Lakeland, Fla. — Tom Glavine didn't have to think long when asked if he recalled the last time he issued a bases-loaded walk.

"Last game last season," the left-hander said, referring to a debacle in his final Mets start, when he allowed seven runs and recorded one out in a season-finale loss to Florida to complete New York's unprecedented September collapse.

It was an entirely different situation Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium, where Glavine was replaced after issuing a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the third inning of the Braves' 5-4 Grapefruit League victory against Detroit.

This was only his second start of the spring, and the 41-year-old has been around long enough to know this game will be quickly forgotten. Especially for veterans, this is the time when the work matters more than the results.

Glavine found positives after being charged with four hits, two runs and three walks with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Most important: health not an issue.

"The first two innings were all right," said Glavine, who got two flyouts and a Gary Sheffield popup in the first inning, and gave up a bloop hit and an infield hit before inducing a fielder's choice to get out of the second unscathed.

Not unexpectedly, manager Bobby Cox praised Glavine's performance, downplaying the third inning and citing would-be "strike 3" pitches that were called balls.

"Glav was great," the ever-supportive skipper said. "I liked Glav today. Really good. Only one ball hit hard. The ball's coming out [of his hand] so nice, free and easy. He had some really tight pitches there in the third inning."

Glavine went two innings in his first start (two strikeouts, one run, homer) and said he often struggles in the final inning when he lengthens his outings in spring training, in this case going from two to three innings.

The third inning got ugly in a hurry. He gave up a single to No. 9 hitter Ramon Santiago leading off, then walked Curtis Granderson before Brandon Inge drilled a two-run triple to the right-center gap.

Sheffield walked, and one out later Glavine walked Ryan Raburn and Jacque Jones consecutively after being ahead in the counts. The Jones walk brought in a run and brought Cox from the dugout to make a pitching change.

"I just hung a pitch to Inge," Glavine said, "then I got a few guys in position to make outs and couldn't make a pitch. ...

"The hard part down here [at spring training] early on is not getting ahead in counts, it's making pitches to put guys away when you do [get ahead]. More than anything, I was trying to be a little bit too fine."

Injury updates

Reliever Peter Moylan was scratched from a scheduled Thursday appearance after reporting some elbow tenderness when the team gathered at Disney's Wide World of Sports for the bus ride to Lakeland. General manager Frank Wren said, "he's just a little tender," and added that Moylan might pitch Friday. ... Third baseman Chipper Jones (hamstring) is expected to play Friday after missing four games. ... Closer Rafael Soriano's spring debut remains uncertain. A stomach ailment and sore elbow have kept him out all spring, but Cox said Soriano has been long-tossing and could get on the mound this weekend.

Etc.

Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar continued his torrid early spring by going 2-for-3 with a three-run double in the five-run fifth inning. He's hitting .500 (8-for-16) with six RBIs in six games. ... It's unlikely outfielder Joe Borchard can squeeze his way onto the opening day roster, but he's getting noticed. The non-roster invitee had another RBI double Thursday to raise his average to .455 with eight RBIs in 11 at-bats. He has five hits — all doubles, four scorched.