Halladay & Phillies Nip Yankees in Ninth of Exhibition Opener
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The much-heralded debut of newly-acquired Phillies ace Roy Halladay lived up to its billing as the Doc threw 2 hitless innings while striking out 3. The only Yankee to reach against Halladay in his two inning stint did so on a 1 out first inning error by new 3rd baseman Placido Polanco. With only 4 of the Phillies starting lineup getting game time in the opener, the score was knotted at goose-eggs until the Phils scored first in the seventh. The Yankees accosted young lefthanded reliever Sergio Escalona for 2 runs on 4 hits in the ninth, but the Phils broke through with 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to win. Halladay’s ace performance paid off in the exhibition opener as the Phillies nipped the Yankees in ninth by a 3-2 score.
As the 2010 exhibition games began, at least 2 and possibly 3 Phils starters showed well as lefthander J.A. Happ threw 35 pitches in allowing a hit and a walk in Wednesday’s exhibition warm-up 13-6 win over the Florida State college team. Top Phils prospect Phillippe Aumont got roughed up for 5 runs in relief of Happ in the Florida State game.
Kyle Kendrick, in the running for the fifth starter role, replaced Halladay in the third inning and added two more scoreless innings allowing only 1 hit while striking out 1. Relievers Jose Contreras and Andrew Carpenter both also pitched 2 scoreless innings each. Contreras gave up 2 hits, but struck out 3 while Carpenter struck out 2 in his stint. Phillies hurlers walked none while the Phils received 4 free passes by Yankee hurlers, 2 of them from starter and ace lefthander C.C. Sabathia who matched Halladay’s 2 scoreless innings but was not nearly as impressive.
After Halladay’s two inning stint, the AP recap for Yahoo sports notes that he went to the bullpen where he threw another dozen pitches and then finished up with a “a rigorous, 90-minute workout.”
After the Yanks reached Escalona to take a 2-1 lead in the ninth, the Phils came back with 2 runs to win the game making a winner out of Escalona who otherwise would have notched a blown save and a loss.
The AP recap notes:
Halladay is slated to start again Tuesday night when the Phillies travel to Lake Buena Vista to take on the Atlanta Braves.
Cole Hamels is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut Friday afternoon in Dunedin when the Phils take on the Toronto Blue Jays. Jamie Moyer, who underwent three different offseason surgeries, is on tap to start in the “B” game in Clearwater Friday morning
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