The thing about spring training is that, in the first couple weeks, most of the action involves players that you will not see in the regular season. The first few innings might be something fun, but after that it’s only for those who really crave baseball or are overtly interested in the team’s prospects.
Today, the Yankees got most of their damage done early and by the regulars, as four second-inning walks chased Bubba Chandler and both Ben Rice and Jasson Domínguez delivered clutch run-scoring hits that set the tone for a 6-2 win down in Bradenton. Despite traffic on the bases all day, the Yanks mostly kept the Pirates’ offense at bay, with former first-round pick Ben Hess turning the most heads with a strong outing late in the game.
Chandler got things started with a quick 1-2-3 first, which saw Domínguez strike out, sandwiched by both Ben Rice and Ryan McMahon popping out in foul territory.
Ryan Yarbrough gave up a leadoff single to Oneil Cruz, struck out Nick Gonzales, and jumped ahead of Bryan Reynolds 0-2 before walking him. That would prove to be costly, as after a flyout moved Cruz to third, Marcell Ozuna punched one through the right side for a go-ahead RBI single in the first for the Pirates.
Paul DeJong and Spencer Jones led off the second with walks off the usually frugal Chandler, who battled back to get the next two outs before walking both Zack Short and Payton Henry to force in a run, ending his day. After walking just four batters in 31.1 innings last year, he had four in 1.2 innings today.
Former Yankee farmhand Tyrone Yulie came in to face Rice, who smoked a 100.4 mph, two-run single through the right side. Domínguez joined the party a few pitches later, lofting an RBI double into right field to finish off a four-run second.
Yarbrough settled in after a challenging first, giving up a two-out double to Alika Williams between a pair of strikeouts. The second strikeout of the inning was ABS-assisted, as home plate umpire Macon Hammond originally called ball four to put Cruz on first, but the Yankees challenged, and it was overturned to strike three. Overall, not a bad day for Yarbrough, who struck out four in two innings.
Another former Yankee, Dennis Santana, tossed a scoreless third around an infield single by Max Schuemann and a walk by Short. Paul Blackburn took over for Yarbrough in the third and got into immediate trouble with an infield single and a walk. After threatening to walk the bases loaded with nobody out, Blackburn induced a 3-2 forceout before a clear 5-4-3 double play ended the third.
Gregory Soto pitched a 1-2-3 fourth for the Pirates. Blackburn got into more trouble with back-to-back singles in the bottom half. Fortunately, he pulled out another Houdini act, retiring three straight batters, capping it off with a filthy 2-2 curveball to Cruz to end the inning.
Kyle Nicolas retired the middle of the Yankees’ order quickly, including a strikeout of Spencer Jones, in the fifth. Dylan Coleman continued his bullpen audition in the bottom half and got into trouble, but the Pirates stranded two for the third straight inning.
The Yankees threatened to break the game open in the sixth off of Hunter Barco with two walks and a hit by pitch to load the bases, but Domínguez (batting from the right side) struck out, and McMahon slapped a liner the other way that was snagged by new third baseman Jhonny Severino.
Hess made his first appearance of the spring in the sixth as the regulars were removed from the game, and he was impressive, striking out Nick Cimillo and Omar Alfonzo in a quick, nine-pitch inning. Hess got up to 95 mph on his fastball and got three whiffs, including one on a looping curveball to retire Alfonzo.
The Yankees got an extra run in the seventh. Yanquiel Fernandez walked and stole second, Marco Luciano walked against pitcher Kyle Larsen (no, not the NASCAR driver), and Ali Sanchez reached on a throwing error by Severino that allowed Fernandez to score, making it 5-1 into the seventh inning stretch. Hess went back to work and flirted with trouble with a walk and a single allowed, but he struck out the side around it in the seventh.
Miguel Palma, a soft-hitting depth catcher signed away from the Astros this offseason, smacked a leadoff homer off of former Tigers reliever Beau Burrows in the eighth. George Lombard Jr. got his first at-bat of the game later that inning and walked, but was stranded.
After two strong innings, Hess faltered to start the bottom of the eighth, plunking Severino, allowing an RBI double to Cimillo to cut it to 6-2, and walking Alfonzo. He settled down with a 6-4-3 double play and got out of the inning by retiring former Yankee farmhand Brian Sanchez. That wrapped up a three-inning outing from Hess, who impressive on the whole.
Luciano’s leadoff walk in the ninth was stranded by Brandan Bidois, while Geoff Gilbert came on for the Yanks and got the final three outs, improving the spring record to 2-2.
The Yankees are back in action tomorrow, taking on the Blue Jays in Dunedin at 1:07. Will Warren is scheduled to make his first spring start, while Toronto’s starter is to be determined. The game will be available on the Gotham Sports App and MLB Network (out-of-market only).