Kendrick sharp despite loss

The Twins edged the Phillies, 2-1, on Saturday. Kyle Kendrick started for the Phillies and pitched well. He gave up 2 runs on 3 hits in the first inning, but 2 of the hits were bouncing balls that turned into hits for the Twins. Kyle pitched 4 more innings, giving up just 2 more hits, but the Phillies did not score until Eric Bruntlett homered in the 9th inning. I thought it was Kendrick's best outing so far this spring, walking 1 and striking out 4. Ryan Howard was 0 for 3, striking out twice.

Carlos Ruiz continues to get extra work by playing in the minor league games, picking up 3 hits and 2 RBI in his 6 at bats as the AAA IronPigs beat Toronto, 4-2. Michael Stutes (3 IP, 2 runs, 4 hits, 3 walks), Pat Overholt (2 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk) and Antonio Bastardo (1 IP, 1 walk, SAVE) pitched for the IronPigs.

Sergio Escalona started and threw 3 hitless innings in the AA game, striking out 3 and walking 2. Dan Brauer, Will Savage and Matt German each pitched for Reading in the 5-1 victory. Tim Kennelly homered, and the outfield of Berry, Brown and Taylor each got a hit. Tuffy Gosewisch and Fidel Hernandez also contributed hits.

In Dunedin, Houston beat Toronto, 9-7. Michael Bourn (.170) continues to struggle, 0 for 4 again. In Sarasota, Jason Jaramillo was 0 for 1 in the Pirates 6-5 win over the Reds. The Athletics played split squad games, sending Adrian Cardenas to Peoria with the team that lost to the Mariners, 8-5. Adrian was 0 for 3, with a walk.

In the World Baseball Classic, Korea scored 5 runs in the top of the first inning against Venezuela's Carlos Silva , and never looked back en route to a resounding 10-2 victory that puts them in the final against the winner of tonight's Japan v USA matchup. Shin-Soo Choo of the Indians had a 3-run homer in the first inning rally, and 22-year old Suk-Min Yoon threw 6.1 solid innings for the Koreans, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits and 1 walk, using 4 different pitches and essentially keeping the star-studded Venezuelan line up off balance all night. Victor Moreno was one of the more effective pitchers for Venezuela, recording 5 outs, giving up just 1 hit and 2 walks, no runs.