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FORT MYERS, Fla. _ Francisco Liriano faced a major league team for the first time in 18 months, gave up no runs and felt no pain.
He even made Manny Ramirez look silly on a changeup that the Red Sox slugger flailed at for a third strike. And he made Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson smile.
“He felt great,” Anderson said. “His first outing was outstanding and we just build off of that.”
Minnesota beat Boston 7-2 on Friday behind homers from Justin Morneau and Craig Monroe off Clay Buchholz in the first inning. The best news, though, was that Liriano felt fine in his first game against a big league club since he underwent Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on Nov. 6, 2006.
“I feel good. I feel strong. No pain, no soreness at all,” he said. “I was a little bit nervous, but after the first hitter that went away.”
The left-hander threw 40 pitches in 12/3 innings, allowing two hits and a walk with one strikeout. He retired five of the first six batters, giving up a walk to David Ortiz, before allowing singles to Sean Casey and Keith Ginter. He then was replaced by Nick Blackburn.
Liriano moved closer to a spot in the rotation that needs him badly after ace Johan Santana was traded to the New York Mets and free agent Carlos Silva signed with Seattle.
“I miss Johan because he would play around with me all the time,” the 24-year-old Liriano said, “him and Carlos Silva. I miss him a lot.”
Liriano’s fastball and changeup were impressive but he’d like to improve his slider as he pursues a starting spot.
“He’s on his way now,” Anderson said. “All the other starters are getting their second start. Now he’s on his first and so we still have some time to keep getting him stretched out a little bit and I felt a little better just basically seeing him on the mound again. I’m sure he feels better.”
Liriano was a sensation in 2006 when he went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 121 innings. He made the AL All-Star team, then his season was cut short by the injury and he pitched just one game after Aug. 7. That was on Sept. 13 when he pitched two solid innings but didn’t get another out.
“The last two pitches I threw, I felt a pop and it really hurts,” he said after the 1-0 loss to Oakland.
He arrived at spring training more than a week after pitchers and catchers began formal workouts because of a visa delay in his native Dominican Republic.
Liriano isn’t throwing with his customary aggressiveness, not yet.
“I’m holding back a little bit because I don’t want to rush,” he said. “I have to take it easy and make sure that I feel good.”
His motion was less energetic than it had been, a change Anderson hopes can help him avoid injury.
“On his finish, he’s not so violent recoiling,” Anderson said. “He looked pretty calm.”
Buchholz, a rookie who made a big splash last season, struggled for the second straight game. He pitched a no-hitter in his second major league start last year and is rated baseball’s No. 4 prospect by Baseball America, one spot behind Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees.
The two homers put Buchholz in a 3-0 hole before he retired his remaining seven batters.
He left a changeup to Morneau over the plate on a 1-2 pitch and he “hit it about a mile” for a two-run homer, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
“It took him an inning to really kind of find his rhythm and establish all his pitches,” Boston pitching coach John Farrell said. “He recognizes he’s got some work to do and adjustment to make. You’ve got to love his stuff.“
The Twins made it 5-0 with two runs in the fourth off Jonathan Papelbon, whose new $775,000, one-year contract, nearly doubling his salary, was announced Thursday.
Notes: Mike Lamb was the only Twin with two hits. Jason Kubel drove in two runs. ... Ginter went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Jeff Bailey homered in the ninth for Boston’s other run. Neither is expected to make the opening-day roster. ... Boston’s other split-squad lost to Baltimore 12-2. Minnesota’s beat Toronto 4-0.
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