Glavine throws four scoreless innings

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Tom Glavine hopes that his arm will get stronger and he’ll throw a little harder. But even if he doesn’t, the veteran said he can pitch successfully with what he had Friday.

“Absolutely,” said Atlanta’s 43-year-old left-hander, who limited a good Detroit lineup to three hits and no walks in four scoreless innings of a 3-2 Braves victory.

In his second Grapefruit League start, Glavine recorded three strikeouts while relying on a well-located mix of changeups and 79-81 mph fastballs.

“I’m hopeful my velocity continues to get better,” said the 305-game winner and current No. 5 starter, who in August had elbow surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon and also a clean-up procedure for his shoulder. “But if it doesn’t, if I can locate the way I did today, I can pitch like that.”

Glavine has allowed five hits and no walks in seven scoreless innings of two starts against the New York Mets and Tigers, after starting out with three scoreless innings in a March 16 intrasquad game.

“He looks good — real good,” manager Bobby Cox said of Glavine, whose 10-mph differential between change-up and fastball was enough to keep Tigers hitters off-balance. “Believe it or not, the fastball was going by guys, and that’s what he does.”

Glavine said he was “a little less laborsome” Friday than he was against a patchwork Mets lineup last weekend. The Tigers played most regulars, including sluggers Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera.

“I don’t think I can be any happier, really,” Glavine said of his progress. He’s not scheduled to make his first regular-season start until April 18, the first time the Braves need a fifth starter.

Soriano almost ready

Reliever Rafael Soriano said his strained side felt better and he should be cleared to pitch during the weekend. He had a minor strain in his left side while pitching Tuesday.

“Yeah, yeah, it feels better today,” Soriano said Friday, adding that he believes he will be ready for opening day despite pitching in only four games so far this spring.

He said he felt a twinge on the last two pitches he threw Tuesday night, but didn’t bother saying anything about it until the next day when the soreness hadn’t subsided.

Soriano had August elbow surgery and has been slowed by a stubborn upper-respiratory ailment.

Kotchman gets checked out

First baseman Casey Kotchman had tests Thursday as the Braves sought to rule out anything potentially serious as the cause for lingering illness that has kept him out of the lineup since March 18.

It’s believed a virus caused flu-like symptoms that sidelined Kotchman for nearly a week, and food poisoning might have caused the setback that got him scratched from the lineup Thursday. Kotchman might not play again before the beginning of next week, the manager said.

From the game

Martin Prado’s game-ending RBI single with one out in the ninth inning gave the Braves their second win in the past seven games, after Greg Norton hit a tying two-run double in the eighth.

Center-field candidate Josh Anderson (2-for-3, bunt single) was the only multi-hit performer for the Braves, whose six hits included two in seven innings against Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

Anderson is competing with hot-hitting Jordan Schafer and Gregor Blanco in the only position battle. There have been rumors the Braves are exploring trade possibilities with Anderson, who’s out of minor-league options and couldn’t be sent to the minors without clearing waivers.

Etc.

Left fielder Garret Anderson’s expected debut will probably be pushed back a day to Sunday. The veteran played an exhibition game March 5 vs. Venezuela, then strained a calf muscle the next day. Cox is hopeful that Anderson will have enough time to get ready. … Peter Moylan and Charlie Morton are to pitch in a minor-league game today, while the Braves play the Yankees.