A strong inning against Baltimore has encouraged the former closer.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Andrew Bailey's most recent inning of work was not quite as good as he recalled, but the Red Sox reliever still had reason to be pleased.
"I'll take a 1-2-3 inning any time,'' Bailey said Thursday, the day after he had pitched a scoreless fourth inning against Baltimore in Sarasota.
Actually, it was 1-2-3-4. Facing the Orioles' best hitters, Bailey allowed a single to Matt Wieters, but struck out Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy and retired Adam Jones on a popup.
Bailey had allowed two runs and three hits in an inning of work against St. Louis Sunday.
"Everyone wants results, even in spring training, but the main thing now is feeling good physically, commanding your fastball and then supplementing it with everything else,'' he said.
Bailey says he is not distraught at being displaced by Joel Hanrahan as closer.
"It's part of the business. The goal is to get to the World Series, and I'm not going to be selfish about it,'' Bailey said. "(Pitching coach) Juan Nieves brings such energy every day. It's awesome having both (manager and former Sox pitching coach) John Farrell and Juan here as great resources.''
LACKEY'S START: John Lackey's second start had its bumps Thursday, but he said he needs work more than results.
"I'm encouraged. I threw my breaking ball for the first time and felt good,'' he said after allowing three hits and three runs in two innings of Boston's 16-6 win over Pittsburgh in Bradenton.
Jackie Bradley Jr. continued his bid for a roster spot, going 3 for 5 with three runs. Brandon Jacobs, a minor league outfielder whose father is former Putnam Vocational basketball star Foster Jacobs, had an RBI single.
The Red Sox drew 15 walks.
Lackey threw 28 of his 42 pitches for strikes. He allowed one walk with one strikeout and a hit batsman, and Jared Goedert's three-run homer hurt his line.
"It's spring training. It's a process,'' said Lackey, who missed all of 2012 after elbow surgery. He found a silver lining to his 34-pitch second inning.
"The first inning today went so quick, I needed to throw some pitches. Getting up and down (between innings) for the first time was important,'' said Lackey, who pitched one inning against Tampa Bay last Saturday.
CANNON ARM: Catcher Christian Vazquez is making people notice his remarkable throwing ability.
"Wow. He has a very good arm, and he's not afraid to show it,'' Farrell said of Vazquez, who threw out a base stealer at second base and picked another off third in the eighth inning against Baltimore Wednesday.
Vazquez, 22, ranks fifth on the Red Sox catching depth chart. He spent most of 2012 with Class A Salem before moving up to Double A Portland, where he hit .205 in 21 games.
At 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, he's small for his position, but Vazquez has thrown out 35 percent of would-be stealers in a minor league career that began in 2008.
Ryan Lavarnway and Dan Butler will likely be the catchers in Pawtucket, but Vazquez is considered to have a good chance at making the major leagues someday.
GOMES HURT:Jonny Gomes needed three stitches in his left knee after running into a wall against Baltimore Wednesday. Gomes, who homered in the game, is day-to-day.