PORT CHARLOTTE - The Rays set two franchise spring training attendance records in their 5-0 victory over the New York Yankees.

The sellout crowd of 7,621 at Charlotte Sports was a record for the facility and pushed the Rays season home attendance mark to 83,274, the most ever for one spring season.

It was their sixth sellout of the spring at Charlotte Sports Park.
Rough day for Hammel leaves door open
Jason Hammel issued five walks in the http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/23/hammel-stumbles-bid-secure-rotation-spot/sports-rays/  target=”_top”>Rays’ 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

With the days counting down to the Rays’ decision on who will hold down the back end of the starting rotation to open the season, this was not what Hammel needed. His main competitor, Jeff Niemann, was coming off a brutal relief outing in his most recent appearance and Hammel had a chance to leave a positive impression that might be enough to put him over the top.
It didn’t work out that way at all, as he allowed a total of 11 men to reach base in his four frames and surrendered four runs.
Pittsburgh’s Zach Duke pitched five shutout innings and Jack Wilson’s two doubles led to a pair of two-run innings
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Duke gave the Pirates their second strong start in three days, following up Paul Maholm’s six shutout innings against Cincinnati on Saturday by limiting Tampa Bay to two hits — lowering his ERA to 1.83. Duke has allowed only three earned runs in 18 2-3 innings in his last five starts.

Phillies option Kendrick to minor league camp
The Phillies have optioned pitcher Kyle Kendrick to their minor league camp, cutting the candidates for the final spot in the rotation to three.

Kendrick has won 21 games for the Phillies since June of 2007. He was competing for the fifth-starter spot with veteran Chan Ho Park, rookie J.A. Happ and top prospect Carlos Carrasco. The move was announced Monday.

Kendrick struggled in the second half of last season and was 1-3 with a 9.20 ERA in four Grapefruit League games this spring.

Penny makes first start for Red Sox, Schilling Retires
FORT MYERS - Brad Penny pitched three hitless innings in his spring training debut, and the http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/23/penny-makes-first-start-red-sox/  target=”_top”>Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 7-6 on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Red Sox ace Curt Schilling announced his retirement after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury. Penny is coming back from shoulder trouble that limited him to 19 starts with the Los Angeles Daodgers last year.

Penny was scratched from a scheduled March 4 start against Puerto Rico.

Mike Lowell, Jason Bay, Chris Carter, and Ivan Ochoa hit consecutive homers to left field off Brandon Lyons in the sixth inning for Boston.

The Tigers scored three runs in the eighth inning, ending a streak of 17 scoreless innings.

Gonzalez hurt in 3-0 win over Jays
SARASOTA - Cincinnati Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez is hurt again.

Gonzalez strained his right hamstring beating out an infield hit in the second inning of ahttp://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/23/gonzalex-hurt-reds-victory-over-jays/  target=”_top”> 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. He left the game to get treatment.

Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez allowed four hits, walked two and struck out five in five innings. The 17-game winner last season has pitched 14 innings this spring without allowing an earned run. He gave up three unearned runs against the Netherlands while pitching for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Girardi: A-Rod making progress in rehab
TAMPA - Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is making progress in his rehab program after right hip surgery, but is unlikely to rejoin the team before New York breaks spring training camp on April 1.

“I’m not anticipating it,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Monday. “It’s only 10 days. His rehab is going well.”

Rodriguez had surgery on March 9. He is rehabbing in Vail, Colo., and is expected to be out until May. He has been riding a stationary bike, working out in a pool and doing range of motion drills.

AP Wires were used in this report