KISSIMMEE, Fla. — For Cliff Lee, it is time to clear out of Florida.
The Philadelphia left hander made his final exhibition start Sunday, allowing one run over four innings as the Phillies and Atlanta Braves played to a 7-7 tie.
The game was called after nine innings.
Lee, set to pitch Saturday at Pittsburgh in the Phillies’ second regular season game, allowed five hits and walked one.
“I am ready to go,” Lee said. “I started a little stiff but it’s been a long spring and I am just ready for the season.”
Lee (Benton, Arkansas Razorbacks) went 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA for the Phillies last season. He showed consistency in spring training, finishing with a 2.45 ERA.
Roy Halladay will pitch the opener for Philadelphia, and Lee has no problem watching from the bench.
“It doesn’t matter to me where I start in this rotation,” Lee said. “I am not looking at it as any kind of competition. I am out there to attack.”
Julio Teheran, trying to win the final spot in Atlanta’s rotation, saw his spring ERA climb to 9.37 after giving up four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.
RAYS 8, ORIOLES 5
Desmond Jennings hit three home runs, including a grand slam, to lead Tampa Bay to a victory over Baltimore in Sarastota, Fla. Jennings finished with six RBI.
PIRATES 3, BLUE JAYS 1
Nate McLouth and Matt Hague hit home runs and Pittsburgh beat Toronto in Dunedin, Fla. Toronto starter Brandon Morrow allowed 2 hits in 4 innings and struck out 4. Jeff Karstens allowed 1 run and 4 hits in 4 innings for the Pirates.
TIGERS (SS) 4, ASTROS 2
Jhonny Peralta drove in three runs with a home run and a double and a Detroit split squad earned a victory against Houston in Lakeland, Fla.
NATIONALS 2, CARDINALS 1
Mark DeRosa singled to right field in the ninth inning, scoring Danny Espinosa on a close play at the plate and lifting Washington to a victory over St. Louis in Jupiter, Fla. Jaime Garcia cruised through the first 5 2/3 innings for St. Louis, allowing only four hits. Danny Espinoza hit a home run for the Nationals and Gio Gonzalez allowed 1 run on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 7in 5 innings.
TIGERS (SS) 9, METS 2
New York Mets starter R.A. Dickey needed two stitches in his right heel after being spiked Sunday in a loss to a split squad of Detroit Tigers in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Dickey was covering first base when Corey Jones stepped on him in the third inning. Dickey stayed in the game and left after the fourth, allowing one run and three hits. Prince Fielder hit a long home run, his third of the spring for the Tigers.
YANKEES 10, MARLINS 8
Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher each had two hits, Robinson Cano drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat Miami in the first exhibition between major league clubs at Marlins Park in Miami. CC Sabathia tuned up for Friday’s opening day start at Tampa Bay, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs in 4 innings. Giancarlo Stanton had two hits and two RBI and Gaby Sanchez hit a home run for the Marlins.
RED SOX 5, TWINS 1
Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez each went 2 for 4 with a double and Boston earned a victory over Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla. Before the game, Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine announced the final two starters for his rotation - left hander Felix Doubront and right-hander Daniel Bard.
CUBS 8, ANGELS 1
Darwin Barney hit an RBI triple off Jered Weaver that broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Angels 8 in Tempe, Ariz. Weaver, expected to start on opening day against Kansas City, left after the sixth. Jeff Baker added a three-run home run off Angels reliever Jason Isringhausen in the eighth. Cubs left-hander Chris Rusin worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked none and struck out three.
BREWERS 7, GIANTS 4
Yovani Gallardo outlasted Tim Lincecum in a matchup of opening day starters and Milwaukee beat San Francisco in Phoenix. Gallardo, slated to start at home against World Series champion St. Louis on Friday, pitched 5 2/3 innings. He allowed 4 runs and 8 hits while walking 1 and striking out 7. Lincecum, who will pitch at Arizona on Friday, gave up 6 runs and 8 hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
WHITE SOX 13, REDS 10
Jake Peavy pitched four shaky innings and Paul Konerko had three hits for the Chicago White Sox in a victory over Cincinnati in Goodyear, Ariz. Peavy allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 1 walk. Konerko had an RBI double and two singles.
MARINERS 6, ROYALS 4
Miguel Olivo and Kyle Seager hit consecutive home runs during a six-run sixth inning and Seattle rallied past Kansas City in Peoria, Ariz. Mike Moustakas hit a home run and doubled for the Royals.
RANGERS 5, PADRES 3
Colby Lewis tuned up to start on opening day, pitching four innings as Texas beat San Diego in Surprise, Ariz. Lewis allowed two runs and four hits. He’ll pitch Friday at home against the Chicago White Sox. Closer Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless ninth for Texas. Adrian Beltre hit an RBI double and David Murphy added a two run single for Texas. San Diego starter Cory Luebke struggled for the second consecutive start, giving up all 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 2 innings.
INDIANS 12, ROCKIES 10
Cleveland pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez plunked former teammate Troy Tulowitzki in the elbow during an exhibition game in Scottsdale, Ariz., causing the Indians and Colorado to clear the benches. Tulowitzki and Jimenez were held back from getting at each other. The Rockies shortstop was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays on his left elbow, which were negative. There were no punches or ejections.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, DODGERS 2
Chris Young hit his fourth home run of the spring and Daniel Hudson allowed one hit in five innings to lead Arizona past the Los Angeles Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz.
Spring training SUNDAY’S GAMES Detroit (ss) 4, Houston 2 Tampa Bay 8, Baltimore 5 Atlanta 7, Philadelphia 7, tie Washington 2, St. Louis 1 Pittsburgh 3, Toronto 1 N.Y. Yankees 10, Miami 8 Detroit (ss) 9, N.Y. Mets 2 Boston 5, Minnesota 1 Arizona 6, L.A. Dodgers 2 Texas 5, San Diego 3 Chicago Cubs 8, L.A. Angels 1 Chicago White Sox 13, Cincinnati 10 Milwaukee 7, San Francisco 4 Seattle 6, Kansas City 4 Cleveland 12, Colorado 10
Sports, Pages 15 on 04/02/2012