Porcello hit by ground ball
Cy Young winner pulled after yielding home run, double.
Rei g ni ng AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello was struck on the pitching hand by Yoenis Cespedes’ fourth-inning grounder during his start Wednesday for the Boston Red Sox against a New York Mets split squad in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
T h e 2 8 -ye a r - o l d r i g h t - hander tried to finish the inning but left after giving up a home run to Jay Bruce and a double to Lucas Duda.
“I t ’s f i n e r i g h t n o w, ” Porcello said. “It happens quickly, so you’re just trying to get the sting out of it. I was able to throw a couple of pitches, and the second warmup pitch I was able to get down in the zone, and didn’t think it would affect me making pitches.”
Making his second exhibition outing, Porcello gave up a run in the third when Curtis Gr a n d e r s o n c a me h o me from third as Neil Walker was caught stealing second. Porcello struck out Tim Tebow looking with a 92 mph fastball in the third in the former NFL quarterback’s first spring training at-bat.
“I felt really good,” Porcello said. “The ball was coming out of my hand a lot better. I’ve got a couple of mechanical things I’m still battling.”
Meanwhile, Tebow had a rough first game for New York. He struck out twice, grounded into a double play, was hit by a pitch and trapped off first base while batting eighth.
Tebow came up with the bases loaded and bounced into a double play against Noe Ramirez. A run scored on the grounder, but Tebow didn’t get credit for an RBI.
His third time up, Tebow was plunked in the r ight shoulder by a pitch and got doubled off first base on a line drive. Tebow struck out in his last try.
The 29-year-old Tebow won the 2007 Heisman Trophy at Florida. He signed a minor league contract with the Mets last fall and is in camp this year as an outfielder.
Royals: Kansas City reassigned prospect Josh Staumont to minor league camp and optioned Kyle Zimmer to Double-A Northwest Arkansas, meaning neither of the young pitchers will make the team out of spring training.
World Classic
Netherlands 6, Taiwan 4: Jurickson Profar drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning in Tokyo as the Netherlands improved to 2-0 in Pool A and advanced to the second round along with Israel (also 2-0). South Korea and Taiwan failed to advance.
Japan 3, Australia 1: Japan improved to 2-0 in Pool B at Tokyo Dome as Sho Nakata hit a solo home run in the seventh inning and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo added a two-run homer in the eighth.
Cuba 6, China 0: Roel Santos hit a two-run triple as Cuba scored four runs in the fourth inning in Tokyo.