Santana back on mound, throws 2 good innings
PORT ST. LUCIE, fla. — Left-hander Johan Santana returned to the mound for his first game against major-league hitters in 18 months and pitched two scoreless innings Tuesday as a Mets split squad beat the Cardinals 8-6.
Santana walked his first batter on five pitches. But a single marked the only other runner against Santana, who threw 17-of-29 pitches for strikes.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner last pitched to big-league hitters Sept. 2, 2010, in a game in Atlanta. Two weeks later he underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder.
“Finally, I had an opportunity to go out there and finally get the first one out of the way,” Santana said. “… I was just focused on making sure I do the mechanics the right way and feeling good and not feeling anything in my arm, and that’s how I felt today. I felt good.”
Santana said the key for him now is to see how he feels over the next two days. He is scheduled to pitch again Sunday against the Marlins.
“That will be the key — the next couple of days, trying to throw my bullpen and see if I’ll be ready for my next start,” Santana said. “But, again, the way I feel right now, and the way I ended up the game today, it was good, so it’s a good sign. Hopefully we’ll be back on the mound in five games.”
Infielder Guillen retires •PEORIA, ariz. — Infielder Carlos Guillen, a three-time all-star, announced his retirement.
“It’s a tough decision for me, for my family, for everybody because I tried to come back,” said Guillen, who was at the Mariners’ spring training camp as a nonroster invitee.
Guillen, 36, hit .285 during his career with Seattle (1998-2003) and the Tigers (2004-11).
Ramirez homers for Marlins •MIAMI — Hanley Ramirez hit the first home run for the Marlins in their new ballpark, and their split squad beat the University of Miami 7-6.
“It’s a good feeling,” Ramirez said. “I can go home now with a good feeling.”
Ramirez homered into the first row of the right-field seats off Alexander Fernandez, the son of former Marlins pitcher Alex Fernandez.
Meanwhile, shortstop Jose Reyes was hitless in three at-bats in his spring debut for the Marlins in a 3-1 loss to the Tigers in Jupiter, Fla.
Footnotes. Gio Gonzalez pitched three scoreless innings in his Washington debut, leading the Nationals to a 5-2 victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
• Melky Cabrera homered from both sides of the plate in San Francisco’s 8-4 win over the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz.
• Former Fowler High School standout Luke Hochevar, the first player picked in the 2006 draft, worked two scoreless innings to lead the Royals’ split squad to a 7-4 victory over the Padres in Surprise, Ariz. The Associated Press
