Red Sox righty Tim Wakefield looked strong in his second straight spring on Tuesday as the knuckleballer held the Marlins to just two hits and no runs over three innings of work.
Wakefield threw 22 of his 30 pitches for strikes and struck out one batter. Only two Marlins hitters reached base against the 43-year-old hurler, who was relieved by Scott Atchison. Wakefield has now pitched five scoreless innings and allowed three hits this spring.
The Red Sox chased Marlins hurler Anibal Sanchez from the game early, plating five runs (four earned) in the first three innings against the former Red Sox prospect. Sanchez was pulled with one out in the third after allowing five hits, three walks and five runs to bump his spring training ERA to 10.38.
Leading the way for the Red Sox offense was Josh Reddick, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and one RBI. Former Marlin Jeremy Hermida contributed with a single, double and one RBI against his old mates while Ryan Kalish and Yamaico Navarro each grabbed a pair of hits. Catcher Dusty Brown and third baseman Gil Valazquez each drove in a pair of runs for the Sox, who added three runs in the eighth to make it 9-0.
Joe Nelson, Fabio Castro and Fernando Cabrera each pitched pitched perfect innings of relief while none of Boston's six pitchers allowed a walk.
