The Yankees fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-6, in Thursday night’s spring training game.
Here are some key takeaways…
– Clarke Schmidt got the start and only needed five pitches to toss a 1-2-3 first inning. Schmidt cruised through the second, sending the Pirates down in order on two groundouts and a strikeout. He opened the third with a strikeout and then got back-to-back groundouts to continue his perfect outing.
Schmidt came back out to pitch the fourth and struck out the side. He kept it going in the fifth, striking out two straight and then getting a groundout for another 1-2-3 inning.
The right-hander finished after five perfect innings, as he struck out seven over 50 pitches (36 strikes).
– DJ LeMahieu led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored on Aaron Judge‘s double to center, as the reigning MVP advanced to third on a throwing error by Pirates SS Oneil Cruz. Giancarlo Stanton drove in Judge to make it 2-0 on a groundout.
LeMahieu doubled with one out in the fifth, and after an Anthony Rizzo walk, Stanton drove in both on a single to center plus the help of a fielding error that allowed him to reach second base. Josh Donaldson then doubled to left as Stanton scored and the Yanks took a 5-0 lead.
– Jimmy Cordero replaced Schmidt on the mound in the top of the sixth and let up a leadoff double to former Yankee Miguel Andujar. Cordero then allowed a two-out double to Cruz, as the Pirates got on the board, trailing 5-1.
– Wandy Peralta came in to pitch the seventh and let up a single and then a two-run homer to Drew Maggi, as the Pirates trailed 5-3. Peralta let up another single and was pulled for Albert Abreu, who recorded two quick outs before letting up an RBI single and an RBI double that tied the game at 5-5.
– Demarcus Evans replaced Abreu with one out in the eighth, and let up three straight singles as the Pirates took a 6-5 lead. Andujar then doubled to drive in another run and give Pittsburgh a 7-5 lead. After recording a strikeout, Evans allowed a two-run double that put the Pirates up four runs. James Norwood came in to get the final out of the inning.
– Oswaldo Cabrera went 0-for-2 with a walk and was caught stealing second, as he saw time in CF and at third base. While prospect Oswald Peraza went 1-for-2 with a walk…