CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Phillies split their squad and played two games Sunday.
The team that stayed back in Clearwater rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-5, while the team that bused an hour south to Sarasota lost, 4-3, to the Baltimore Orioles.
The Phils hit three home runs in the two games. Michael Saunders and Rhys Hoskins went deep in Clearwater while Cameron Rupp hit his first homer of the spring in Sarasota.
In Clearwater, the Phils rallied for three runs in the seventh to break a 5-5 tie. Nick Williams' single scored Scott Kingery for the tie-breaking run and Hector Gomez followed with a two-run double on his 29th birthday.
Spring standout Kingery had reached base on a walk and stole second.
Gomez has appeared in the majors with the Rockies and Twins. He played in Korea last year. The Phillies signed him to play third base at Triple A Lehigh Valley this season, and he's making a nice showing so far in Grapefruit League play. He has six hits in 10 at-bats and half of them are doubles.
Gomez took over at third base for Andres Blanco. He, too, had a solid game with a double, a single and an eye-popping defensive play.
MLB
Blanco has been a standout utility infielder for the Phillies for three seasons. He was a free agent in the offseason and the team re-signed him to a one-year, $3 million deal.
"He's one of those guys you don't appreciate until the end of the year when you look at how many positions he played and how many big hits and big defensive plays he made," said bench coach Larry Bowa, who skippered the team in Clearwater.
The Phillies had just four hits in Sarasota. In addition to Rupp's homer, the Phils got a double from J.P. Crawford.
On the mound
Clay Buchholz pitched three innings and gave up four runs, all on a pair of homers, in Clearwater.
Nick Pivetta pitched three scoreless innings in Sarasota. He will depart camp this week to pitch for Team Canada in the WBC.
Pullin sidelined
Phillies officials were eager to watch prospect Andrew Pullin swing the bat in this camp, but the 23-year-old corner outfielder missed his sixth straight game Sunday with what was called a mild oblique strain. These injuries can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month to clear up.
Pullin hit .322 with a .885 OPS in 82 games at Clearwater and Reading last season.
Up next
The Phillies have an off day Monday. They play again Tuesday against the Tigers in Lakeland. Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies and is scheduled to work three innings. Nola, who missed the final two months of last season with an elbow injury, had a strong spring debut last week against Toronto.
Justin Verlander will pitch for the Tigers on Tuesday.