LAKELAND, Fla. — Daisuke Matsuzaka emerged from a spring-training slump, throwing five shutout innings Tuesday to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 in 10 innings.

Matsuzaka entered with an 11.42 ERA in three games this spring, but allowed only two hits and struck out five against the Tigers. Darnell McDonald homered in the 10th to win it for the Red Sox.

“I was placing my pitches today,” Matsuzaka said through his translator. “I was able to throw strikes. That’s all I need to do.”

Jacoby Ellsbury also went deep for Boston.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera hit his second homer of the spring and boosted his average to .306 after a slow start. Justin Verlander pitched 51/3 innings and allowed an earned run that raised his spring ERA to 1.20. He struck out five and walked none.

 

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ATHLETICS: Closer Andrew Bailey has a strained forearm, relief to a team that feared he had a serious elbow injury.

Bailey will resume throwing once the discomfort subsides.

 

NATIONALS: Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Ivan Rodriguez were scratched from the lineup with injuries that likely will sideline them for four or five days.

Rodriguez tweaked his left calf while working out before the game. Zimmerman was pulled because of tightness in his right groin.

 

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CARDINALS: Pitcher Chris Carpenter is set to return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a couple weeks.

Carpenter left his March 1 spring debut in the third inning with a left hamstring strain. He’s scheduled to make his second spring start today against Detroit in Lakeland, Fla.

Pitcher Ian Snell decided to retire at age 29 after St. Louis optioned him to the minors.

 

PHILLIES: Third baseman Placido Polanco re-injured his surgically repaired left elbow in the first inning against Toronto.

Polanco hyperextended his elbow on a swing in his only plate appearance. He stayed in to play defense in the bottom half of the inning, but was replaced by Wilson Valdez when the second inning began.

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ORIOLES: Second baseman Brian Roberts said his ailing back feels much better, and pitcher Justin Duchscherer learned there’s no structural damage to his bothersome left hip.

Roberts was sidelined with back spasms, a worrisome injury because he missed significant time last season with a herniated disk. An MRI didn’t reveal anything new, and he intends to begin a progression he hopes will allow him to start the April 1 opener against Tampa Bay.

 

YANKEES: Reliever Joba Chamberlain underwent an MRI exam for a strained muscle near the rib cage.

Manager Joe Girardi said doctors were examining the results of Monday’s test on the left side of his upper body. He said Chamberlain won’t pitch for at least the next few days.

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TIGERS: Manager Jim Leyland said second baseman Carlos Guillen and reliever Joel Zumaya will stay in Florida to continue their rehab work.

Guillen is still recovering from a deep bruise on his left knee that ended his season last August. He hasn’t played in any spring games this spring.

 

ANGELS: Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells homered on consecutive pitches to start the fourth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels went deep four times in a 9-6 victory against San Diego at Peoria, Ariz.

 

INDIANS: Outfielder Grady Sizemore passed another running test and might be in the lineup by Sunday.

Sizemore ran the bases for the second time in three days, 10 months after having microfracture surgery on his left knee.

 


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