Halladay, Phelps lead Jays over Reds
Mar. 5, 2003. 05:25 PM DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Roy Halladay pitched three perfect innings and Josh Phelps homered Thursday as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-3 in exhibition baseball action.
The win was the fifth straight for Toronto, the lone unbeaten team during spring training.
Phelps, who has been bothered by right knee problems, went 2-for-4 and homered in his first at-bat this spring.
"Some kid will get a souvenir at recess," Phelps said after his homer landed in the school yard behind the left-field fence. "It kind of made me giggle, being lucky in my first at-bat.
"But my main objective was to be pain free, and I was. It was no problem running the bases, especially when you get a jog."
Halladay didn't allow a ball out of the infield, throwing 21 of 31 pitches for strikes.
"He had a good fastball and slider," Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca said. "He threw the ball where he wanted to throw it."
Pete Walker allowed one run — Jason LaRue's homer — and three hits in three innings. Toronto closer Kelvim Escobar struggled in his first spring appearance, giving up two runs and three hits in one inning.
"He's a little bit behind (physically) because of the political situation in his country (Venezuela) because he couldn't get his work in," Tosca said. "He was just out there today to get his feet wet."
Loser Chris Reitsma gave up four runs and six hits in three innings.
Josh Dubois, taken by Toronto in the winter meeting draft, hit a three-run homer. The Blue Jays belted out 16 hits.
Jose Guillen had two of Cincinnati's seven hits.
NOTES — Toronto shortstop Chris Woodward (hamstring) is still a day or two away from appearing in a game, according to Tosca . . . Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin, who left Tuesday's game after being hit on the right elbow, will be examined by team physician Dr. Tim Kremchek and could play Thursday.