LAKELAND, Fla. -- Rick Porcello has more work to do if he's going to win the final spot in Detroit's rotation.
The prized prospect struggled with his command Thursday night, but the Tigers got a home run and a double from Curtis Granderson in a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
It was the first spring training game in which the Tigers have had most of their regular starters. Slick-fielding shortstop Adam Everett was out with a sprained left ankle, but sluggers Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez played with Detroit for the first time since returning from Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
Granderson, who played for Team USA, also made the trip back to Lakeland. All four, plus pitcher Armando Galarraga, made brief appearances before leaving for the WBC.
Porcello allowed one run and three hits while walking three in 2 1/3 innings, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland hasn't given up on him. Leyland said Porcello still has at least two more chances to pitch before the team breaks camp.
"He fought trouble," Leyland said. "I would like to see him go 1-2-3 all night, but he wouldn't have necessarily made the club if he pitched five scoreless innings. He just has to get his pitches over the plate."
The 20-year-old Porcello was selected in the first round of the 2007 draft and spent last season at Class-A Lakeland. Still, he has been considered a long shot to skip the higher minors and make it to Detroit in April.
He threw 36 pitches in the first inning against Tampa Bay and said he felt a little nervous knowing that only a few rotation candidates remain at spring training.
"I am not worried about making the team," Porcello said. "I am just focused on being a starter for whoever I pitch for this season. It is a learning process and I am still learning. Maybe I tried to throw too hard, I don't know. What I know is that I need to get ahead of the hitters and I didn't do that tonight."
The Rays scored a run in the first, but Porcello had to pitch his way out of a jam. He was placed on a 65-pitch limit and was yanked in the third.
"He struggled, absolutely," Leyland said. "He had some nerves and it took him some time to get over them. He has got to get better but he knows that."
Porcello missed a start last week after a line drive sliced open a finger on his pitching hand.
Leyland was excited to get his key players back, but said the middle of his lineup was behind.
"They have to do a lot to get ready in a short time," Leyland said. "The WBC guys were a little bit sluggish, but they will play just about every day between now and the start of the season. They need their at-bats."
Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine pitched 4 1/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and four runs, three earned.
The right-hander allowed homers to Brandon Inge and Granderson, but manager Joe Maddon wasn't worried.
"Sonnanstine just allowed a couple of homers that were basically fly balls that went out," Maddon said. "He pitched real well."
Maddon also praised Lance Cormier, who is trying to land a job in Tampa Bay's bullpen. Cormier pitched in 45 games last year for Baltimore, and the Rays are looking for middle relief help. He worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed four hits.
"Lance Cormier threw a lot of strikes," Maddon said. "I wanted to see him on back-to-back days and I liked what I saw."
Cabrera went 3-for-4 with two doubles.
Dioner Navarro had three hits for the Rays, but projected closer Troy Percival allowed two earned runs in one inning.
Notes
The Tigers reassigned C Max St. Pierre to minor league camp. St. Pierre has been in professional baseball since 1997 without getting a major league at-bat. "I just told him to never give up on his dreams," Leyland said. ... Granderson said he lost about 10 pounds over the last three weeks and he felt a bit weak, but he plans to put the weight back on.
