Howard Homers, Savery Gets Hit Hard In Loss

After Phillies pitchers threw a near shutout Wednesday, they were hit pretty hard Thursday when the Pirates erupted for 11 runs. Phillies hitters - especially Ryan Howard and Pedro Feliz - kept their bats hot.

In front of the hometown fans in Clearwater, Ryan Howard hit his first home run of the spring off Brian Bullington. Howard's three-run blast was the highlight of the Phillies five-run third inning that gave them a 5-1 lead at the time.

The Pirates came back with their own five-run inning, when they pushed five runs across the plate in the fourth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Joe Savery, who lasted just one inning, took the beating and suffered the loss in his first ever outing with the big league club. Savery, the Phillies first round pick in 2007, will likely be sent back to minor league camp in the next week or so and start the season in the minors. Another young pitching prospect, Josh Outman, lasted for 1.2 innings, but was hit for four earned runs in the outing.

Jimmy Rollins turns a double-play agains the Pirates in Thursday's 11-6 loss to Pittsburgh. (Photo: Keith Srakocic/AP)

One young pitcher who wasn't hit quite as hard was Lincoln Holdzkom. The Rule 5 pick worked 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit, but walked three hitters. Holdzkom and Travis Blackley are both Rule 5 players and both have pitched relatively well in their first outings with the club. Blackley threw three shutout innings in his outing against Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Pedro Feliz picked up two more hits and is now 4-for-5 (.800) on the spring, making him the hottest hitter in the Phillies lineup. Chase Utley also had two hits for the Phillies.

The two teams will meet again on Friday for two split-squad games. J.D. Durbin will start the "A" game, while Brett Myers gets the start in the "B" game.

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