PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Tommy Hanson took another step forward while Oliver Perez struggled with his command again.
Perez was pulled after walking consecutive batters in the fifth inning, part of a shaky outing in the New York Mets’ 7-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Perez’s control problems continued to hurt him. He issued a leadoff walk to Brian McCann before Yunel Escobar hit a two-run homer in the fourth.
The erratic left-hander allowed three runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.
“I think the key today was I was behind the count to the batter (McCann) in the (fourth) inning and I walked him, and after that Escobar hit me,” Perez said. “He had two balls, no strikes and he took advantage of the pitch count.”
New York is counting on Perez to bounce back this season after struggling last year.
Hanson pitched five innings for the Braves, yielding two runs and four hits. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out five and walked three while throwing a spring-high 91 pitches in his fourth start.
“This is the farthest I’ve gone so far,” he said. “I didn’t even know I threw 91 pitches, but it’s good to get 91 out there, and my arm and everything feels good and I didn’t feel tired one bit. It’s good to throw that many pitches and still feel good.”
Former Braves star Jeff Francoeur hit a solo homer for New York, and Jason Bay also singled in a run.
Scott Proctor, who missed last season while recovering from right elbow surgery, allowed two runs and one hit in one inning in his second spring outing for Atlanta.
Proctor retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth but walked the next three. Mike Jacobs drove in two runs with a single to right field.
Lee still feels pain
PEORIA, Ariz. – Cliff Lee said Tuesday he still feels some pain in his strained abdomen and has no idea when he will be able to get on a mound again.
That makes it possible the 2008 Cy Young Award winner won’t be ready when Seattle’s season starts April 5 at Oakland. He said his light morning throwing session on flat ground went well and that the muscle feels much better, but he added, “I still feel it.”
Meche shoulder stiff
SURPRISE, Ariz. – Gil Meche, expected to be the Royals’ No. 2 starting pitcher, is having problems with a stiff right shoulder. He was scheduled to throw 75 pitches and go five innings Monday but left after three innings.