Lackey returns, Rays beat Red Sox in spring opener

"I kind of took a second," the Red Sox pitcher said, "and reflected on the past year and a half. It's been a lot of work and (I've) got to thank a lot of trainers, a lot of people that helped me get back to this point. I was excited to be back out there."

Lackey returned to the mound Saturday after missing last season following elbow surgery. He got off to a difficult start but worked out of a bases-loaded jam, allowing one run in one inning as a split squad of Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston 4-3.

"(I was) excited. It was fun. I missed playing baseball, for sure," Lackey said. "It was good to be back out there. Arm felt fine. I didn't feel any pain in the elbow. So, just keep moving forward."

Lackey had Tommy John surgery after the 2011 season. Tampa Bay loaded the bases against the right-hander with no outs before he retired three straight batters.

Lackey gave up one hit, a walk and hit a batter with a pitch. He struck out one and threw 20 pitches, 10 for strikes.

Red Sox manager John Farrell was pleased with Lackey's performance.

"From a physical standpoint he came out of today's outing fine," Farrell said. "I thought he looked free and easy on the mound. It's just a matter of getting back into his delivery. With each added inning, that will certainly take place.

"I think there was a lot of anticipation on a number of people's part and mostly John's. But now he's able to start to get into his five-day rotation, normal sides, normal turns through the schedule. But a good first step for him."

Rays starter Alex Colome pitched a hitless inning.

Tampa Bay got a run off Lackey when Ben Zobrist led off the game with a walk, went to second on Desmond Jennings' single and third when Matt Joyce was hit by a pitch. Zobrist scored on Ryan Roberts' sacrifice fly to right.

Jennings led off the third with a double off Red Sox left-hander Drake Britton, then stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to put the Rays up 2-0.