The Yankees' pitching combined for a shutout, but all eyes were on one pitcher in particular.
The fifth game of spring training saw the spring debuts of three Yankee starting pitchers. But one in particular was always going to get a majority of the attention. Masahiro Tanaka made his Yankee debut, throwing two scoreless innings. In addition to Tanaka, both CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda made their first appearances of the spring. Sabathia started the game with two scoreless innings, followed by Kuroda who threw two solid innings of his own. In all the Yankees' pitching combined to shut out the Phillies in a 4-0 win.
Sabathia got the start for the Yankees, allowing two hits and no runs in his two innings of work. (One hit coming off the bat of former Yankee Bobby Abreu.) Kuroda took the mound to start the third inning. Kuroda looked really good in his two innings of work. He allowed just one hit (which was immediately erased by a double play) and had one strike out.
On the offensive end, the top of Yankees' order loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the third before Brian Roberts grounded out. However, an inning later, the Yankees did get on the board. Francisco Cervelli and Kelly Johnson both walked to start the inning. Ichiro Suzuki then singled, scoring Cervelli to make it 1-0. After the Yankees couldn't add more in the fourth, it was Tanaka time.
In his first inning of work, Tanaka allowed a lead off single, before getting two fly outs and a strike out to end the inning without any trouble.
The Yankees added another run in the bottom of the fifth, thanks partly to the Phillies' defense. Derek Jeter reached on an error to start the inning, after Cody Asche threw a grounder over the first baseman's head. After a Brian McCann walk, Roberts grounded into a force out at second. Cervelli then grounded to Asche at third. Asche booted the ball allowing Jeter to score, making it 2-0.
Tanaka's second inning of work included two strike outs (one coming on a nasty-looking splitter). In all, Tanaka went two innings, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out three.
After a scoreless seventh inning from Dellin Betances, the Yankees' reserves tacked on two more runs. Dean Anna led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. After Peter O'Brien flied out and Addison Maruszak struck out, John Ryan Murphy and Yangervis Solarte both walked to load the bases. Adonis Garcia then dropped a single into left, which scored two runs to make it 4-0.
Betances and Cesar Cabral combined to finish off the last three innings without any trouble and the Yankees came away with a 4-0 win.
The Yankees will play the Blue Jays tomorrow at 1:05 eastern.