The New York Yankees traveled to Clearwater, Florida today to play the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Park. Starting for the Yankees was Gerrit Cole in his second start of spring camp. Cole was roughed up a bit in his one inning with Gary Sanchez catching; he went only one inning giving up one run with 27 pitches. Today he faced Aaron Nola for the Phillies. It was a beautiful day for baseball under mostly sunny skies and a game-time temperature of 78 degrees and a light breeze. The Yankees won the game 6-1.
The Yankees led off with their “B” lineup. Leading off was Aaron Hicks who was very patient with Nola and ended up hitting a left-field homer off him to start the game. Luke Voit lined out. Jay Bruce ground out. Clint Frazier ground out to third, ending the half but with a Yankee one-run lead. Gerrit Cole came out in the bottom of the frame, this time with Kyle Higashioka catching. Ex-Yankee McCutchen singled to right, Hoskins struck out, and Bryce Harper flew out. Bohm closed out the inning by striking out. Yankees 1 Phillies 0.
Mike Ford fighting for a spot on Opening Day, led off the second inning by having a line-drive single to right field. Higashioka had a swinging strikeout; Tyler Wade also swung his way to a strikeout, followed by Thairo Estrada ground out, leaving Ford stranded. Cole out for the second stuck out Didi Gregorius, who is off to a languid start this spring training. Segura ground out, and Herrera flew out to give Cole a quick one-two-three inning.
Andrew Velazquez led off for the New York Yankees in the third. He singled sharply. Back at the top of the lineup Aaron Hicks who homered in the first, Velazquez stole second and advance to third on the Hicks ground out. Voit singled, scoring Velazquez for the two-run Yankee lead. Jay Bruce walked, moving Voit to second. Frazier flew into a double play ending the inning, but the Yankees picked up another run. Cole is being stretched out and was out on the mound for the third inning. Knapp struck out, Kingery doubled off Cole, and McCutchen singled, scoring Kingery from second. Hoskins flew out for the second out. Harper struck out to end the inning. Yankees 2 Phillies 1.
Nola out for his fourth-inning ground out Ford. Higashioka ground out, and Tyler Wade struck out for the quick half. Jonathan Loaisiga replaced Cole at the bottom of the frame. Bohm flew out sharply to Hicks, Gregorius struck out, and Segura grounded out to Ford for the game’s quickest inning. Yankees 2 Phillies 1.
In the fifth, Coonrad replaced Nola. Estrada struck out. Velazquez got his second single of the game. Velazquez advanced to second on a pickoff error. Hicks doubled in Velazquez as the Yankees picked up another run. Voit ground out, and Jay Bruce ground out for the third out. Loaisiga out for a second inning popped out Herrera. Knapp ground out, as did Kingery. Loaisiga looked sharp in both of his innings. Yankees 3 Phillies 1.
With Romero pitching, Clint Frazier singled, Ford hit into a double play leaving the bases empty. Higashioka struck out, ending the half. Loaisiga was on the mount for a third inning. He caught a comebacker from Vierling; Hoskins ground out as did Harper, completing three excellent innings for Loaisiga. Yankees 3 Phillies 1.
David Hale faced Tyler Wade in the seventh. Wade singled, Estrada was hit by a pitch advancing the speedy Wade to second. Park pinch-ran for Estrada. Velazquez flew out to left. Greg Allen hit into a double play stranding the runners. Jhoulys Chacin took the mound at the bottom of the frame. Maton singled, Chatham was forced out, Stot flew out. Chacin threw Jankowski three straight balls but got him out on the 9th pitch. Yankees 3 Phillies 1.
Michael Ynoa on the mound for the Phillies in the eighth, Anthony Seigler walked on nine pitches. Seigler stole second. Ryan LaMarre struck out. Brito flew out, Gittens singled, driving in Seigler, and McDowell singled, allowing Gittens to advance to third base. The Phillies changed pitchers Ynoa out, Hammer in. Oswald Peraza singled driving in Gittens for another Yankee run. Hoy Park, while batting, Hammer had a wild pitch advancing McDowell to third and Peraza to second. Park walked, loading the bases for the Yankees. Velazquez hit McDowell in for another run. Bases remain loaded. Greg Allen ground out, leaving the bases loaded, but the Yankees picked up three runs in the half. Yankees 6 Phillies 1.
Chacin had a one-two-third inning at the bottom of the eighth. At the top of the ninth inning, the Yankees’ Siegler led off against Ramon Russo. Seigler struck out, LaMarre struck out, Brito singled, Gittens singled, McDowell walked, loading the bases, Peraza flew out, leaving the bases loaded. With last licks on the line for the Phillies, the New York Yankees sent Lucas Luetge to close it for the Yankees. Hall popped out, O’Hoppe struck out, and Maton made the final out of the Yankee 6-1 win over the Phillies.
Jonathan Loaisiga was the winning pitcher. The New York Yankees played a great game of small ball that accounted for five of the six runs. The long home run was from Aaron Hicks. The Yankees played errorless baseballs and stole to bases in the assault against the Phillies. On a down note, the Yankees did leave 10 men on base.