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Wins his first game of spring as Pirates top Red Sox, 10-4

Monday, March 17, 2003

By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Kris Benson has been on schedule to pitch on opening day, and Manager Lloyd McClendon said late last season that he would be hard-pressed not to have Benson at the top of his rotation. But now it's official. Benson will take the ball March 31 against the Reds in Cincinnati.

"He's it. He's my opening-day starter," McClendon said yesterday after Benson won his first spring training game as the Pirates downed the Boston Red Sox, 10-4.

After a shaky first inning, Benson settled down in the next four innings and limited the Red Sox to three runs and six hits, including a solo home run by Kevin Millar.

Benson corrected some mechanical flaws spotted by pitching coach Spin Williams. For the first time this spring, he felt like he was pitching with the same effectiveness he did late last season.

"I think this was a big jump for me," said Benson, whose final tuneups will come against the Yankees and the Twins. "I know I needed to have a good outing today, and I need to have two more good outings. I think this puts me in a good position to be where I need to be two weeks from now.

"The movement and the sharpness on my ball were back today. I probably threw my nastiest fastball all spring. Guys weren't taking as good a swing as they had been the last couple of games."

Benson was kept to a strict limit of 95 pitches last year because of his elbow surgery in 2001. While that number will increase by at least 20 pitches this year, McClendon still wants Benson to limit the number of throws by being more efficient.

"As his innings increase, he needs to become consistent in strike zone," McClendon said. "I'm not going to let him go out there and throw 130 pitches. He's not that far removed from surgery."

Hit parade

Jason Kendall had a two-run double and Kevin Young and Rob Mackowiak each drove in two runs to lead a 12-hit attack as the Pirates won their third consecutive game.

Pokey Reese, who on Saturday got his first hit in 19 at-bats, had two hits in the leadoff spot yesterday and Adam Hyzdu, getting a start in center field, had two hits and scored a run.

"I try not to put too much on that, but it is nice to see when half of your regular players are not here and you still have guys who are contributing," McClendon said. "I've made no bones about it. I think we have a much better bench this year and a more productive offense.

"Guys are starting to turn the corner a little bit, and moving up that hill where we want to peak right at opening day."

Ramirez sits

Aramis Ramirez missed his fourth consecutive game with a tight right hamstring and as a precaution, he likely won't play until Thursday. He has, however, been taking ground balls and hitting in the cages.

"With all the things that have happened over the past couple of years, I'm just being overly cautious with him," McClendon said.

Ramirez doesn't know exactly when or how the hamstring tightened. He said he could play if this were the regular season, and he doesn't think a layoff now will hurt his timing.

Meadows in relief

Brian Meadows, out of the running for a rotation spot, made his first appearance in relief yesterday and pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth. Meadows is a candidate for the bullpen, especially since reliever Mike Lincoln just began throwing off the mound Saturday because his shoulder was injured in a freak accident just before camp opened. Lincoln probably will open the season on the disabled list.

Meadows hasn't pitched much in relief, but he throws strikes.

"All of us would rather start, but only one person was going to get the job," Meadows said. "If they think the bullpen is a better fit, so be it."

Next up

Jeff D'Amico and Julian Tavarez, still in the running for the fifth spot in the rotation, will pitch today against the Minnesota Twins.