Phillies Drop Second Game of Spring Training to Rays, 7-2
By John Town
Maikel Franco ripped his third home run of the spring but the Phillies lost their second game in spring training 7-2 to the Rays.
After splitting their series with the Yankees and beating the Blue Jays Sunday, the Phillies lost their second game this spring game by a 7-2 margin to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays struck first in the opening inning as they scored a run on a double play. Maikel Franco tied up the game in the bottom of the first with a two-out RBI single of Rays youngster Blake Snell. The Phils had the chance to take the lead with runners on the corners, but Rhys Hoskins lined out to end the inning.
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Jerad Eickhoff made his first appearance of the spring as he went two innings, allowing one run one hit and one walk while striking out two. It wasn’t the best start to the spring for the righty, but there’s still a long way to go before the season really begins.
Luis Garica took the mound after Eickhoff in the third, and his second spring outing wasn’t any better than the first.
He gave up a two-run double to Rays prospect Casey Gillaspie putting Philadelphia behind 3-1. In one inning, Garcia gave up two runs, two hits, and a walk while getting just one strikeout.
Prospect Drew Anderson threw a scoreless fourth, and Franco closed the deficit to one run with a monster solo home run in the bottom of the inning. It was his third home run of the spring in just his second game.
Anderson couldn’t repeat his scoreless fourth as Corey Dickerson launched a two-run home run in the fifth. Shane Peterson hit another two-run home run in the sixth to extend Tampa’s lead to 7-2.
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Hoskins started the game at first base but Andrew Knapp came on to relieve him in the sixth inning. We should see more of Knapp at first base this spring as he looks to build his versatility.
Sean Burnett, Colton Murray, and Pedro Beato combined to shut out the Rays in the last three innings of the game. Murray and Beato each struck out two batters in their inning.
In the bottom of the ninth Knapp made it to second base on an error and J.P. Crawford walked to put runners on second and first base with one out.
However, Jorge Alfaro struck out and Andrew Pullin popped out to end the inning without any runs scored.
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Philadelphia will stay in Clearwater Tuesday as the Baltimore Orioles come to visit. Clay Buchholz will make his first appearance of the spring as the Phils’ starter.