DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Justin Germano has been down this road before. It’s a bumpy one and no one can ever be sure where it ends.
Germano, who’s played parts of six seasons in the majors, is in training camp this year with the Boston Red Sox as a non-roster invitee. He started and threw a pair of shutout innings Wednesday in a 3-all tie with Toronto.
The game was halted after nine innings because the split-squad Blue Jays were short on players. Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run single that put Toronto ahead 3-1 in the third, but shortstop Omar Vizquel’s throwing error on Juan Carlos Linares’ grounder with two outs in the fourth gave the Red Sox two runs.
Non-roster players don’t often make the 25- man roster in training camp, “but I made the (Cleveland Indians) last year as a non-roster invite, so I know it’s possible,” Germano said.
A spot starter with San Diego and Cincinnati in the past, the Indians converted him to a relief role.
“ If you go out there and make a good impression, anybody’s got a chance,” he said.
Germano could be among the four or five — or more — pitchers vying for the fifth spot in the Red Sox starting rotation or for a bullpen berth. The crowd of potential starters “is good for a person like me. I can do both,” he said.
Germano struggled a bit in the first inning when he gave up a leadoff single to Vizquel and hit Jose Bautista with a pitch. With runners on first and third and two outs Colby Rasmus grounded out. Germano set the side down in order in the second.
Toronto starter Brandon Morrow pitched one-hit ball for two innings. Facing an opponent for the first time “felt good, felt on time with my body and mechanics.”
Singles by Lars Anderson and Kelly Shoppach in the Boston fourth and a wild pitch by Francisco Cordero put runners on second and third with two outs. Vizquel fielded Linares’ grounder and threw low to first, the ball skipping past Encarnacion.
Ryan Sweeney’s sacrifice fly in the third inning gave Boston the early lead. Encarnacion’s two-run single put the Blue Jays ahead in the bottom half.
Notes — Josh Beckett will start today for Boston against St. Louis. … Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester pitched three scoreless innings in a “B” game against Minnesota. Boston won 4-1.
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