CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Justin Masterson was in a far better mood than most pitchers with his stat line.
Cord Phelps hit a three-run homer, Ryan Howard and Jordan Danks also connected, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox 11-4 Sunday.
Masterson allowed six runs and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings for the Red Sox. The right-hander had given up only one hit in five innings before this start.
“I enjoyed this outing,” Masterson said. “It was my best outing this spring as far as getting work in like you’re supposed to in spring training.”
Masterson split last year between Cleveland and St. Louis before signing a $9.5 million, one-year deal to return to Boston. He’s coming off an injury-plagued season in which he was a combined 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA. Masterson was an All-Star in 2013.
“Last year, I sliced and diced in spring training and my season wasn’t very good,” Masterson said. “The year before, everyone was hitting homers off me and I did great. So, it just means I’m working, going through some stuff. Honestly, I was excited about the way things progressed.”
Odubel Herrara had three hits for Philadelphia, and Howard, Freddy Galvis, Chase Utley and Maikel Franco each had two hits.
Daniel Nava hit a two-run homer for Boston.
Philadelphia’s Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez allowed two runs and three hits in three innings.
Nava put the Red Sox up 2-0 in the first, driving a ball completely out of the park beyond the right-field fence.
Howard ripped an RBI double on a 1-2 pitch in the bottom half, and Carlos Ruiz followed with an RBI single off the right-field wall.
Danks hit a solo shot to right-center for a 3-2 lead, and Phelps chased Masterson with his drive.
“He put a good swing on it. I hope it helps him make the team,” Masterson joked about his buddy. “That doesn’t upset me. I didn’t groove it. He took it out.”
Howard hit his second homer in three days off lefty Wade Miley in the sixth.
“It’s still all a work in progress and just trying to continue to work out the kinks and get (at-bats) together and continue to try and mount it up and get it ready for April,” Howard said. “I had some good at-bats. I felt like I got in front of some balls, but all in all, still in great position.”
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