Garza finally gets dented

Posted Mar 18, 2008 by Marc Lancaster

Updated Mar 18, 2008 at 01:38 PM

CLEARWATER—Matt Garza hadn’t allowed a run and had surrendered just five hits over 7 2/3 innings in his previous two starts against the Yankees and Red Sox, but the Phillies finally got to him a bit in the fourth inning.

Garza allowed an unearned run in the first, thanks to his own throwing error—I still don’t understand why pitchers’ errors that lead to runs aren’t considered earned—but didn’t give up a hit through the first three innings. With one out in the fourth, though, Pat Burrell singled to left and Geoff Jenkins followed by crushing a Garza offering onto the berm beyond the right-field fence. That made it 3-0 Phillies, but Garza recovered to retire the next two batters.

On the other side, it should be noted that Phillies starter Cole Hamels has a perfect game through four innings. He struck out the side in the third.

Updating, 2:08 And there goes the perfect game, with two out in the fifth. Naturally, it was Evan Longoria getting it done in one swing by homering to left on an 0-2 pitch to cut the lead to 3-1. That’s Longoria’s third homer of the spring, but if I had to guess right now I’d still say he’s going down to open the season.

Updating, 2:20 The Phillies got that run back in the fifth when Jimmy Rollins doubled to center and kicked the ball out of Brignac’s glove at second base, allowing him to advance to third on an E6. He came home on a Victorino sac fly for a 4-1 Phillies lead.

Updating, 2:35 Garza becomes the first Rays pitcher to complete six innings this spring with a nice assist from Longoria. After a one-out walk to Jenkins in the sixth, Longoria went to his left to snare a hard grounder off the bat of Pedro Feliz, starting a 5-4-3 double play from his knees.