CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - Derek Jeter got two hits that ended an 0-for-10 slide at the start of spring training and Masahiro Tanaka gave up a home run to Freddy Galvis in the New York Yankees’ 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.
Jeter, limited to 17 games last season after breaking an ankle during the 2012 playoffs, grounded out in the first inning, then singled to left in the third and doubled to center in the fifth.
Tanaka, the Japanese star signed to a $155 million, seven-year contract, made his second spring training appearance after waiting out a 1½-hour rain delay at the start. He pitched two shutout innings in relief against the Phillies last week.
Tanaka allowed two hits and one run in three innings, giving up Galvis’ tying homer in the third.
“I felt that I wasn’t at the top of my game going onto the mound today,” Tanaka said through a translator. “Including the results and everything, I feel like I did OK.”
Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick gave up one run and three hits in three innings, including a home run by Ramon Flores leading off the third.
Carlos Ruiz and John Mayberry Jr. both hit home runs for the Phillies.
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira played his first game since June 15, and went 0 for 3. He had surgery last July 2 to repair a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist. He called his outing a “good first step.”
“Just being in a live game, seeing what it felt like to run around out there, see live pitching, swing at good pitches - that was good,” Teixeira said.
STARTING TIME
Yankees: Tanaka had to wait for the start after heavy rains battered Clearwater early in the day. He later said he enjoyed pitching against familiar faces.
“Looking at some of the broadcasts back in Japan of the major league game, you get a chance to see batters like Chase Utley or Ryan Howard,” Tanaka said. “Actually going up on the mound and facing them today, you realize, for instance, how Ryan Howard is further back in that batter’s box than I thought he would be.”
Phillies: Kendrick walked one in his second spring start. He wanted to improve control from his last start, when he walked three.
“This time I wanted to be more aggressive,” he said. “Last time out was the first time out in a while, I was kind of hesitant. This time…I was feeling good.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels described another setback, saying he has no timetable for his return to the rotation. The lefty said he is not injured, just “fatigued.”
Hamels said on Feb. 11 that he had experienced some shoulder tendinitis in the offseason, and took a break from throwing. The break caused him to fall behind on his pitching schedule, and throughout this spring Hamels has said he planned to make his 2014 debut sometime in mid-April.
On Thursday, Hamels said he’s “not even thinking about” when he’ll return. He will try to throw off a mound again next week.
Yankees: Alfonso Soriano struck out in all three at-bats, his first game this spring because he had been out with the flu.
“It was a little weird. I didn’t feel comfortable out there,” he said.
NEW PITCH
Yankees ace CC Sabathia is looking to add something new to his repertoire. The 33-year old left-hander used a cut fastball during a four-inning simulated game held in an indoor cage Thursday due to inclement weather. Sabathia and spring training instructor Andy Pettitte have worked on the pitch.
“Showed me a grip with the cutter and used it today, and it worked pretty good,” Sabathia said. “I’m anxious to take it into a game.”
Sabathia has referred to his slider in the past as a cutter.
“This is going to try to be a true cutter,” he said.
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