Joel Hanrahan

Joel Hanrahan knows there are going to be bad days like Sunday in what resulted in a 5-2 Yankees win over the Red Sox at JetBlue Park. He’s just glad this one came on March 3.

Hanrahan blew a 1-0 Red sox lead, giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks over 2/3 innings. His scheduled one-inning stint was cut short due to an elevated pitch count.

“It’s March 3, you’re trying to get some work in,” Hanrahan told reporters, having also victimized by two errors from third baseman Drew Sutton. “Obviously we were winning 1-0 and I didn’t want to give up a lead. The guys before me threw the ball well. You can still get work in. I think I struck out the first guy. Then a broken-bat hit and things unfolded from there.

“I think I threw the ball all right, and there’s stuff to still work on. Some of the stuff I’ve been working on worked. I got a couple of balls in on some lefties. They weren’t strikes, but we kind of took them. It’s something I’ve been working on in my bullpen.”

It was Hanrahan’s fourth spring training out, having already gone up against Northeastern, St. Louis and Baltimore.

Other than Hanrahan, the Red Sox pitchers offered some encouragement, with starter Ryan Dempster (3 IP, H), Koji Uehara (IP, no baserunners), and Andrew Miller (striking out all three of his batters) excelling. By the end of the fifth inning, the trio had only thrown a total of five balls.

“His command was outstanding,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters regarding Dempster. “Very good location throughout. He threw three pitches for strikes once again. Extremely efficient.”

The offensive highlight for the Red Sox came in the form of Mike Napoli’s second-inning home run to deep center field.

“Sometimes you go a long time in spring training and you start to wonder, ‘Man, where’s my power at?’ I always felt like I do have power and it will come eventually,” said Napoli, who played his second game at first base. “It feels good to get one early, but it’s just one and I’ve got things to work on, try to get my timing better.”

Napoli also reiterated that his hips – diagnosed with avascular necrosis — continue to not be a concern.

“Like I said before, I’ve never felt anything in my hips. I’m not even thinking about it on the field,” he told reporters. “I’m just trying to play the game. It’s nice to show people that don’t really understand the situation that everything’s all right and we’re moving forward. I feel great and never felt anything. It’s not really a question for me.

“I guess it shows people that I can play the game.”