CLEARWATER, Fla. Jay Caufield Jersey . -- Jose Bautista hit a long home run off Roberto Hernandez three batters into the game, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Wednesday in rain-shortened spring training opener for both teams. Bautistas home run landed outside of the ballpark at Bright House Field. The game was called in the middle of the seventh inning. "It felt pretty good, I cant deny that," Bautista said. "More importantly I felt like I was seeing the ball great. I havent been playing for a while so thats a positive." Bautista missed the last six weeks of the season with a hip injury, the second straight year in which he ended the season on the disabled list. He hit 28 home runs in 2013 after reaching 27 the year before. He was 1 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored Wednesday. Ryan Howard and Marlon Byrd each had run-scoring singles off former Phillies left-hander J.A. Happ in the bottom of the first. STARTING TIME Phillies: Hernandez, making his Phillies debut, allowed two runs on four hits in two innings. He is the front runner for the fifth starters job after signing a one-year, $4.5 million contract as a free agent this winter. "When I face him I try to throw changeups and sinkers down," Hernandez said of the home run to Bautista. "But today I got down in the count and had to throw it down the middle. I missed up." Blue Jays: Happ struggled in his only inning against his former team. Although he ended up striking out the side, he gave up four hits and a walk in facing eight batters. Happ finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2009, when he went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA. Happ was 5-7 with a 4.56 ERA in 18 starts with the Blue Jays last season. TRAINERS ROOM Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels threw off the mound for the first time this spring. The 30-year-old Hamels entered camp behind the rest of the pitchers after experiencing biceps soreness in November. Hamels will throw another side session on Saturday and isnt likely to pitch in a Grapefruit League game for another two weeks. HOWARDS END Howard got off to a fast start, singling in a run in the bottom of first. The Phillies first baseman played only 80 games last year because of knee problems. Manager Ryne Sandberg is impressed with Howards progress. "I really like Howards aggressiveness early in the count with men on base," Sandberg said. KNUCKLED Cliff Lee will make his first start of the spring on Thursday, when the Phillies take on the Blue Jays for the second straight day, this time in Dunedin. But several Phillies regulars will not be in the lineup, including Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Toronto is starting knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey. But Sandberg says hes not sitting his regulars because of Dickeys unusual pitch. "I dont think that comes into play that much," Sandberg said. "If they keep it simple, it comes down to see the ball and hit it." Leo Boivin Jersey . The 27-year-old forward has informed the Leafs that he will be unable to play in Monday nights home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rob Brown Jersey . PAUL, Minn.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Brady Quinn is the newest member of the New York Jets quarterback carousel. The Jets signed the veteran Monday to give them an experienced backup behind rookie Geno Smith, who appears likely to start the season opener against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Quinn, a first-round draft pick of Cleveland in 2007, was cut by Seattle on Saturday. His signing also clouds the future of Mark Sanchez, who is sidelined with a shoulder injury and could miss at least the first few weeks of the season. Quinn was on the field at practice with the other quarterbacks, while Sanchez was off to the side on a stationary bike during the 30-minute window the media were allowed to watch. "Its a great opportunity," Quinn said. "The Jets are a historic organization. I think just to be able to work with a guy like (QBs coach) David Lee and coach (Marty) Mornhinweg, is a great opportunity for me." Sanchez appeared in good shape to win the starting job over Smith, the teams second-round pick, until he took a hard hit to his right shoulder from the Giants Marvin Austin late in the fourth quarter of the third preseason game. The Jets have said only that Sanchez is "day to day," but Quinns arrival could indicate that there are concerns about Sanchezs short-term availability. The move could also be insurance for Smith, who had an up-and-down preseason and showed he was still quite raw. "It was just an opportunity for us to get a good football player," coach Rex Ryan said. Quinn said he wasnt sure what hhis role with the Jets will be, but added that he wasnt told anything definitively about the status of Sanchez or who would be starting the season opener. Andy Bathgate Jersey. The Jets also cut recently signed quarterback Graham Harrell, and released quarterback Greg McElroy with an injury settlement. McElroy, dealing with a knee injury, had cleared waivers and reverted to the teams injured reserve list. The only other quarterback on the team is the inexperienced Matt Simms, who had a terrific preseason but has never thrown a pass in a regular-season NFL game. Quinn was once considered the quarterback of the future for the Browns, but has bounced around the league while never living up to those expectations. He has 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in six seasons with the Browns, Broncos and Chiefs. He was expected to be a top-10 pick in 2007, but slid to No. 22 and dealt with injuries and inconsistency during his time with the Browns. Quinn was traded to Denver in 2010, but never played in any games for the Broncos. He signed with Kansas City as a free agent before last season and appeared in 10 games, including a two-touchdown performance in a win against Carolina on Dec. 3. "I think its like anything else in life," Quinn said. "Im extremely blessed to have the opportunities Ive had. For anyone who feels that it hasnt gone the way its supposed to, I just feel blessed to have the opportunity. ... It hasnt gone the dream way that you envision, but Im still playing and still doing what I love to do." ' ' '
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