DUNEDIN, Fla.- They came to bury Alex Rodriguez in jeers and boos.
When the booing was complete, the Yankee fans cheered Rodriguez as he circled the bases in the fourth after hitting a two-run homer off Ricky Romero before 5,014 fans at Dunedin Stadium.
Romero allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings as the Jays fell 6-1 to the Yankees under sunny skies in 72 degree weather as the Jays began their 33rd spring training at delightfully different Dunedin.
Rodriguez stepped out of the dugout and into the on-deck circle when the first barb was delivered from a fan:
"Hey, A-Rod, where is your cousin?"
With two out in the fourth B.J. Ryan took over for Romero and allowed back-to-back singles.
Rick Bauer worked the fifth and allowed a single to Derek Jeter, a double to Robinson Cano and a walk to Rodriguez to load the bases. He then walked Nick Swisher to force in a run. One out later he gave up a single to Juan Miranda.
Brett Gardner hit the second pitch of the game for a home run against lefty Brett Cecil. Cecil, however, settled down and allowed only one base runner (a walk to Rodriguez) while striking out four (Cano, Swisher, Juan Miranda and Todd Linden).
Jays scored their first run of the spring when John McDonald hit a one-out double to left. After Joe Inglett was hit by a pitch and Aaron Hill walked to load the bases, Alex Rios hit a scoring fly ball.
Toronto managed only four hits: a second-inning Rod Barajas single, the McDonald double, a double by Travis Snider and a Russ Adams single.
The Good: Brett Cecil rebounded from his rocky start. ... LF Travis Snider doubled and flew out to the track in his other at-bat. ... SS John McDonald made a fine fielding play on a Derek Jeter chopper in the third, ... LHP Ricky Romero fielded a roller up the third base line, spun and fired to first to nab Kevin Cash in the third. Yanks 1B Juan Miranda made a fine over-the-shoulder catch on a pop up off the bat of 1B Kevin Millar.
The Bad: Rick Bauer allowed five of the first six men he faced to reach base, including a bases-loaded walk to Nick Swisher. ... An error and a walk opened the bottom of the ninth but David Robertson struck out Wayne Lyndon and Angel Sanchez. An error loaded the bases but Russ Adams popped up to end it.
The Ugly: Pre-game introductions for the first game of the spring are usually like pre-game before opening night or the post-season with the managers and the starting lineup being introduced and then lining up on the third and first-base line. The announcer said "manager Joe Girardi ..." And no one stirred from the Yankees dugout. "Lead-off man Brett Gardner ...."
Still no one. Then he read the complete lineup in quick-step fashion. An attempt by the Yanks to shelter Rodriguez from boos? Tat-for-tat: Jose Veres hit Joe Inglett with a pitch with one out in the third. Ricky Romero hit Robinson Cano with a pitch to lead off the fourth. Cano scored on Rodriguez's two-run homer.
Notes: Ex-Jay Mike Bordick has been hired as a roving minor-league instructor. Bordick, signed by Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, had been in camp working with infielders.
With the Yanks adding free-agents A.J. Burnett (18 wins for the Jays) and C.C. Sabathia (17 wins for the Indians and the Brewers) it marks the second time in 105 years a team has added two arms coming off 17-win seasons or better. The Houston Astros landed Andy Pettitte (21 wins) and Roger Clemens(17) in 2003.
