Poche struggles with command in spring opener

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Left-hander Colin Poche is hoping to make the Rays' Opening Day roster, but his first Grapefruit League game didn't go as he hoped on Friday as the Rays dropped their Spring Training opener to the Phillies, 3-2.

Poche gave up an earned run in two-thirds of an inning as he struggled with command. The reliever walked three of the six batters he faced, including a bases-loaded walk to Maikel Franco that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the third inning. It was the 25-year-old's first time pitching in front of the Tampa Bay coaching staff, but he said that didn’t factor into his struggles against Philadelphia.

“I’m not going to stand here and say that’s why I didn’t perform,” Poche said. “Obviously it was another chance to make a first impression, but it’s just day one. It’s still Spring Training, so it’s not going to be something that ruins camp or anything like that.”

Manager Kevin Cash has been impressed with what he’s seen from Poche during camp and said that despite the results Friday, he did see some good things out of the lefty.

“It’s still nerve-wracking even though it’s just Spring Training for some of these guys,” Cash said. “He’s working on his split and a little breaking ball here and there, but he’ll be fine.”

Poche, who finished with a 0.82 ERA in the Minors last season, said he felt good with his fastball and the splitter he has been working on this spring but that he didn’t have the consistency he would’ve liked.

“Definitely not ideal but something that can easily be fixed before my next outing,” Poche said. “Good things to build on, and take it as as lesson, and take into my next outing what I need to work on and go from there.”

While Poche struggled on the mound, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier also had some issues in the outfield. Kiermaier misread a Scott Kingery flyball in the first inning, which ultimately resulted with the Rays' center fielder unable to secure the catch as he got his feet tangled and he fell on the play. Kingery, who was credited with a triple, ran on to score on a Willy Adames error on the throw home.

Kiermaier wasn’t charged with an error but said it’s a play that he should always make.

“Definitely not how you draw it up, the first play of the year,” Kiermaier said. “I don’t care if it’s Spring Training or not, I’m going to be thinking about that all day. I’m not happy about it, but you learn from those things and for me, you try to be better prepared.”

Kiermaier nearly had a throwing error in the third inning as he tried to throw a runner out at the plate. He overthrew catcher Mike Zunino, but Poche was backing up on the play and saved Kiermaier from an error.

Ji-Man Choi drove Daniel Robertson in with a sacrifice fly in the third inning to get the scoring started for Tampa Bay. Outfielder Jason Coats accounted for the Rays' second run with a homer in the sixth inning. Tommy Pham picked up where he left off last season, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.

“I thought our guys had some really good swings,” Cash said. “Robertson had some good swings. Yandy [Diaz] had some good swings. Ji-Man and Tommy hitting the ball really hard. That was good.”

Up next

The Rays will be traveling to Fort Myers on Saturday to take on the Twins and new manager Rocco Baldelli. The game is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. ET start time with left-hander Ryan Yarbrough set to start for Tampa Bay.