BRADENTON, Fla. — Brandon Backe is hoping one wrong step won’t cost him a place in the Houston Astros’ rotation.
Backe threw two scoreless innings Sunday before leaving Houston’s 11-4 loss to Pittsburgh because of a strained side muscle.
Backe, trying to win a job in Houston’s rotation, was injured when his front foot slipped on the mound as he threw his last pitch of the first inning.
“Just a freak accident,” he said. “My landing foot slipped and my ribs pushed together.”
• Pirates outfielder Brandon Moss injured his right thumb when a ball bounced off his hand. He will be examined today in Pittsburgh.
Footnotes.
The Brewers’ Yovani Gallardo retired only two of the 10 batters he faced and Kansas City scored seven times off him in a 7-1 victory.
• The Brewers released reliever Eric Gagne so he can rehab his sore shoulder.
• Micah Owings pitched four scoreless innings, aiding his bid to become the Reds’ fifth starter, in Cincinnati’s 6-5 victory over Toronto.
• Javier Valentin hit a two-run homer and a double in Washington’s 8-3 victory over the New York Mets. Livan Hernandez allowed a run and four hits in three innings for New York.
• A.J. Burnett threw two scoreless innings in his spring debut and the Yankees beat the Tigers 12-3. • Justin Masterson struck out three in three scoreless innings and Boston beat Tampa Bay 8-2.
• Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein declined comment when asked about a Yahoo Sports report that left-hander Jon Lester had agreed to a $30 million, five- year extension.
The AP
