in three innings, throwing 60 pitches.

“He didn’t really command his breaking ball real well,” manager Terry Francona said. “He threw some good changeups and he was still getting some swings and misses on his fastballs. But some deep counts led to 60 pitches in three innings.”

Bowden said it was difficult to prepare on a rainy afternoon.

“I prepared like I normally would, I just had to do it three times,” he said. “I like to say I was three times more prepared than normal, but I don’t know. I felt a little rushed out there, I couldn’t get in a good rhythm, but I was facing a good lineup.”

Boston took a 3-1 lead in the sixth on George Kottaras’ RBI groundout and Nick Green’s run-scoring single. The Marlins tied the score in the seventh on Brett Carroll’s RBI double and Michael Ryan’s run-scoring groundout.

Notes: Red Sox RF J.D. Drew has a bruise on the bottom of his right hand after being hit Friday by a pitch from Pirates LHP Donnie Veal. Drew received treatment in Fort Myers on Saturday but did not hit. … Boston 1B Kevin Youkilis took some ground balls and hit in Fort Myers. Youkilis returned to the team from the WBC this week because of a mild ankle sprain and Achilles tendinitis. … Boston RHP Justin Masterson allowed two runs – one earned – and one hit in four innings against Tampa Bay’s Triple-A farm team. Masterson struck out five, walked on and threw 49 of 65 pitches for strikes. In the first, he allowed a leadoff homer to Sergio Pedroza. “At first, it was just ball, ball, ball. it wasn’t real good,” Masterson said. “I was flying open, and once we started closing it off, especially the last two innings, it was just exactly what I wanted. The ball was dropping, changeup was looking good, and then some real hard sliders.”

His outing was his last planned start this spring as he prepares to work out of the bullpen.


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