Esmil Rogers took a step forward in his quest to land a roster spot Thursday with a strong performance as a starter against a Phillies lineup boasting several starters.
Rogers lowered his spring ERA to 5.27 by pitching 4 2/3 innings and giving up just one run on five hits. He walked one and fanned six. He has had his strikeout pitches working throughout the spring, but has struggled to keep runs off the board.