Hays stands out in intrasquad game

SARASOTA, Fla. - Austin Hays led off today's intrasquad game with a triple and scored on Cedric Mullins' liner to right field to account for all of the scoring in the Black Team's 1-0 four-inning win over the Orange Team before a bunch of club officials, players and media.

Hays, the organization's minor league Player of the Year, went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

David Hess worked two innings and allowed one run and one hit, with one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 10 of 11 pitches for strikes in the first and 14 of 23 in the second.

Hays tripled to right field on the second pitch of the game. Hess struck out Ryan Mountcastle, but Hays scored on Mullins' sac fly.

Chance Sisco led off the top of the second with a walk. Rubén Tejada was charged with an error at second base with one out on a shot from Austin Wynns that nearly took off his glove, but Adrian Marin and Aderlin Rodriguez struck out.

Yefry Ramírez, starting for the Orange Team, allowed one hit and struck out Joey Rickard and Garabez Rosa over two scoreless innings. He threw nine of 17 pitches for strikes in the bottom of the first. Audry Perez singled with two outs, but Alex Presley popped up.

Shortstop Erick Salcedo made a diving stop and throw to rob Caleb Joseph.

Ramírez threw 10 of 14 pitches for strikes in the bottom of the second inning. Rickard struck out on three pitches.

Michael Kelly, signed as a free agent on the last day of the Winter Meetings, tossed two scoreless innings and stayed on the mound for two extra batters in the fourth. He threw 34 pitches, 17 for strikes.

Kelly retired the first two batters he faced before walking Mullins and Salcedo and striking out Sisco. Kelly threw seven straight balls and had only nine strikes among his 20 pitches in the third inning.

After coming back out for the fourth, Kelly retired the first three batters and remained in the game to increase his pitch count. Hays reached on an infield hit and Luis Sardiñas throwing error, but Mullins flied out, as manager Buck Showalter allowed two players to bat out of order.

Intrasquad perks.

Perci Garner worked the bottom of the third for the Black Team and he hit two batters before Showalter ended the inning. Also an intrasquad perk.

Garner drilled Tejada with one out. The dugout didn't empty and Tejada stayed in the game. Garner responded by striking out Tim Beckham, but Mountcastle committed an error trying to backhand Joseph's bouncer and the right-hander nailed Perez. Garner threw 21 pitches, 11 for strikes.

Knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa finished up with a scoreless bottom of the fourth inning. He walked Rickard and picked him off second base, and stayed in the game to strike out Anthony Santander for the fourth and final out.