Andrew Abbott Frustrated By Fifth Start As Arizona Diamondbacks Bit Him

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

If manager Terry Francona wasn't ill already, his opening day starter's outing would have made him so.

Andrew Abbott was clearly flustered by the two-inning effort in which he allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out three.

The first inning in which the Diamondbacks scored a run wasn't that bad. Two groundballs found holes in the infield maned by Garrett Hampson, Alexander Vargas and PJ Higgins. Vargas just returned from representing Cuba in the World Baseball Classic. The other two were informed that they would not make the opening day roster. You can't lay the blame on them though Abbott was fighting his mechanics.

Abbott has been working on his mechanics with pitching coach Derek Johnson in side sessions between starts.

"I've been leaking in my delivery, leaving the ball over the plate,"Abbott said. "We worked on driving more towards the plate."

"There were well placed balls. I thought my process was pretty good," Abbott said. "Off speed pitches were pretty sharp except for the one to (James) McCann. You're going to mess up in a game. I know that but I have to do a better job of getting back in the zone and limiting free passes. I am overall frustrated. The results aren't where I want them to be, obviously. I'm still waiting on every thing to click. My process is there, my mechanics are there."

Abbott gave up a home run and a double to McCann. Acting manager Freddie Benevides pulled Abbott out in the second inning, allowing Jimmy Romano to finish it. Abbott returned in the third inning. The Diamondbacks scored five runs in the third inning. Abbott built his pitch count at least. He threw 76 pitches, 43 were strikes.

Hagen Danner gave up a run in one inning. He is the only non-roster pitcher left in camp. Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan pitched scoreless innings. Luis Mey also pitched a scoreless frame.

On the offensive side, JJ Bleday hit a double and a home run. Nathanial Lowe homered. Hampson hit his second home run of the spring.

Carlos Jorge tripled. He has impressed in camp so far.

"Whenever we take him with us, he's done something," Francona said on Sunday. "He has been fun to watch."

Jorge also tripled on Saturday.