– The Associated Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. – James Shields was solid for 52/3 innings and Evan Longoria hit two of Tampa Bay’s seven home runs Monday in an 11-9 win over a split squad of Boston Red Sox.

Shields recently was picked by Rays Manager Joe Maddon to start on opening day for the third straight year. The right-hander gave up one run and five hits.

“I liked Shields a lot,” Maddon said.

“He attacked the strike zone. Pitched primarily with his fastball but mixed some other things in. I like the fastball and his aggressive nature was very good.”

Kelly Shoppach also homered twice for Tampa Bay and drove in four runs.

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Ben Zobrist, Sean Rodriguez and Hank Blalock also homered for the Rays.

Mike Cameron had two hits for Boston and is batting .423 this spring. He doubled off Shields and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s sacrifice fly.

Boof Bonser was hit hard in his first start for the Red Sox, giving up five runs and six hits in two-plus innings. Junichi Tazawa gave up three home runs, and Scott Atchison and Joe Nelson surrendered one each.

The Red Sox scored eight runs in the last three innings. Ray Chang hit a three-run homer in the seventh off Winston Abreu.

n At Jupiter, Fla., a Red Sox lineup that included only two players with significant major league experience — shortstop Bill Hall and outfielder Jeremy Hermida — tagged Brad Penny for seven runs and 10 hits in five innings, but St. Louis rallied for a 13-8 win.

Albert Pujols was scratched from the Cardinals’ lineup because of back tightness. The three-time NL MVP got an anti-inflammatory shot and is expected to be out of action for the next couple days.

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n Red Sox right-hander John Lackey started a minor league intrasquad game, going five innings and giving up one run and three hits.

He struck out seven. Left-hander Alan Embree, who recently signed a minor league contract, is scheduled to pitch in a minor league game on Wednesday.

TRADE: Former Portland Sea Dogs catcher Matt Treanor was traded from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Texas Rangers for infielder Ray Olmedo.

Treanor, 34, was competing with another former Sea Dog, George Kottaras, for the backup spot behind Gregg Zaun.

Olmedo, 27, hasn’t been in the major leagues since 2007 with Toronto.

DODGERS: Manager Joe Torre is suspending talks on a contract extension, saying he doesn’t want it to become a distraction with opening day so soon.

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When spring training began, the 69-year-old Torre confirmed he was interested in adding another year to his current three-year deal that expires at the end of this season.

n Former Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne has been granted his release.

Dodgers spokesman Joe Jareck said Gagne asked for his release Sunday, six days after he was reassigned to minor league camp.

BLUE JAYS: Manager Cito Gaston picked right-hander Shaun Marcum to be Toronto’s opening day starter.

Marcum missed half of the 2008 season and all of 2009 recovering from elbow surgery. In two starts covering five shutout innings this spring, he has allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four.

REDS: Rookie left-hander Aroldis Chapman had his outing cut short by a stiff lower back.

Chapman was scheduled to pitch four innings in relief of Bronson Arroyo, but left after retiring five batters. He was charged with four unearned runs, two hits and two walks.


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