PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -John Lackey is off to a nice start with the Red Sox.

The right-hander threw three shutout innings in Boston's 8-2 victory over Jason Bay and the New York Mets on Thursday.

Lackey allowed three hits in his second spring outing and has yet to allow a run since he finalized an $82.5 million, five-year contract with the Red Sox in December.

After Lackey was finished on the field, he got some work done in the bullpen before showers caused a 30-minute delay after the fourth inning.

Bay, playing in his first game against his former team, went 0 for 2 before leaving during the delay.

Mike Pelfrey allowed three runs and four hits - all in the first - over three innings for New York. He struck out four and walked one.

The Mets again were without speedy shortstop Jose Reyes, who has been told to rest and refrain from athletic activity for two to eight weeks until his thyroid levels normalize. The diagnosis puts him in doubt for opening day.Phillies 4, Tigers 0

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - Joe Blanton used a mix of fastballs and changeups to shut down Detroit.

Blanton has focused solely on the fastball-changeup combination in his first two spring starts before he incorporates breaking pitches into his repertoire. So far the results have been promising: Blanton held the Tigers to three singles in four innings of work.

Detroit ace Justin Verlander also pitched four innings, yielding two runs and six hits.

Raul Ibanez hit his first homer of the spring for Philadelphia.Rays (ss) 16, Pirates 15

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro was struck by a pickoff throw in the third inning and departed with an injured left thumb.

Navarro was hit when Jack Taschner threw over. It was diagnosed as a contusion, and Navarro returned to the Rays' complex in Port Charlotte for further evaluation.

Winds were gusting up to 35 mph toward left field at the start of the game, and both teams took advantage.

Carl Crawford and Pat Burrell homered in the fifth inning for Tampa Bay, which has won nine straight. Justin Ruggiano and Angel Chavez hit consecutive drives during the split-squad's seven-run seventh.

Ronny Cedeno, Neil Walker and Delwyn Young connected for Pittsburgh.Rays (ss) 4, Blue Jays 1

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) - Andy Sonnanstine pitched four scoreless innings to lead a Tampa Bay split-squad to the victory.

Sonnanstine rebounded from a poor outing in his spring debut, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three.

Evan Longoria and Jason Bartlett had RBI singles, and John Jaso homered in Tampa Bay's three-run fifth.

Toronto starter Shaun Marcum gave up one hit in three scoreless innings.

Joey Gathright drove in Toronto's run with a fifth-inning single off Dan Wheeler.Cardinals 5, Marlins 3

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Florida got another strong start from ace Josh Johnson but a bad ending from its closer.

St. Louis roughed up Leo Nunez during a five-run ninth to pick up the win.

Nunez, who saved 26 games last season, allowed four hits before leaving with two outs and runners at second and third. He was charged with five runs, three earned.

Johnson, the Marlins' opening-day starter, struck out the side in the first, mixing in a changeup with a fastball that hit 94 mph. He finished with four strikeouts over three scoreless innings.

Kyle Lohse tossed four scoreless innings for St. Louis, throwing 33 of his 44 pitches for strikes.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.