Colon Pitches Out Of Jam In Debut

Bartolo Colon pitched two innings against Tampa Bay this afternoon, allowing two hits and one run.

Colon escaped a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the first, striking out B.J. Upton, popping up Jonny Gomes and retiring John Rodriguez on a grounder. He allowed a two-out, solo home run in the second to Jon Weber.

Colon threw 26 pitches and finished with a 2-2-1-1-1 line. He'll make his next start on Monday, in Tampa, against the Yankees. ... Kyle Snyder pitched two shutout innings in relief of Colon. Hideki Okajima and Javier Lopez also threw scoreless innings. The game ended in a 3-3, 10-inning tie.

Curt Schilling was placed on the 60-day disabled list. That opened up a roster spot for right-handed reliever Lincoln Holdzkom, who had been selected by the Phillies in last December's Rule 5 Draft, but was returned to the Red Sox. ... RHP Devern Hansack and OF Jonathan Van Every were optioned to Pawtucket.

Sure enough, Billy Crystal got the loudest cheers of the day, along with two standing ovations, two fist-bumps from CI and a high-five from Slappy McBluelips. (No word on whether he received a TrueYankee™ Curtain Call.)