Recap: Yanks Fall To Phillies In Split Squad Game

Mar 3, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Ivan Nova (47) warms up in the first inning as they play the Washington Nationals in a spring training exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

The second of the Yanks’ two split-squad games Thursday, was not a pretty one. New York fell to the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 at Bright House Field, in a game in which they were outhit 13-4. Because of the split, the only regulars that were featured by the Yankees in this game were Jacoby Ellsbury, Ichiro Suzuki, Mark Teixeira, Kelly Johnson, Francisco Cervelli, and Ivan Nova.

Nova started the game, and put up a mediocre performance against a Phillies team also not at their strongest, going 5 innings and allowing 3 runs on 9 hits en route to earning the loss. On some positive notes, Jacoby Ellsbury went yard for his first home run as a Yankee after having a rough first spring thus far in Tampa, and Francisco Cervelli, who many expect to be traded shortly, continued his recent hot streak, driving in a run with an RBI single.

Marlon Byrd, Ryan Howard, and Tommy Joseph all drove in runs for the Phillies. Because of the two games going on, Yankees manager Joe Girardi, decided to stay in Tampa to watch Michael Pineda, who gave the Yankees another quality outing in his bid for the fifth spot in the Yankees’ rotation. With the loss, the Yankees fell to 8-6-2 on the spring. The Yankees’ next game is tomorrow at 1:00 PM against the Twins.