FORT MYERS, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays prized left-hander David Price, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, left Wednesday's game against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the second inning after being hit on the right hand by the barrel of a shattered bat.
With no outs and Kevin Youkilis on first base for the Red Sox, Adrian Beltre's bat splintered on a pitch from Price. The barrel headed toward the mound, where price deflected it with his non-pitching arm.
Price walked off the field with a towel wrapped around his right hand. According to team spokesman Rick Vaughn, Price had an abrasion on his right thumb and will not need stitches.
The Rays held a 1-0 lead at the time, but Youkilis and Beltre eventually scored in the inning, both runs being charged to Price.
Lee debuts with solid start for Mariners
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Cliff Lee accomplished his primary objective in his delayed spring debut, then began to work on the rest of his repertoire.
The Seattle Mariners' prized offseason acquisition threw 36 of 46 pitches for strikes over three solid innings in a 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
'I want to locate fastballs, that's the No. 1 thing for me right now. So I tried to do that more than anything," Lee said. 'I was pleased with where that was at, so I was able to use more pitches than I anticipated."
Lee gave up a run and five singles, struck out one and walked one. The left-hander benefited from two double plays.
'I'm glad he's on our team," manager Don Wakamatsu said. 'It's nice to have a guy that understands how to pitch out of some jams a little bit, a guy that doesn't lose his composure, that's been to the World Series, won a Cy Young. … We're hoping the influence is even more for these other guys to learn from."
Greinke throws three more scoreless innings
TUCSON, Ariz. — Kansas City's Zack Greinke threw three innings to extend his spring scoreless streak to six.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner allowed one hit, walked one and struck out two. He remains on schedule to start opening day April 5 against the Detroit Tigers.
Mattingly's managerial debut includes gaffe
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Don Mattingly's first day as Dodgers interim manager featured a humorous gaffe.
Los Angeles batted out of order but Andre Ethier took advantage of the mix-up, leading off the fourth inning with his first spring homer in a 4-4 tie with Arizona.
Ethier came to the plate twice in a span of three Dodgers batters. Crew chief Mike Winters wanted Ethier to hit behind Matt Kemp to adhere to the lineup card the Dodgers submitted to the umpires before the game.
Ethier went deep during the second of those at-bats.
Dodgers bench coach Bob Schaefer filled out the lineup cards, but the one posted in the dugout listed Ethier batting before Kemp.
Mattingly is running the team while manager Joe Torre is with a split squad for three exhibition games in Taiwan.
Kyle Drabek shuts out Phillies for two innings
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Kyle Drabek, acquired from Philadelphia in the Roy Halladay trade, pitched two shutout innings in Toronto's 4-2 loss to the Phillies.
Phillies starter Cole Hamels, after three perfect innings, gave up a first-pitch home run to Jose Bautista in the bottom of the fourth.
