DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — The knuckleball fraternity was in full force for Monday’s game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox.
NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey gave up two runs and four hits in his Toronto spring training debut, while fellow knuckleballer Steven Wright pitched two scoreless innings for a Boston split squad in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays.
Wright, a minor leaguer, gave up two hits and struck out three. Former Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who is working with Wright, was at the game.
The Red Sox scored twice in the first on Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s single and Dickey’s wild pitch. The right-hander gave up a second-inning single to Mitch Maier, but also induced an inning-ending double play from Pedro Ciriaco.
Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. had three hits and an RBI.
Rays, 6-3
At Port Charlotte, Fla., Dustin Pedroia homered in the first inning off right-hander Alex Cobb and newly acquired Mike Carp had a RBI double in his debut for the Red Sox.
Alfredo Aceves started and worked two innings for Boston, allowing a two-run double to Yunel Escobar. He was the Red Sox primary closer in 2012 and expects to get one more outing this spring before leaving camp to represent Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
“I’m feeling pretty strong,” Aceves said after throwing 29 pitches. “I missed a couple of pitches and walked two, but I felt good out there.”
Carp was obtained in a trade from Seattle last week. He doubled off Cobb to drive in a run in the second inning, then took a third called strike against Cesar Ramos in the fifth
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