March 23, 2015
Kathy Willens/AP
Cody Asche, congratulated here by Mike Schmidt in a game last spring, had an MRI that revealed a Grade 1 oblique strain.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — David Buchanan knows what it feels like to not make Philadelphia's opening-day roster, and he has no plans to repeat last year's experience.
Buchanan allowed two hits in five innings, Cody Asche hit a two-run homer and the Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins 3-0.
Expected to be the Phillies' No. 4 starter, Buchanan struck out three and walked none. He has given up one run over 12 innings in his last three games.
Buchanan said he's been focused on throwing strikes.
"It's exciting, honestly, but I'm not really trying to get caught up in that," Buchanan said. "I haven't heard anything. I don't know anything. The first two outings I was really trying to prove myself because of last year and what happened and ended the year on the team. I was really stressing to try and prove myself to get another spot, and I think that's why I wasn't throwing well, because I was worrying about things I didn't need to worry about."
Asche put the Phillies ahead in the second with his third home run in five games. The drive came off Mike Pelfrey, who gave up two runs — one earned — and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.
"I think he got a little spent near the end, so that was good to extend him," Twins manager Paul Molitor said of Pelfrey.
Carlos Ruiz had reached leading off the inning on shortstop Eduardo Nunez's throwing error.
Dan Rohlfing's passed ball allowed Darin Ruf to score in the eighth.
Twins: Pelfrey has been one of the Twins' best pitchers during the exhibition season. Through two starts and four appearances, Pelfrey has a 1.32 ERA and is tied for the team lead with 13 2-3 innings.
Phillies: Buchanan incorporated more changeups during his five-inning outing. Buchanan said it is a pitch he throws often during regular-season starts, but he always relies on catcher Carlos Ruiz to make the right calls behind the plate. "I'm not even concerned about the hitter, because I know whatever he calls, it's probably the right pitch to throw more often than not," Buchanan said.
Twins: Minnesota sends RHP Ricky Nolasco to the mound Tuesday against the Blue Jays in Fort Myers.
Phillies: RHP Severino Gonzalez is making his first exhibition season appearance for the Phillies, starting Tuesday's game against Atlanta in Kissimmee.
Phillies: LHP Mario Hollands went back to Philadelphia on Monday to have his left elbow examined after an MRI revealed a flexor strain. He has a 1 p.m. appointment Tuesday with Dr. Michael Ciccotti. Hollands has been told surgery could be an option. "I'm really hoping not because I don't want surgery of any kind," Hollands said. "If it happens, it's unfortunate, but I'm still banking on I won't have to." ... OF Domonic Brown is still day to day with left Achilles tendinitis. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said Brown played catch Monday and is not expected to be in the lineup in the coming days.
Monday's game between the Twins and Phillies is believed to be the first game in baseball history in which both teams have managers who are already elected members of the Hall of Fame: the Phillies' Ryne Sandberg, inducted in 2005, and the Twins' Paul Molitor, inducted in 2004.
"The fact that it's never happened before is kind of an interesting little piece of trivia, but for me it's more about managing against a friend," Molitor said. "We all know it's about the players ... but it kind of makes it unique."
