• Curtis Granderson hit an RBI single in his only at-bat and the New York Yankees beat the University of South Florida 11-0 on Friday.

Granderson drove in Derek Jeter, who had reached on a two-base throwing error, in the first.

Minor league outfielder Zoilo Almonte had four RBI, including a three-triple during a five-run seventh for the Yankees. Prospect Adam Warren allowed one hit over two scoreless innings.

Seven Yankees' regulars got either one or two at-bats in the game.

"We've been through our work, and I think we're ready to start playing games," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Start getting guys in (playing) shape. Start evaluating some guys. Hopefully all goes as smoothly as today."

Alex Rodriguez, coming off a season in which he was limited to 99 games because of injuries, had a single in two at-bats.

"He's healthy," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "When he's healthy, you know he can play. Hopefully this is the year he's back on track because you know what he can do when he's healthy."

South Florida had four hits off seven Yankees' minor leaguers.

Ivan Nova, a 16-game winner last season, will start the Yankees' first big league spring training game to against Philadelphia. The Phillies' scheduled starter is left-hander Cole Hamels. The two teams will also play Sunday, with Freddy Garcia and Roy Halladay slated to pitch.

• Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is giving David Ortiz an early look at first base.

The Red Sox begin their exhibition games with a college doubleheader today. They open against Northeastern, then take on Boston College at night. Both games are seven innings. And when the Red Sox play BC, they'll have Ortiz starting at first base. The slugger is usually Boston's designated hitter and started at first base only twice last year during the regular season.

• Newly acquired Pittsburgh pitcher A.J. Burnett is expected to miss two to three months while recovering from surgery for a facial fracture, forcing the Pirates to rearrange their plans for opening day.

The Pirates had hoped Burnett would be able to start April 5 in the opener at home against Philadelphia. Pittsburgh got the 35-year-old righty on Feb. 19 from the New York Yankees in a trade for two minor leaguers and cash.

Burnett had surgery Friday in Pittsburgh for a broken orbital bone near his right eye. He was injured when he fouled a ball off his face Wednesday during a bunting drill.

The Pirates said the injury didn't affect Burnett's vision and that there was no impingement to the muscles and nerves around his eye. Burnett will return to Bradenton for his recovery.

"The initial step will be to heal from the surgery," general manager Neal Huntington said. "Secondly, we will recondition his arm and body to where he was prior to the injury. Lastly, we will put A.J. through the same progression as he would have gone through here in spring training."

"The very rough timetable to complete this process and have A.J. prepared to compete without restrictions at the major league level is eight to 12 weeks," he said.

• Manny Ramirez had a quiet debut for Oakland and Jesus Montero had a painful start for Seattle as the Mariners beat the Athletics 8-5 in an exhibition opener.

Ramirez saw only three pitches in two at-bats in his first game in nearly a year, grounding into a double play and bouncing out.

Montero, the touted 22-year-old acquired in a trade with the New York Yankees for Michael Pineda, hit one of Seattle's five home runs. But Montero left in the fifth inning after being hit by a foul.