Notebook: Beckett beans Ordonez

The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers nearly came to blows in Lakeland, Fla., after Josh Beckett hit Magglio Ordonez in the side of the head with a breaking ball.

Ordonez was hit in the helmet by a pitch Saturday, sending the Detroit slugger to the hospital and sparking a testy exchange between two of the A.L.’s top teams.

Beckett plunked Gary Sheffield with a first-inning pitch and nailed Ordonez in the third, forcing him from the game. He was treated at a hospital.

Detroit reliever Todd Jones then threw behind Boston’s J.D. Drew in the fifth, and the benches and bullpens emptied. Players converged near home plate, but no punches were thrown.

Jones and Tigers manager Jim Leyland were ejected.

In the clubhouse after Detroit’s 7-6 loss, Ordonez wore a bandage that covered much of his head.

“He was groggy, but that was to be expected,” Leyland said. “Josh throws a hard breaking ball. I’m sure he won’t play tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll have a headache.”

Prior roughed up again

At Surprise, Ariz., Mark Prior’s second appearance of spring training was just about as bad as his first. Now, the former Cubs ace might be in danger of not making Chicago’s rotation.

Prior relieved an effective Ted Lilly to start the fourth inning and was knocked around in Kansas City’s 6-5 victory over the Cubs. He gave up four runs and four hits in two innings.

In two appearances covering 3 1/3 innings this spring, Prior has an 18.90 ERA and no strikeouts. He has given up eight hits, five walks and a home run.

Prior, who missed most of 2006 during a third consecutive season of injuries, threw 40 pitches, mostly fastballs that registered in the low-to-mid 80s.

Nevertheless, first-year Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he detected improvement.

“He threw the ball a little better,” Piniella said. “Again, he couldn’t get his breaking ball over at all. He’s pitching with one pitch and he’s not locating that pitch. So it’s not really a recipe for success right now.”

Bonds hits another homer

At Scottsdale, Ariz., Barry Bonds homered for the second consecutive day, but said he wants to concentrate on hitting more line drives.

Royals prospect sidelined

Kansas City Royals third baseman Alex Gordon, a highly-touted prospect the team hopes to build around, will be sidelined for a few games with a sore shoulder.

Royals manager Buddy Bell said Gordon hurt his shoulder diving for a ball against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

Bell said Gordon, last season’s minor league player of the year, would probably have an MRI, but the problem did not appear serious.