WBC ready for full throttle!

Tuesday's action included 8 games against WBC teams preparing to join the fray in the tournament.  First up was the Phillies against the Domincan Republic.  The DR team jumped on Cole Hamels and the rest of the Philies staff for 15 runs on 28 hits in a 15-2 pounding in Clearwater.  Hamels started and allowed 8 runs on 12 hits in just 2.2 innings of work.  Later Jonathan Pettibone allowed 4 runs on 9 hits in his 2.2 innings.   The Phillies offense picked up 9 hits, Freddy Galvis' 1 for 4 the only HomeSide hit as Ryan Howard (0 for 3), Domonic Brown (0 for 3), Darin Ruf (0 for 4), and Cameron Rupp (0 for 2) combined for an 0 for 12.  Alfredo Simon threw a scorless inning for the DR, and the Phillies lent the visitors a few pitchers to get them some work.  Juan Sosa, Edgar Garcia (back in Phillies camp), and Mike Cisco all threw against the Phillies!

In Bradenton, the Pirates had no such trouble with Spain, taking a 10-0 decision.  Jesus Merchan was 0 for 2 for Spain, and Mike Zagurski tossed a scoreless 9th inning for the Pirates.  In Fort Myers, the Red Sox defeated Puerto Rico, 4-3, and over in Jupiter, the Marlins edged Venezuela, 6-5........Out in Arizona, Canada took a 7-4 game from Milwaukee, with Scott Mathieson throwing 1.1 innings for Canada amd retiring all 4 hitters he faced.........The USA played a 4-4 draw with the White Sox, Gavin Floyd tossing 2.2 scoreless innings for Chicago, allowing 2 hits and 1 walk, striking out 3...........The Athletics took a 4-3 win from team Italy, with D'Arby Myers making an appearance for Oakland, going 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter and Jack Santora, who played 17 games for Lakewood in 2003, was 0 for 1 for Italy..........Mexico edged the Diamondbacks, 1-0, Tuffy Gosewisch going 0 for 1 for Arizona.

In Dunedin, Anthony Gose had 2 walks, a stolen base and scored 2 runs for Toronto, as the Blue Jays played a 6-6 tie with Baltimore.  Jay Happ started and threw 3 innings for the Jays, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, NO walks............The Nationals beat the Astros, 7-1.  Sergio Escalona got the final 2 outs for Houston. striking out 1........Jason Donald had a walk in 2 plate appearances for the Reds in their 6-4 loss to the Angels..............Michael Bourn and Lou Marson had a hit each for the Indians, Bourn stealing his first base, as Cleveland beat the Giants, 4-3.