After working on offspeed pitches in a simulated game, Clay Buchholz focused on them some more Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Relying on his curveball and changeup, Buchholz allowed one run and four hits in five innings as the Boston Red Sox won 8-4.

His lone run allowed came on Evan Longoria’s second-inning homer.

“You’ve got a bunch of big-name guys in this lineup, and they’ve been really good for the last three or four years,” Buchholz said. “So, it’s definitely tough to go out there and try to work on things and make good pitches consistently to these guys.”

Jarrod Saltalamacchia caught Buchholz and downplayed the bursitis on his left hip that sidelined him for a few days.

“It’s honestly something that just flared up a little bit,” Saltalamacchia said. “If this was during the season I’d be playing, but with spring training you don’t want to take a chance.”

Buchholz struck out four and walked none. New Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said thought his pitcher and catcher worked well together.

“You know, at first they didn’t. They weren’t on the same page because they didn’t realize that Clay just wanted to throw more changeups today and less curveballs in the first inning,” Valentine said. “He worked real good, and other than the back-to-back changeups to Longoria and the fastball that everybody knew was coming, I thought he was perfect. Real good outing.”

Rays left-hander Matt Moore, back from a mild abdominal strain, gave up four runs, two hits and three walks in 2 1-3 innings, leaving after he walked the bases loaded in the third.

“For me right now, I’m trying to feel a lot of stuff and just to get a clean arm stroke with each pitch and I wasn’t too clean today with especially my changeup,” Moore said. “The breaking ball was there, so I was pretty happy about that. That pitch felt good. The fastball felt good, just wasn’t locating too good, especially early. “

Moore allowed solo homers to Cody Ross and Josh Kroeger, and threw just 26 of 52 pitches for strikes.

“He’s got electric stuff,” Ross said. “His fastball has a lot of life to it, some movement. He’s got a good breaking ball. He was struggling a little bit with his changeup, and he’ll probably tell you that. He’s got a ton of upside. To be as young as he is, to be competing like he is, is pretty neat to see.”

Ross, who has a history of struggling in spring training, homered for the second straight day and is hitting .455. With Carl Crawford recovering from a wrist injury, Ross likely will get playing time at the start of the season.

“It’s nice to feel good and give me confidence going into the season and it’s a grind when you feel terrible in spring training and then you don’t have to play catch up at the beginning of the season,” Ross said.

Longoria’s homer was his first hit of spring training. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI.

“Clay threw the ball well,” Longoria said. “I just spot up a couple of good pitches, changeups and curveballs, and eventually got him to throw a fastball that I can handle. It’s about adjustments and really just getting it back to underneath our belts and getting comfortable so I thought today overall was pretty good for everybody.”

Rays leadoff man Desmond Jennings upped his spring average to .381 with two hits.

“I thought in general we had good at-bats today,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys, the varsities, really, I thought their at-bats were much better.”

NOTES: Rays CF B.J. Upton (sore back) could play Tuesday when the Rays travel to Jupiter to play the Miami Marlins but more than likely will play in a minor league game. … Rays LHP David Price threw in a minor league game on the back fields of Charlotte Sports Park. He gave up three runs, six hits and one walk in 4 1-3 innings with one strikeout. … Rays SS Tim Beckham was reassigned to minor league camp. Rays RHP Dane De La Rosa, RHP Matt Bush, C Steven Vogt and OF Brandon Guyer were optioned to the minors.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) – After working on offspeed pitches in a simulated game, Clay Buchholz focused on them some more Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Relying on his curveball and changeup, Buchholz allowed one run and four hits in five innings as the Boston Red Sox won 8-4.

His lone run allowed came on Evan Longoria‘s second-inning homer.

”You’ve got a bunch of big-name guys in this lineup, and they’ve been really good for the last three or four years,” Buchholz said. ”So, it’s definitely tough to go out there and try to work on things and make good pitches consistently to these guys.”

Jarrod Saltalamacchia caught Buchholz and downplayed the bursitis on his left hip that sidelined him for a few days.

”It’s honestly something that just flared up a little bit,” Saltalamacchia said. ”If this was during the season I’d be playing, but with spring training you don’t want to take a chance.”

Buchholz struck out four and walked none. New Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said thought his pitcher and catcher worked well together.

”You know, at first they didn’t. They weren’t on the same page because they didn’t realize that Clay just wanted to throw more changeups today and less curveballs in the first inning,” Valentine said. ”He worked real good, and other than the back-to-back changeups to Longoria and the fastball that everybody knew was coming, I thought he was perfect. Real good outing.”

Rays left-hander Matt Moore, back from a mild abdominal strain, gave up four runs, two hits and three walks in 2 1-3 innings, leaving after he walked the bases loaded in the third.

”For me right now, I’m trying to feel a lot of stuff and just to get a clean arm stroke with each pitch and I wasn’t too clean today with especially my changeup,” Moore said. ”The breaking ball was there, so I was pretty happy about that. That pitch felt good. The fastball felt good, just wasn’t locating too good, especially early. ”

Moore allowed solo homers to Cody Ross and Josh Kroeger, and threw just 26 of 52 pitches for strikes.

”He’s got electric stuff,” Ross said. ”His fastball has a lot of life to it, some movement. He’s got a good breaking ball. He was struggling a little bit with his changeup, and he’ll probably tell you that. He’s got a ton of upside. To be as young as he is, to be competing like he is, is pretty neat to see.”

Ross, who has a history of struggling in spring training, homered for the second straight day and is hitting .455. With Carl Crawford recovering from a wrist injury, Ross likely will get playing time at the start of the season.

”It’s nice to feel good and give me confidence going into the season and it’s a grind when you feel terrible in spring training and then you don’t have to play catch up at the beginning of the season,” Ross said.

Longoria’s homer was his first hit of spring training. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI.

”Clay threw the ball well,” Longoria said. ”I just spot up a couple of good pitches, changeups and curveballs, and eventually got him to throw a fastball that I can handle. It’s about adjustments and really just getting it back to underneath our belts and getting comfortable so I thought today overall was pretty good for everybody.”

Rays leadoff man Desmond Jennings upped his spring average to .381 with two hits.

”I thought in general we had good at-bats today,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. ”The guys, the varsities, really, I thought their at-bats were much better.”

NOTES: Rays CF B.J. Upton (sore back) could play Tuesday when the Rays travel to Jupiter to play the Miami Marlins but more than likely will play in a minor league game. … Rays LHP David Price threw in a minor league game on the back fields of Charlotte Sports Park. He gave up three runs, six hits and one walk in 4 1-3 innings with one strikeout. … Rays SS Tim Beckham was reassigned to minor league camp. Rays RHP Dane De La Rosa, RHP Matt Bush, C Steven Vogt and OF Brandon Guyer were optioned to the minors.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP)—The Tampa Bay Rays have taken a conservative
approach when it’s come to their injured players this spring.

A pair of Rays took big steps forward Sunday as star third baseman Evan
Longoria and designated hitter Luke Scott made their spring debuts in Tampa
Bay’s 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Overshadowing their return was Rays starter Jeff Niemann, who tossed three
perfect innings in his second spring start. The right-hander, vying for a spot
in the rotation, threw only 27 pitches and used his entire repertoire.

“I feel like we’re just refining now,” Niemann said. “We’re not
searching. We’re not trying to find a new pitch. Everything’s pretty much there.
We’re really just trying to make things that much better and not trying to
search.”

Longoria was hitless and committed a throwing error in the fourth inning. He
drew a walk and later scored on Reid Brignac’s squeeze bunt, and added a
sacrifice fly.

The slugger said he felt no pain in his right hand that was bruised when he
was hit by a pitch earlier in camp. He said it was to be expected that he’d
struggle a bit at the start.

“The thing about playing spring training games is adjusting to the speed of
the game again, and just being out there and errors, and obviously those are
going to happen, but the adjustment to playing in a major league game again and
feeling that speed is what’s needed, why we need spring,” he said.

“So those adjustments will be made. It’s the first game, so I got my feet
wet and it felt good doing it,” he said.

Scott was hitless in his first game as a Ray, but felt no pain in his right
shoulder that he had surgically repaired in the offseason. While it felt good to
see game action, Scott said he can’t put a timetable on when he’ll feel all
settled at the plate.

“It’s kind of like trying to hold back the tide,” Scott said. “You just
can’t predict when you’re going to be locked in. I’ve had years where my second
at-bat of the spring I was locked in and ready to go, and I had spring trainings
where I never got locked in, not even one at-bat.”

Pirates right-hander Kevin Correia was sharp in three scoreless innings. He
yielded two hits with a walk and a strikeout in his second spring start.

“Everything felt pretty good,” Correia said. “I got some longer counts
with some guys, and managed to get them out. All and all, I was pretty happy
with it.”

Pittsburgh’s lineup looked similar to what it is projected to look like on
opening day, but the Pirates were held to just four hits.

Pedro Alvarez hit his second homer of the spring in the fifth against Rays
reliever Joel Peralta.

“Pedro put another real good swing on a ball,” Pirates manager Clint
Hurdle said. “I like the fact from the first at-bat he was ready to hit.
(Peralta) fired a first-pitch strike.”

Jake Fox homered in the ninth for Pittsburgh. The Rays scored twice in the
bottom half and won on a single by Chris Gimenez.

“You always look for positive things that happen during every spring
training game, every `B’ game regardless of the outcome,” Hurdle said. “It’s
not all about the outcome. I think at this point in time towards the back of
spring training, we’re a little more focused on getting the right people in the
situations in that you feel they are going to perform in during the season.
Right now, it’s still the evaluation process.”

NOTES: Bryan Morris, Daniel Moskos and Jared Hughes logged scoreless innings
for the Pirates. … J.P. Howell, Jake McGee and Brandon Gomes pitches scoreless
innings for the Rays. … Brignac, Jose Molina and Matt Mangini each had two
hits for Tampa Bay.

PORT CHARLOTTE – It was only the top of the first inning when Baltimore Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold was hit in the side of the head by a 2-1 fastball from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb.

Reimold, batting fifth, dropped to the ground and was facedown for several minutes while a hushed crowd watched as Orioles trainers tended to him. The 28-year-old was taken to Peace River Hospital, and CT scans came back negative, although he does have a loose tooth.

“The lowlight was Nolan getting hit and the highlight was finding out he didn’t have a break,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said after the Orioles and Rays played to a 3-3 tie in 10 innings.

Cobb, who got Reimold’s phone number and said he plans to check up on him, recovered to pitch three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks in his first start of the spring.

Cobb had season-ending surgery in August to remove a blood clot as well as blockage in his right rib.

Baltimore right-hander Jake Arrieta, making his first start since his own season-ending elbow surgery in August, pitched two scoreless innings for Baltimore.

The Rays named right-handed pitcher James Shields their opening day starter Friday.

Also, Rays third-baseman Evan Longoria (bruised hand) said he felt great after taking batting practice and fielding drills Friday.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP)—Baltimore Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold was
taken to a hospital after he was hit in the left side of the head by a fastball
from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb in the first inning of a 3-3, 10-inning
tie on Friday.

Reimold, batting fifth in the lineup, immediately dropped to the ground and
was face-down for several minutes while a hushed crowd watched nervously as
Orioles trainers tended him.

Also looking on was a visibly upset Cobb, who said in the Rays clubhouse,
“It’s probably the worst feeling you can have as a pitcher.”

Reimold eventually walked to a cart, which took him off the field.

Cobb pitched three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks in
his first start of the spring.

PORT CHARLOTTE — Just when the Rays were starting to feel better, INF Sean Rodriguez left Thursday’s split-squad game in Fort Myers with a left index finger injury.

The Rays called it a sprain and might send him for X-rays today. Rodriguez said he was confident — or at least optimistic — that it wasn’t anything serious that would cost him time in the competition with Reid Brignac for the starting shortstop job. He was hurt trying to tag Twins CF Denard Span on a first-inning steal attempt.

“I think it’s just jammed,” Rodriguez said after arriving back in Port Charlotte with his finger in a makeshift splint. “We’ll see.”

Otherwise — well, in addition to the couple of days LHP David Price might miss from his rogue towel incident — the Rays’ injury list is finally shrinking.

OF Sam Fuld, limited due to inflammation in his right wrist, is set to make his debut today after going through live batting practice.

“Ready, able, of avail,” Fuld said.

The three pitchers who threw in the morning have also been cleared for their first games. RHP Brandon Gomes (coming off back surgery) will pitch Sunday, RHP Kyle Farnsworth (cautious handling) on Monday and rookie LHP Matt Moore (lower abdominal strain) on Tuesday.

3B Evan Longoria took swings at flipped balls with no issues from his bruised right hand and, assuming no problems this morning, will go through the first of two planned batting practice days before being cleared for his first game.

Meanwhile, DH Luke Scott, will be held back a few more days. Scott, recovering from right shoulder surgery in July, said he felt fine physically taking batting practice, but his mechanics, specifically his front hip, were way off.

“Definitely not ready,” he said.

Brignac was scuffed up after Tigers INF Audy Ciriaco slid into him, unexpectedly, on a steal attempt.

FOR STARTERS: Manager Joe Maddon will talk to the pitchers today and announce the obvious and expected selection of RHP James Shields as the starter for the April 6 opener.

TALL AT SHORT: INF Tim Beckham was used at second base for a second straight day. Maddon said it’s an effort to increase his versatility for the future, not the precursor to a position change.

“He is a shortstop. That’s not changed,” he said.

PITCHING IN: LHP Jake McGee was encouraged after a scoreless inning against the Twins in his spring debut, which was delayed after he was struck on the left elbow by a ball when watching batting practice.

“It felt good to get out there and feel comfortable and be able to let it go and not have any thought about my arm at all,” McGee said.

Prospect RHP Chris Archer got off to a shaky start in Fort Myers, putting the first two on and falling behind C Joe Mauer 3-and-1. But after some calming words from 1B Carlos Peña, he got out of trouble and worked two scoreless innings.

“I felt normal,” Archer said.

RHP Jeremy Hellickson pitched in relief against the Tigers in Port Charlotte. And as usual when he comes out of the pen, it didn’t go well as he allowed three runs on four hits in his second inning.

“I’d like to do a little better than I did, but I felt really good,” he said. “That was the main thing.”

GAME DETAILS, VS. TWINS: The Rays won 1-0 when shortstop prospect Hak-Ju Lee sparked a two-out ninth-inning rally. Lee walked, stole second and, with a large lead, hustled home on an infield error on Beckham’s grounder. “That was excellent baserunning by Hak,” bench coach Dave Martinez said. “That wins ball games.” … LF Desmond Jennings had two opposite-field singles.

GAME DETAILS, VS. TIGERS: The Rays lost 8-1 with ex-mate OF Delmon Young hitting a three-run homer off LHP Cesar Ramos after 3B Miguel Cabrera got the first of his three hits then stole third. … Maddon said Ramos might not have been fully ready after Price’s early departure. … LHP J.P. Howell had a rough eighth, allowing three hits and two walks.

MISCELLANY: With a large dose of Tigers fans, the Rays had their first spring sellout, announced at 6,926. … Hellickson signs autographs from 5 to 6 today at the Port Charlotte Wal-Mart.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)—Francisco Liriano is confident his 2012 season will
be more consistent than his last.

He gave signs Thursday he may be right.

The left-hander struck out five of the nine batters he faced in in three
scoreless innings but the Minnesota Twins lost 1-0 loss to a Tampa Bay Rays
split squad.

“Nothing’s bothering me right now, so it’s going to be quite different from
last year,” Liriano said.

Desmond Jennings was the only Rays player to get a hit off Liriano and the
leadoff hitter had two of Tampa Bay’s four hits.

“I feel good. I feel good,” Jennings said. “Just glad I’m playing.
Hopefully, I’ll get better as camp goes on.”

Liriano was feeling good, too. Last season was an up-and-down year because
of inconsistency and injury that was right in step with an up-and-down career.

The six-year veteran, who has mixed good starts with frustrating defeats
ever since breaking through with a 12-3 record and 2.16 ERA in 2006, went 9-10
with a 5.09 ERA last season despite throwing a no-hitter on May 3 against the
White Sox.

Liriano attributed much of the struggle to nagging injuries, including the
shoulder strain that ended his season in August.

“I battled it through the whole year,” Liriano said. “Like two days
before spring training I got hurt, so I worked out in Miami. I tried to battle
through it the whole year; it was getting better, but it was just a battle the
whole year.”

This spring, he has focused much of his attention on locating his fastball
to add a potent second option to his deadly slider. That work was evident
Thursday.

“I’d say that’s a pretty good day—he only threw four sliders in 34
pitches,” said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. “He controlled the game out
there.”

The Rays also got quality innings from their starter, 23-year-old prospect
Chris Archer. In his first spring start, Archer gave up one hit and two walks
through two scoreless innings.

With two runners on base and none out in the first, Archer was able to force
flyballs from Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau and a groundout from Josh Willingham
to get out of the inning.

“It was nice, because I’ve never faced guys of that caliber on a consistent
basis,” Archer said. “Facing those guys back-to-back with runners on base, it
was definitely nice to be in there and get those guys out.”

The game’s lone run came in the top of the ninth, when Rays infielder Hak-Ju
Lee scored on Luke Hughes’ throwing error to first base.

The only bright spot on offense for the Twins was leadoff hitter Denard
Span, who continued to have a good spring after struggling with post-concussion
symptoms through much of last year. The outfielder went 1 for 2 and stole two
bases.

“Neither team had a lot of offense to talk about,” Gardenhire said.
“Let’s call that good pitching.”