Phillies 9, Red Sox 5
PHILADELPHIA --David Bell took a big step in his quest to avoid the disabled list, Chase Utley drove in four runs and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5 Saturday.
Bell went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and three runs scored as Philadelphia's designated hitter. The third baseman missed most of spring training with a bad back and sore quadriceps and was 0-for-6 coming into the game.
"It doesn't count, but at the same time it does feel good to have some momentum going into the season," Bell said. "I feel ready to go. My leg is healthy, I just really haven't tried to force it yet because the games don't count."
Bell will play third base Sunday in the exhibition finale against the Red Sox. If he passes that test, he figures to be in the starting lineup for the season opener Monday, when the Phillies host the St. Louis Cardinals.
Boston announced that the players' association will not appeal the 10-day suspension handed down to reliever Julian Tavarez for punching Tampa Bay's Joey Gathright following a play at home plate on March 27. Tavarez will be eligible to return to the Red Sox on April 13 for a home game against Toronto.
Utley staked Philadelphia to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with a three-run homer off David Pauley. He added an opposite-field RBI double off reliever Keith Foulke in the fifth.
Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis hit back-to-back homers in the second inning against Phillies starter Gavin Floyd. Trot Nixon hit a long home run to right off Floyd in the fourth.
Lowell also had a pair of singles and finished 3-for-3. Nixon added an RBI double to center in the fifth against reliever Geoff Geary.
"We covered every fundamental there is in Florida," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "The outcome of the game doesn't mean as much as us being ready to play."
The 23-year-old Floyd, once the top prospect in the Phillies' organization, struggled mightily last season. He made his first start Saturday since being named the team's No. 5 starter by manager Charlie Manuel on Thursday.
"He got his work in," Manuel said. "He gave up a few home runs when he fell behind in the count, but otherwise he pitched all right."
Phillies fans got their first up-close look at the team's new bullpen and the results were promising. Ryan Franklin pitched a perfect seventh inning, Arthur Rhodes followed with a 1-2-3 eighth and Tom Gordon held down the Red Sox in the ninth.
Notes:@ The Phillies optioned OF Chris Roberson to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... Philadelphia (18-11-1) tied a team record for spring training wins, equaling a mark established in 1957 and 1995.
