Baseball

Phillies, Blue Jays nearly brawl

CLEARWATER -- Phillies manager Larry Bowa was ejected in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game against Toronto after yelling at Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay, causing both benches to empty.

Bowa was enraged that Halladay hit Jim Thome with a pitch in the third and charged out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Eric Cooper in the fourth. The umpire warned both teams after Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier threw two inside pitches to Halladay.

As Bowa was walking back to the dugout, he shouted and walked toward Halladay. Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca ran onto the field, and both teams came out of their dugouts. No punches were thrown, but Bowa had to be restrained by several people.

"I said, 'I don't think your control is that bad,"' Bowa said. "I shouldn't have said that. Nobody was throwing at anybody."

Thome left the game after he was hit above the right elbow. He said the elbow was numb and he couldn't swing a bat but doesn't expect to miss the season opener Monday.

"My gut feeling is it's nothing serious," Thome said.

Phillies pitcher Bud Smith hit Reed Johnson in the third. After Thome was hit, Cormier threw his first two pitches at Halladay but missed. His second pitch hit Cooper in the left hand.

"It's nice to know your boys have your back," Thome said, adding he has no history with Halladay.

WELCOME BACK: The Phillies re-acquired third baseman Travis Chapman off waivers and assigned him to their minor-league complex. Chapman was claimed by Detroit during the Rule 5 draft.

WARMUP: Kevin Millwood, tuning up for his opening day start, allowed three runs and six hits in two innings.

"I'm ready to go," he said. "They only hit one ball hard."

Halladay hit hard

CLEARWATER -- Halladay, who will pitch Toronto's season opener against the Yankees, allowed seven runs to end his 16-inning scoreless streak. He also gave up nine hits in 42/3 innings.

That's in addition to hitting Thome with a pitch to nearly start the brawl. He said he understood why Cormier threw at him.

"I hit their best player. If you are in the other situation, you want to do something to protect that guy," Halladay said. "It's part of the game. But guys running all over the field, that's not part of the game."

CHANGE OF PLANS: Right-hander Justin Miller will start against the Yankees today instead of Cory Lidle. Lidle faces the Yankees in the second game of the season and instead will pitch in a minor-league game.

Clemens looks ready

ST. PETERSBURG -- Roger Clemens, coming off a rough outing in his last start Friday against Pittsburgh, worked an effective five innings in the Yankees' 15-3 victory against the Devil Rays on Wednesday.

It was Clemens' sixth and final start of spring training in preparation for his 13th opening-day start, fourth for the Yankees, at Toronto on Monday.

"I lost my rhythm and felt a little funny in the fifth inning, but overall, I felt pretty good," said Clemens, who gave up two runs on four hits with no strikeouts.

The Yankees (13-13) broke open the game with a nine-run 10-hit second inning against Tampa Bay left-hander Joe Kennedy. Raul Mondesi and former Devil Ray Bubba Trammell homered, and Trammell, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada had two hits in the inning.

Posada singled in his first at-bat, a 13-pitch duel with Kennedy, and homered in the sixth off Travis Harper.

GOOD SPRING: Leftfielder Matsui continued to impress with two singles in three at-bats.

Manager Joe Torre said before the game Matsui could not have produced a better spring in his first exposure to the major leagues. But Matsui said his comfort level is evolving.

"I'm glad (Torre) sees it that way. But from my perspective, getting used to the routine has been the challenge," Matsui said. "I'm not really satisfied. It's been okay."

Matsui said his teammates have eased the adjustment.

"They've made me feel a part of the team," Matsui said.

BACK TO BACK: First baseman Jason Giambi and backup Nick Johnson hit opposite-field home runs. It was the second straight game both homered.

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