Jays reach Hernandez for some runs

By ROGER MOONEY
rmooney@bradenton.com
DUNEDIN — Rays pitcher Carlos Hernandez finally allowed an earned run when the Blue Jays reached him for three runs in the third inning of their 3-1 win against the Rays on Friday in front of a record crowd of 5,691 at Dunedin Stadium.

Hernandez, whose streak of not allowing an earned run reached 10 on Friday, walked the first two batters he faced in the third inning then allowed a two-run double to Brad Emaus. Consecutive singles by Adam Lind and Kevin Millar produced the final run of the game.

“He had good velocity,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “He just lost his feel for the strike zone. But otherwise I thought he did well.”

Hernandez regrouped and got Scott Rolen to pop up to the infield. Lind was picked off second by catcher Shawn Riggans. Jason Lane flied out to third to end the inning.

The Jays went 1-2-3 in the fourth.

Hernandez’s line for the day was four innings, four hits, three runs, three walks and two strikeouts.

“He continued to pitch well,” Maddon said. “He throws strikes and gets people out.”

Hernandez is considered a longshot to make the team as the fifth pitcher in the rotation. To do that, he has to continue to throw strikes.

“I like his high fastball,” Maddon said. “What I’m seeing is when he gets ahead and is able to throw the ball down for strikes, he should get strikeouts. High fastballs, he’s got a rising fastball, and you saw a could of chase-swings. He got Jason Lane on that. That’s in there, but he has to establish that strike down to get swings up.”

Hammel rebounds
Roughed up in his last outing by the Red Sox, Jason Hammel responded with three shutout innings against the Jays.

“Much better command overall,” Maddon said. “I like the curve balls to the lefties. Overall a good job.”

Hammel, also in competition for that fifth spot in the rotation, had allowed four runs on four hits — two of them home runs — to the Red Sox during his last outing.

“I look at command, pitches down in the zone,” Maddon said. “He threw his pitches down in the zone. He threw his curve ball for a strike. Much more around the zone on a consistent basis, that’s what I’m looking for right now. In the point of the game that he pitched (the sixth, seventh and eighth innings), I’m just looking at the way he went about his business. The quality of his pitches looked pretty good.”

Check out this line
Brian Shouse allowed a hit in his lone inning Friday. He has allowed eight hits, all singles, in five innings this spring but has not allowed a run. Opponents are batting .381 against the left-handed sidewinder.

Call him ‘The Opener’
The next day for James Shields to pitch is Tuesday, which is the Rays scheduled day off. So Shields will pitch a minor league game.

Tuesday is also the first day of spring games for the minor leagues. That means Shields will pitch on three Opening Days — the Grapefruit League season, the minor league spring training season and Opening Day in Boston.

No word on whether he’ll help open a supermarket in Port Charlotte while he’s down there for spring training.

Joyce coming soon
Right fielder Matt Joyce, acquired from Detroit in the offseason trade for Edwin Jackson, is scheduled to be the designated hitter Thursday against the visiting Cardinals.

Joyce has been sidelined most of spring training because of tendinitis in his lower right leg.

NOTEWORTHY
Shawn Riggans broke up the no-hitter by Jays starter Brett Cecil when he singled to left field with two outs in the fourth inning. Reid Brignac followed with a ground ball that appeared headed through the infield and into right field, but the ball struck Riggans as the Rays catcher headed for second base. Riggans was ruled out, but Brignac was credited with the hit. The Rays infielder could use the rule book scoring on the play, too. He’s batting only .179 ... The Rays managed just eight hits against the Jays, all singles. Adam Kennedy scored the lone run on a fifth-inning single by Justin Ruggiano, who has moved up in the competition for the fifth outfielder’s spot when Fernando Perez dislocated his left wrist Tuesday ... The game ended when Elliot Johnson flew out to the warning track in left with runners on second and third and two outs.