Final line from Sarasota, FL. #OrangeSpring⚾️? pic.twitter.com/Luw098CkM0
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 25, 2016
The New York Yankees fell to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon 11-10 thanks to five home runs by the Birds.
- New York Yankees: 10(9-12)
- Baltimore Orioles: 11(7-14)
- Grapefruit League, FINAL, Box Score
- Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Florida
By Christian Kouroupakis
The New York Yankees sent Ivan Nova to the mound as he continues his quest to be the number five starter in the rotation.
Opening Day is ten days away and Nova is running out of time to impress his coached. It’s fair to say he didn’t do that against the Orioles.
He struggled through 4.2 innings despite the run support his offense supplied to him.
In the second inning following walks by Dustin Ackley and Chris Parmelee, Chris Denorfia nailed a line drive over the wall in left center field to put the Yankees up 3-0.
Down the middle & CRUSHED! #NYYSpringhttps://t.co/4cEt6IqEfm
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 25, 2016
After the Orioles answered back with a solo jack by Mark Trumbo, the Bombers responded in the Top of the third.
The rally started with a beautiful bunt by Brett Gardner that earned him a base hit. It was a perfect push bunt that hugged the third base line and all Manny Machado could do was pray it went foul, which it didn’t.
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The next batter, Didi Gregorius, ripped a double that missed going over the wall by only a couple inches. Gardner halted at third, but scored on a Starlin Castro sac fly to make it 4-1. Chase Headley would drive in Didi on an RBI single to right to put New York ahead 5-1.
#Yankees tack on 2 more. After 3 innings, they lead the Orioles 5-3. #NYYSpring
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 25, 2016
The Orioles wouldn’t go away, however, as Caleb Joseph hit a two-run home run with no outs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to two. Then, one inning later, JJ Hardy hit a high home run with Trumbo on to tie the ballgame up at five apiece.
J.J. Hardy ties it up in the 4th with a 2-run shot. #OrangeSpringhttps://t.co/DKhjxQxCor
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 25, 2016
Following the long ball, Nova surrendered a walk to Pedro Alvarez and Adam Jones. Following an Alvarez stolen base, Chris Davis hit a sharp ground ball that reflected off the glove of Ackley at first.
The error allowed Alvarez to score, and gave Baltimore a 6-5 lead. It would also end Nova’s day. He pitched 4.2 innings, gave up six runs (five earned) on five hits and gave up three home runs.
After 6 innings, the #Yankees trail the Orioles, 6-5. #NYYSpring
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 25, 2016
Johnny Barbato came in to relieve Nova of his duties and not only got out of trouble in the fifth, but pitched a perfect sixth inning while striking out one.
After the perfect inning from Barbato, the Yankees would take the lead in the top of the seventh after Ronald Torreyes singled to left to score Gardner.
The lead was erased rather quickly after Machado teed off of a Nick Goody fastball to knot the game up at seven.
There it goes! Machado adds his own HR in the 7th, his 3rd of #OrangeSpringhttps://t.co/x2ZfFNW8xq
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 25, 2016
Thankfully for the Yankees, they’d get right back to it in the eighth inning. With one out and runners on the corners, Ben Gamel grounded into a fielder choice to score Kyle Higashioka.
Nick Rumbelow was brought on to close out the game in the ninth, but Nolan Reimold refused to quit and cranked an opposite field home run to re-tie the game at 8-8.
We got to see free baseball as the game went into extras.
New York took the lead in the top of the tenth inning after Jake Skole ripped an RBI single to take a 9-8 lead. Pete Kozma grounded into a double play to extend the lead to 10-8.
Just like the ninth, however, the lead would be short lived.
With the bases loaded, Reimold came in clutch with an RBI single to bring the Orioles within one. The next batter, Garabez Rosa hit one up the middle to score Dariel Alvarez and Paul Janish to win the game, 11-10.
FINAL (10): Orioles 11, #Yankees 10. #NYYSpring
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 25, 2016
Brett Gardner had himself a ballgame as he went 2-4 with a triple and an RBI. This is just the type of production that manager Joe Girardi needs out of his number two hitter. He could also get used to seeing Gardner drop down more bunts, like he did in the third inning.
As a whole, the Yankee lineup had 15 hits, were 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position, and left eight runners on base.
New York looks to get back into the win column tomorrow afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange in Dundein, Florida. Game time is set at 1:07 and Bryan Mitchell will get the starting nod for the Yankees. You can catch the game on MLB.TV.
