Tanaka Shines In Yankees Win

Mar 16, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Hiroki Kuroda started this game for the Yankees against the Marlins, but the storyline was all about who else, but Masahiro Tanaka. Kuroda went the first three innings, surrendering three hits, while allowing no runs, and recording three strikeouts. Tanaka relieved Kuroda in the fourth, and pitched an absolute gem, going the last six innings of the game, allowing only 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and recording 10 strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 2.14 in his first ever spring training, and earning the victory in front of 10,581 at George Steinbrenner Field.

Brian McCann got the first run on the board for the Yankees, with an RBI ground out in the fifth.  But the Yankees couldn’t muster their first hit until the eighth, when Kelly Johnson led off with a double. Brian Roberts followed up with an RBI single, and roster hopeful Yangervis Solarte, added an RBI single off his own, to notch a 3-0 victory for the Yanks.

After the game, Joe Girardi announced what had been a social media rumor hours earlier, which was that Dean Anna had made the team out of training camp. According to Erik Boland of New York Newsday, Anna said he was “numb” from the news. With Brendan Ryan on the DL, the Yankees are also expected to add one more infielder to the roster, either Eduardo Nunez, or Solarte. The win improved the Yankees overall record to 17-12 this spring. The Yankees play their last game of the spring tomorrow against the Marlins again, at 7:00 P.M.