CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- Roy Halladay allowed two runs over 4 1-3 innings in his first big league spring training appearance in 11 days, prepping for the regular season in the Philadelphia Phillies' 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner had not pitched in a major league game since March 17, when he came out of a start against Baltimore after one inning due to a stomach virus. He pitched in a minor league exhibition last Saturday.
Against the Blue Jays, he gave up eight hits and two walks and struck out two. Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind hit consecutive RBI singles in the third.
Toronto starter Brandon Morrow gave up three runs -- two earned -- and six hits in seven innings.
VIERA, Fla. (AP) -- Gio Gonzalez allowed one hit and struck out seven over four innings as the Washington Nationals closed out their spring training in Florida with a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets.
Daniel Murphy singled in the first inning, his first at-bat in a major league game this spring. The Mets' second baseman has been slowed by a strained right intercostal muscle but he thinks he'll be ready Monday for opening day. Murphy also slid headfirst into second base tagging up on a fly ball.
Adam LaRoche and Danny Espinosa each hit a solo home run in the second inning for the defending NL East champion Nationals.
Gonzalez, who went 21-8 last season, showed he is ready for the regular season, allowing only a first-inning single by New York's Daniel Murphy.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Jonathan Singleton hit two home runs and Jason Castro and Rick Ankiel each hit one, and a Houston Astros split squad beat the Detroit Tigers 11-4 despite a three-run homer by Prince Fielder.
Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez gave up nine runs and 11 hits in five innings.
Castro connected for his sixth homer and Ankiel his fourth. Ankiel drove in four runs for Houston and Ronny Cedeno had three hits and scored twice.
Fielder homered off Houston starter Philip Humber, who pitched six innings and allowed four unearned runs.
The Astros will play two weekend games in Houston against the Chicago Cubs before opening their first season as a member of the American League on Sunday night against the Texas Rangers.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Lyle Overbay has emerged as the top contender to be the New York Yankees' starting first baseman with Mark Teixeira beginning the season on the disabled list.
Overbay had an RBI double Thursday as the Yankees ended their Florida segment of spring training with a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Signed to a minor league contract Tuesday hours after being released by Boston, New York general manager Brian Cashman says Overbay has the inside track for the job. The Yankees released Juan Rivera, who played extensively at first during the exhibition season.
Teixeira is out until at least May with a wrist injury.
Yankees reliever Boone Logan, who left in the seventh after being hit on the left hip by pinch-hitter Jose Tabata's liner, said he was fine.
Pirates fifth starter Jeff Locke gave up four hits and had three strikeouts in six scoreless innings.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Andrelton Simmons hit his third home run of spring training and Paul Maholm struck out two in four shutout innings as the Atlanta Braves topped a Houston Astros split-squad 2-0 on Thursday.
Maholm was named by Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez as the No. 2 starter in the Braves' rotation. He will start Wednesday at home against the Philadelphia Phillies. Maholm ended the spring with an ERA of 1.63
Lucas Harrell, the Astros No. 2 starter, went six innings, allowing a run. His spring ERA is 2.25. He allowed the homer to Simmons. Harrell will face the Texas Ranger on Tuesday.
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- Lance Lynn delivered what was easily his best outing of spring training and three relievers made a first-inning run stand up for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
Lynn allowed only two hits in six innings while striking out five. He retired the final 14 batters he faced.
Edward Mujica, Trevor Rosenthal and Mitchell Boggs combined to allow only one hit over the final three innings to seal the victory and ensure that the Cardinals (16-14), who have one Grapefruit League game remaining, will finish with a winning record.
Matt Holliday had an RBI single off Justin Nicolino for the game's only run.
Before the game, Miami president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said center fielder Gorkys Hernandez had not made the club and that reliever Wilson Valdez had been sent to Triple-A New Orleans.
