Twins’ Nathan leaves with arm injury

Posted Mar 6, 2010 by TBO.com

Updated Mar 6, 2010 at 07:46 PM

FORT MYERS — Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan left Saturday’s game with a right elbow problem before Tug Hulett’s three-run homer helped a Boston Red Sox split squad to a 9-3 win.

Nathan, who had surgery on the elbow in October after finishing second in the majors with 47 saves, is to be re-evaluated Sunday. He was removed in the third inning for precautionary reasons when he felt soreness and tightness in the elbow after walking two of his three batters.

John Lackey pitched two perfect innings in his first appearance for Boston since leaving the Angels as a free agent.

Rays 6, Red Sox (ss) 4

PORT CHARLOTTE -  Justin Ruggiano homered after Fernando Perez led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a triple.

Ben Zobrist and Kelly Shoppach hit their first home runs of the spring off Adam Mills in the fourth inning to put the Rays ahead, 4-3.

Blue Jays 9, Yankees 1

TAMPA - Shaun Marcum threw two scoreless innings in his first game against big leaguers since hurting his right elbow two years ago.

Yankees backup catcher Francisco Cervelli, who was in the lineup as designated hitter, left in the third with a concussion after being hit in the helmet by pitch from Zech Zinicola. Cervelli was able to walk off the field and was taken to a hospital for a CT scan, which was normal.

Marcum missed last season while recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery on Sept. 30, 2008.

New York starter A.J. Burnett gave up two runs and five hits in 1 2-3 innings.

Tigers 9, Orioles 5

LAKELAND - Detroit’s Justin Verlander pitched three innings and says he feels as if he’s in midseason form after allowing a hit and a run in three innings.

Orioles starter Kevin Millwood didn’t make it through the first inning, allowing seven his and six earned runs while getting just two outs. Millwood said he wasn’t concerned and that he was working on a new changeup.

Astros 3, Braves 0

KISSIMMEE - Roy Oswalt threw two rocky, yet scoreless innings in his spring debut. Oswalt walked three and loaded the bases in the first. He allowed just one hit and struck out two while throwing 44 pitches.

Outfield prospect Jason Heyward doubled in the fifth inning and has reached base at least once in all five of the Braves’ spring games. He’s now 4 for 10 with four walks.

Mets 14, Nationals 6

VIERA — Mike Pelfrey unveiled an effective split-finger fastball in his first spring start and Fernando Martinez had four hits and homered twice for the Mets.

Pelfrey allowed four runs — three earned — on seven hits in the first two innings he worked, finishing with a 1-2-3 third.

Left-hander John Lannan, the Nationals’ likely opening day starter April 5, gave up two runs, two hits and a walk in two innings of his first spring outing. He struck out two.

Marlins 6, Cardinals 5

JUPITER — Marlins ace Josh Johnson allowed two runs in two innings, his first outing since signing a $39 million, four-year contract.

Right-hander Kyle Lohse made his spring debut for the Cardinals and allowed one run on six hits in 2 2-3 innings.