The Phillies claimed their first victory of the spring with a 9-3 win over the New York Yankees this afternoon in Clearwater. It marked the 2012 debut of both Joe Blanton & Placido Polanco, who each looked strong. Blanton threw two shutout innings and Polanco finished 2-3, driving home the game’s first run.
Polly told CSNPhilly that he felt good afterward.
“I’m very happy. I dove for a ball and didn’t feel anything,” Polanco said. “I didn’t expect anything because I’ve been here for a while and I’ve done a lot of stuff. But game situations are a little bit different when you’re out there. But I felt really good.”
Blanton, who missed most of last season due to an elbow injury looked sharp, retiring all six batters he faced. Five grounded out and the sixth went down on strikes.
Jimmy Rollins went 2-2 with a walk and Jim Thome, who also had two hits, came just shy of his first homer of the spring when he hit a double off the center field wall.
The Phils will get right back at at it tomorrow as they take on Blue Jays at 1:05 pm.