Beerleaguer - Phillies Blog, Baseball News, Trade Rumors & Spirits

Phillies option Carpenter, send Vogelsong to minors

Right-handers Andrew Carpenter and Ryan Vogelsong we never really in contention for the fifth starter. Nevertheless, the Phillies are officially auditioning six starters for five spots. Carpenter will join Joe Savery with the Triple-A squad, and Vogelsong, the Kutztown University product, could go there as well. (Via Twitter reports)

Tuesday: Minor league games underway in Florida

Daily summaries can be found on a pair of blogs. [Reading] [Lakewood]

Through the magic of modern technology, minor league spring training no longer unfolds in total darkness. For those interested in this sort of minutiae, and chances are, you are, the Reading Phillies and Lakewood Blueclaws bloggers would appear to be set to post daily blurbs from camp. There are dual benefits. They not only report on individual highlights, but the squad assignments serve as a pretty good blueprint for where players will end up this season. For example, Scott Mathieson, who was dropped from big league camp over the weekend, tossed two shutout innings for the Triple-A squad yesterday. Outfielder Quintin Berry led off that game, suggesting he’s in the mix for a spot in a crowded IronPigs outfield. Other notables: J.C. Ramirez pitched with Double-A, Jesus Sanchez started the High-A game, and Anthony Gose was also with High-A. Colby Shreve and Sabastian Valle represented a couple of notables cutting their teeth at Low-A.

Polanco day-to-day: Here’s the latest on Polanco in case you haven’t seen it: sprained (not strained) right knee, which he hyperextended tripping over the mound. He doesn’t think it’s serious, but he and the trainers think they’ll know more about the severity based on how he feels after today.

Random stats: Last week on Daily News Live, I was caught off guard when Mike Kern asked if there were any stats that jumped out at me from the Phillies 2010 Annual. Looking over the magazine, here are a few: With the count even, opponents slugged .635 against Cole Hamels, which put him 350th among peers by that measure. The MLB average was .451. Brad Lidge opponents SLG when behind in the count: 1.243, which ranked 380th. The average was .587. Here are some happier stats. Jayson Werth slugged .973 against left-handed curves/sliders, best in baseball. The MLB average was just .338. Meanwhile, Ryan Howard slugged a baseball-best .728 against right-handed curves/sliders. The average was .353.

Today's lineup against Detroit: Rollins (SS), Victorino (CF), Dobbs (3B), Howard (1B), Ibanez (LF), Brown (RF), Castro (2B), Schneider (C) and Hamels (P).

Transaction: Outfielder Chris Duffy, who saw most of his action participating in bullpen drills with Brad Lidge, was assigned to minor league camp.

Polanco helped off field after straining right knee

Placido Polanco reportedly needed the support of two trainers as he hobbled off the field and was taken to the clubhouse, where he was diagnosed with a strained right knee. The Phillies' third-baseman, who signed an $18 million contract this winter, appeared to suffer the injury around the pitchers mound fielding a pop-up, according to reports. Greg Dobbs, Juan Castro and non-roster invitee Cody Ransom could serve as alternatives if Polanco is lost for an extended period.

Matt Smith miscalculation echoing through Clearwater

Remember 2007 when the Phillies put all of their LOOGY eggs in Matt Smith’s basket? History could repeat itself with Antonio Bastardo and Sergio Escalona, who’ve fallen flat this spring.

Beerleaguer hit its contentious zenith in the winter of 2006-07 when the Phillies, who fell gut-wrenchingly short of the postseason, tried selling us on Matt Smith as the top lefty out of the bullpen. Disaster became imminent in spring training when Smith was battered hard, the way Bastardo and Escalona have been battered this spring. Smith would eventually undergo Tommy John surgery and disappear off the face of the earth.

Letting youth prevail sounds like a fine idea in January and February, but look for the fearful Phillies to corral all their spare change to bring an experienced lefty to town. There are a few remaining options who could be had for a minor league flier, Aaron Fultzian loogys like Alan Embree and Ron Mahay. Meanwhile, you get the sense that Scott Eyre, who posted an injury-plagued 1.50 ERA in 2009, didn’t exactly close the book on his career when he announced his retirement. Eyre is still lurking around as an analyst-in-training. In addition, you can bet the Phils are looking outside the organization for players who might shake loose at the end of camp.

Meanwhile, J.C. Romero threw a 40-pitch bullpen session yesterday that included breaking balls, the first he’s thrown them since surgery. He remains a longshot for Opening Day.

Moyer shelled: Jamie Moyer’s B-game line against most of Toronto’s regulars today: 8 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts. Roy Halladay and the Phillies are taking on the Pirates as of this writing.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Phils deny big trade rumor

The Phillies deny it, but you know they’ve pulled out the measuring rod to compare their Big Piece with King Albert. Everyone does.

In the craziest mainstream-media rumor since that time FoxSports’ Ken Rosenthal told readers the Phillies would deal Cliff Lee to free up the funds for Roy Halladay, ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Phillies have had internal discussions about approaching St. Louis about a swap that would send Ryan Howard back to his hometown in exchange for league MVP Albert Pujols. Both are scheduled to become free agents after the 2011 season. Howard, 30, is two months older than King Albert. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury that the story was "absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible."

Beerleaguer: Ridiculous and irresponsible might be the best words to describe the Cardinals if they shortened the Pujols era by even one microsecond. He’s the most complete run producer in the game, hitting .327/.443/.658 in 2009, with equally strong numbers against righties and lefties. Compare that with Howard, who might have the better homer and RBI totals, but posted a impotent 98 OPS+ against lefties and can’t field the way Pujols can.

Pujols is the measuring rod with whom all others compare.

Game chat: Kendrick looks to keep it going today

Fifth starter candidate Kyle Kendrick faces the Orioles today at 1:05 in Sarasota. Kendrick, along with starters J.A. Happ, Roy Halladay and Drew Carpenter, have yet to allow a run in Grapefruit League play.

Yesterday in Clearwater, Happ pitched four shutout innings, surrendering only one hit and striking out three. The second-year lefty has been sharp this spring, getting ahead of batters and working quickly against American League lineups. While Happ and Chan Ho Park battled for the fifth starter position last spring, this year finds the Phillies counting on Happ to vanquish new foes such as PECOTA, CHONE, and Keith Law. Thus far, Happ has been up to task. The Twins scored four runs on five hits against bullpen candidate Antonio Bastardo. who could have come out unscathed had the Phils been able to pull off a 3-6-1 double play. A slightly wide throw from Ryan Howard and a late cover from Bastardo extended the inning, and the longer it went, the harder Bastardo got hit. The core of the Phillies bullpen pitched in the game, as many pitchers needed work after Friday’s rainout. On the day that Charlie Manuel announced Ryan Madson would close until Brad Lidge was available, Madson was crisp, striking out two in his one inning of work. Danys Baez worked around a hit and a walk to get the save. Cody Ransom hit a three run homer off of Jose Mijares to give the Phillies the lead. Ransom has hit three home runs this spring (two in official games) and looks to be good minor league depth. The Phillies won the game 5-4 and improved to 5-3-1 in Grapefruit League play - Courtesy of Monsterdouble.com

Beerleaguer: Many thanks to Furnstein and Jonesman of Monsterdouble.com, and to longtime Beerleaguer Billy Mac, for their observations from Florida.

Today's lineup: Rollins SS, Polanco 3B, Utley DH, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Victorino CF, Castro 2B, Sardinha C.

Gillies makes impression before joining minors camp

Tyson Gillies and 13 others were reassigned to minor league camp today. Only one of them, reliever Scott Mathieson, were considered to have an outside chance of breaking camp with the big club.

Beerleaguer surveyed beat writers Ryan Lawrence, Scott Lauber and Todd Zolecki on which player of the departing group made the strongest impression and all three named Gillies. "He impressed everybody," Zolecki told Beerleaguer. "Hard worker. High energy. Lots of talent. He really stood out from the pack." Phillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez, also part of the Cliff Lee trade, were also reassigned along with pitchers Yohan Flande, Drew Naylor, Jesus Sanchez, Joe Savery and the veteran non-roster invitee Bill White. Mathieson would have been a longshot to make the club, but could still help the Phils in 2010. "Mathieson is going to contribute this year," Lawrence said. "It might help to go down there with something to prove."

Shortstop Freddy Galvis and Quintin Berry are also headed out; Galvis started a couple of games and went 2-for-11. Lauber noted that he likes Galvis' glove, but his bat still needs work. The Phillies also shed catchers Tuffy Gosewisch, Kevin Nelson and John Suomi. (Photo courtesy of Monsterdouble).

Friday: Split squad games washed out in Florida

The Phillies would have divided their roster for a pair of road games against Detroit and Tampa Bay in Lakeland and Port Charlotte today. Todd Zoleck informs followers via Twitter that the games have been called. Rainy day reading: Check out Ryan Lawrence’s piece on a trio of minor leaguers here. Programming note: Tune in to 97.5 The Fanatic at 3 p.m. today when I talk about the Phillies and the 2010 Maple Street Press Annual with Mike Missanelli.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Blanton gets back on track

CLEARWATER - Bright House Field had an eye-of-the-hurricane vibe yesterday as the Phillies beat the Tigers 4-0. Fans didn't have to endure the dark skies and heavy winds for too long however, as the Phillies' pitchers combined for a three-hitter, helping end the game in just over two hours. Joe Blanton started things off with four sharp innings, inducing 11 grounders and a couple double plays started by Placido Polanco, who is settling back in nicely at the hot corner. Phillies' starters are off to a terrific start this spring. Offensively, the Phils made solid contact against fireball ace Justin Verlander, with Raul Ibanez being the only strikeout victim (he k'd twice off of Verlander, but later homered off of Joel Zumaya). Shane Victorino looked great as leadoff man, and Ryan Howard hit a nice RBI single to the opposite field off of a lefty. After Blanton, David Herndon and Joe Savery pitched well in the middle innings, and Yohan Flande and Scott Mathieson closed it out. (Courtesy of Monsterdouble)

Phillies sign York Revolution’s longest-tenured player

Hawaiian infielder Keoni DeRenne holds the York Revolution record for career hits (357), runs (197), at-bats (1293), doubles (71), stolen bases (47), and walks (160), according to the York Daily Record. [Link]

In 10 minor league seasons, including time in the Braves,Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Red Sox organizations, he he’s a .268/.346/.358 hitter, reaching as high as Triple-A with Arizona in 2004 and 2005, and Boston in 2006. He’s spent the last three seasons in nearby York of the independent Atlantic League, hitting .289/.378/.358 with five homers and 18 stolen bases in 533 plate appearances, earning Revolution Player of the Year honors. Ninty-four of his games came at second and 40 at short. He’s not the world’s slickest fielder, registering 36 errors in ’08 and 20 in ’09, including 10 errors in 40 games at short.

Notes: I thought we'd see more Antonio Bastardo this spring, but so far, he's logged only one Grapefruit League inning, an inning less than both Sergio Escalona and Mike Zagurski. With J.C. Romero not expected back until mid-April, these are the pitchers the Phillies will be leaning on. Or perhaps not. Stay tuned. On the offensive side, it’s a good thing Chris Duffy was one of the guys who faced Brad Lidge’s live bullpen yesterday, just to shake off the cobwebs. Duffy, a non-roster invitee, has not appeared in a boxscore since the Florida State game. Beerleaguer favorite Tuffy Gosewisch is also MIA from the stat sheet.

Update: A reader informs us that Bastardo pitched two innings in Wednesday's B game. "In his first inning, he got the first two outs then gave up two hits before getting out of the inning with a strikeout. In the second inning, he got the first two outs then gave up three hits, the last one a double that scored a run, but thanks to a great relay, they nailed the second runner at the plate."

Another day at the office for Phillies' starting pitcher

Beerleaguer's spring correspondents observed that "it's worth the price of admission just to watch Tyson Gillies play center field." Here's what else they saw.

Cole Hamels and Kyle Drabek both looked sharp in their afternoon match-up. Hamels kept pace with the hot start of his rotation-mates; he was dominant through the first three innings, not allowing a base-runner, but surrendered a lead-off home run to Jose Bautista in the fourth. Drabek only went two innings, allowing a hit and a walk but no runs. Drabek was consistently popping the catcher's mitt with 93 mph heat on the corners, while also mixing in his big curve and another pitch that looked like a cutter. Prospect J.C. Ramirez rebounded from last week's poor debut and looked great in his three innings of work, striking out three scrubs en route to the save.

The offensive highlights came from Placido Polanco, who got on base in all four plate appearances, and John Mayberry, who continues to hit the ball hard just about every time up. Mayberry crushed two doubles into the wind and off the top of the left field fence.  In the field, Freddy Galvis made a couple slick plays at short, but the best moment came in the 9th, with Tyson Gillies sprinting all the way back to the track and making an unbelievable stab on a ball he had no business being anywhere near. It's worth the price of admission just to watch Gillies play center field. - courtesy of Monsterdouble.com

Notes: Cody Ransom belted a ninth-inning homer and also homered in the morning "B" game. The Phillies press office is wondering if a player has ever homered in two different cities, against the same team, in one day.

Game chat: Hamels meets Drabek today in Dunedin

Cole Hamels hopes to put another encouraging start under his belt today when the Phillies face Kyle Drabek and the Blue Jays today at 1 p.m. Earlier today, Jamie Moyer tossed three scoreless innings in the early bird special game. Aside from Joe Blanton, Phillies’ starters are off to a sizzling start this spring, including another dominant showing by Roy Halladay last night under the lights. The Phils dropped Atlanta 7-4. Ryan Madson was pasted for four runs. Meanwhile on the offensive side, John Mayberry has made his mark just as he did a year ago. He’s 5-for-15 with a homer and has been hitting the ball hard. And how about that Brian Bocock (4-for-9)? From what I've seen, he doesn't get cheated.

Programming note: Beerleaguer on Comcast DNL

Tune in to Comcast SportsNet today at 5 p.m. when I join Michael Barkann and the panel of Daily News Live to discuss the Phillies and the 2010 Maple Street Press Annual. The exact time of the segment is still undetermined, so set the DVR.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Burrell a fit for '11 outfield

If the Phillies can’t afford to keep Jayson Werth, they’ll be short on right-handed pop and could be seeking a stopgap corner outfielder to help facilitate Domonic Brown’s transition to the Major Leagues.

Yesterday, Beerleaguers named outfielder Michael Taylor as the prospect the Phillies will miss most from the group of seven players who were moved out of the system in the Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay deals. Taylor has impressed at every level of the minor leagues, but aside from that, readers were looking ahead to a post-2010 lineup that will likely be without a right-handed power threat. With existing contracts set to rise, the Phillies will face even more payroll restrictions, even with several players coming off the books. It’s just one reason why old pal Pat Burrell could be a fit for what the Phillies need. Even if Burrell bounces back from his career-worst .221/.315/.367, he will have limited free agent appeal and could be willing to settle for less in order to wrap up his career in Philadelphia. He recently waxed nostalgic over his time in Philly. [Link] Burrell’s defensive limitations aren’t exposed quite as much at Citizens Bank Park, plus, the Phillies have a good fourth outfielder in the fold in Ben Francisco to lend late-game defensive relief. An outfield of Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Burrell, Brown and Francisco would balance versatility and pop on both sides of the plate.

A left/right platoon with Brown and Burrell is in keeping with how the Phillies have groomed many players at the Major League level, including Chase Utley and Werth.

Plus, Burrell becomes the interleague and World Series DH.

Poll: Which prospect will the Phillies miss most?

Fairly generic poll question to start your morning.

Kendrick crisp, but Contreras cuffed in 7-5 loss to NY

The metamorphosis of Kyle Kendrick continued today as the right-hander made another strong bid to become the Phillies' fifth starter.

Kendrick allowed one hit and struck out one in three scoreless frames. Unfortunately, Jose Contreras followed and opened the flood gates, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks in just 1 2-3 innings. Jimmy Rollins went deep on the first pitch of the game, his second round-tripper of spring. John Mayberry also launched a deep home run. Beerleaguer's Denny B saw it like this:

- "Kendrick was sharp as a tack and kept NY's lefties off balance and used both sides of the plate. He had good velocity and had a particularly good slider, that he used to get inside on lefties (Kendrick said it was a cutter that he threw to Cano, who inside-outed it for a 2B down the LF line). Very encouraging first couple of outings in ST.

- "Contreras looked like he usually does when he struggles. Was falling behind and nibbling with hitters and got hammered when he was in hitter's counts. Still has a good fastball and good stuff though.

- "Mathieson threw mostly fastballs, mostly at 93-94 MPH. Didn't seem to have that little extra life yet. Still early in ST for hard-throwers. Had pretty good command though.

- "Mayberry hit three rockets, in his first three at bats (all against RHP). All were on hanging curveballs. His swing looks good and he is a very good defensive outfielder. Has pretty good speed, too (which he showed on the stolen base, where he got a very average jump)."

Programming note: Tune in to Angelo Cataldi and WIP's Morning Team tomorrow at 7 a.m. when I preview the Phillies' season and discuss the 2010 Maple Street Press Phillies Annual.

Romero delay allows Phillies to stall on 5th starter

J.C. Romero has announced that he doesn’t expect to be ready until the Phillies' first home stand April 12-15, meaning there are two openings in the Opening Day bullpen.

The following question is the Phillies' equivalent to the 500-pound gorilla in the room: What happens if Jamie Moyer loses the fifth starter battle? Do they dare demote him to the bullpen again with all that he stands to make in starting incentives? His salary rises by $500,000 when he starts his 25th, 27th, 29th and 31st games and increases by the same amount when he reaches 160, 170, 180 and 190 innings. Would they attempt to trade him? It’s highly unlikely, considering his age, cost, recent injury history and the fact that he would have a say in where he goes. It’s one of the reasons why some people believe Kendrick is doomed to lose the battle, since he can be optioned and might put up less of a struggle if he started the year in the bullpen the way J.A. Happ did last year. The Phillies’ play a scattered schedule in the early going and will not necessarily need a fifth starter until the first home stand.

If I were to set the odds, this is how I would expect to Phillies’ pitching staff to look once they break camp: Halladay, Hamels, Blanton, Happ, Moyer with a bullpen of Lidge, Madson, Baez, Durbin, Contreras, Bastardo and Kendrick. When Romero returns, either Bastardo or Kendrick goes to the minors.

In this regard, the Romero injury might be a minor blessing. Assuming a guy like Antonio Bastardo or Sergio Escalona would fill one of the openings, the extra slot could also allow them to carry Rule 5 pick David Herndon a little longer, in hopes that the Angels would be less likely to reacquire him while the season is already underway. Of course, there’s always the possibility that they carry a six-man bench, but a 12-man pitching staff has traditionally been their preference. The chances of that might increase if Brad Lidge starts the season on the DL.

Kendrick starts: The Phillies and Yankees play at 1:05 today in a game you can watch live online at www.phillies.com. Jose Contreras, Chad Durbin and Scott Mathieson will also pitch.

Shoulder keeps Vic on the sidelines until tomorrow

Center fielder Shane Victorino will not make the trip to Tampa today when a contingency of Phillies' starters take on the Yankees. He is expected to make his first start tomorrow.

Typically, it's tough to keep the Flyin Hawaiian off the field, even during Spring Training, but so far, Victorino, who will reportedly be in the lineup tomorrow against Atlanta, has yet to get in a game. Todd Zolecki writes that seven of the Phillies' eight starting position players will make the trip to George M. Steinbrenner Field today. Victorino's absence has allowed Domonic Brown a chance to shine. The young outfielder is off to a 7-for-13 start in the Grapefruit League and was instrumental in Wednesday's exhibition game with Florida State.

Yesterday, J.A. Happ and Tampa's James Shields matched one another with strong showings in the early innings. Phillipe Aumont had a nice bounce back from his first appearance, coaxing a bases-loaded double play from Pat Burrell in the third, and got the Phils through five unscathed.  Jimmy Rollins came up small in the second with the bases loaded, striking out on a high fastball with a full count, but atoned for it with a solo home run in his next at-bat to break the scoreless tie. Joe Savery struggled mightily in his one inning of work, giving up three runs. Brown continued to tear it up with another three hits, including a two-run double to send the game in to extra innings. The Phils fell in the 10th 5-3. (courtesy of www.monsterdouble.com)

Be mindful of the misdirection; Phils, Rays play today

The transition from March to April is rarely straightforward.

Not that there's a reason to reassure oneself about the uselessness of spring stats, but this morning, I looked up some of the all-time misleading springs in Beerleaguer history. Brett Myers had a few. Fresh off a very generous three-year, $25.75 million contract extension, a slimmed-down Myers arrived in Clearwater in 2007 ready to turn the page and become the staff ace after an ugly season that included an arrest in Boston. Three disastrous starts into the season and Myers was moved to the bullpen. Then in 2008, he grudgingly accepted a rotation reassignment, and statistically, appeared to be ready, going 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in spring. He was demoted to the IronPigs in early July.

Myers is one of a dozen examples. Aaron Rowand hit something like .170 during '07 spring training and was reportedly on the trade block. Nine months later, he finalized a five-year, $60 million deal with San Francisco following a monster year. And of course, there was Eric Bruntlett.

Usually, warning signs are better identified through physical observation. Ryan Howard arrived fat and out of shape in '07 and was a complete mess for months. Cole Hamels arrived in '09 unprepared and paid for it all season.

But it's not just stats; rosters rarely shake out the way they're supposed to. This spring, the process seems pretty straight forward, but the Phillies, and injuries, of course, have a way of complicating things. Speaking of 2007, do you remember that Karim Garcia was expected to capture the fifth outfielder spot based on a strong showing and lack of internal depth, only to be released before Opening Day? Often, the Phillies seem to devote most of their focus toward acquiring last-minute help from the outside. In '07, they filled their final spot with reliever Francisco Rosario, then juggled rosters once again when Jon Lieber and Freddy Garcia came off the DL, sending a month's worth of roster speculation down the drain.

The Phillies say they're comfortable letting young guys like Antonio Bastardo and Sergio Escalona duke it out for the final spot in the 'pen, but don't be surprised if the 25th man is currently in some other camp. Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero's status could also become a critical factor. Plus, the Phillies have a number of players without roles who would be attractive to other clubs.

Game chat: J.A. Happ makes first official Grapefruit Leauge start today at 1 p.m. against the Rays. Phillippe Aumont, Drew Naylor, Jesus Sanchez, David Herndon, Johan Flande and Joe Savery will also put in work. Lineups are posted. Rollins (SS), Polanco (3B), Utley (2B), Howard (1B), Ibanez (LF), Francisco (CF), Brown (RF), Gload (DH) and Schneider (C). Pat Burrell starts in right field against his old team.

Bullpen shines as Phillies, Pirates call it a draw

After Joe Blanton's rocky start, Phillies' pitching put the clamps on Pittsburgh, shutting out the host Buccos through nine innings. The game ended in a 3-3 10-inning tie.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Phillies got out of the blocks fast with lead-off man Dewayne Wise tripling off the center field wall. Bucs starter Kevin Hart was in a boatload of trouble early as Wise scored on a wild pitch and Hart then walked the next three batters. Unfortunately, Raul Ibanez's double play prevented the Phils from breaking the game open. After that, the Phillies offense sputtered, scoring one run the rest of the way. Joe Blanton, making his first start of the Grapefruit season, was hit hard in the first inning as four of the first five batters connected sharply, including a two-run home run down the right field line by Bucs right-fielder Ryan Church. Blanton rebounded with a scoreless second and would retire five out of his last six. Danys Baez relieved Blanton and looked sharp.  He only threw eight pitches for a 1-2-3 third inning, and came back to throw a scoreless fourth. He had four ground ball outs and two strikeouts. Former Phil Jack Taschner threw a scoreless sixth, striking out Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez and John Mayberry. - Billy Mac

Brown, Gillies turning heads: The offense missed some opportunities early, but showed good patience against some wild Pirates pitchers, drawing six walks in the game. Domonic Brown and Tyson Gillies continued to bring excitement to the later innings. Brown seemed to get on base almost every time up, including a single off Taschner. Gillies drew a walk in one of his two plate appearances, and stole second easily despite getting a poor jump. Add in one diving catch each for the youngsters and the future of the Phils' outfield looked bright on this day. - Furnstein and Jonesman (www.monsterdouble.com)

Bullpen: Including Baez, B.J. Roseberg, Mike Zagurski, David Herndon and Jesus Sanchez combined for eight shutout innings in the 10-inning affair.