CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- Carl Pavano is seeking the consistency Andy Pettitte displayed.
Pettitte pitched five scoreless innings before Pavano tossed three shaky ones in the New York Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.
Aaron Rowand had a two-run single and veteran Jamie Moyer had another solid outing for the Phillies, allowing one unearned run in 4 1-3 innings.
Pettitte gave up just two hits and retired the last 13 batters he faced after Chase Utley ripped a two-out double in the first inning. Pavano gave up three runs -- two earned -- and four hits.
While Pettitte has been outstanding this spring in his return to the Yankees after three years in Houston, Pavano is hoping to rebound from two injury-plagued seasons.
"I definitely felt a little funky out there," Pavano said. "I didn't feel very consistent. That's what spring training is for. You go through that and you go through the same things during the year."
Pavano is entering the third season of a $39.95 million, four-year contract. He last pitched in the major leagues on June 27, 2005, before being sidelined by shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and rib injuries.
"He may be just a little flat right now," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "It's progress. It's steps forward to me."
Pettitte, who could end up being New York's No. 1 starter, hasn't allowed a run in 10 innings this spring.
"It was a tough to day to pitch," he said. "It was a little windy, the ball was pretty slick. I was fighting myself a little bit early just to get a feel for the strike zone."
Torre said he'll choose his opening day starter after Wednesday's off day. If it isn't Pettitte, it would be Chien-Ming Wang.
"Whenever Joe tells me to pitch, I'll pitch," Pettitte said. "It's always an honor that would be special, but for me, no matter when I pitch, that first start is going to be like my opening day."
Moyer isn't ready to say he's in midseason form, though the 44-year-old left-hander has pitched well this spring.
"I'll take good results any day," Moyer said.
An error on second baseman Utley led to New York's first run in the second inning. Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, the Phillies went ahead 3-2 when Rowand drove in two runs with a single past third baseman Andy Phillips that originally was ruled an error.
Game notes
Phillips' mother was released from the hospital Thursday night. She was critically injured in a car accident in Alabama last month. ... Yankees RF Bobby Abreu took batting practice on the field for the first time since straining his right oblique last month. "Everything seems to be fine," Torre said. "He didn't look like he was favoring anything." ... Yankees bench coach Don Mattingly rejoined the team after returning from his father's funeral. ... Phillies RHP Ryan Madson pitched two scoreless innings. Madson is competing for a setup job with veteran Antonio Alfonseca.