S.T. Game 14. Yanks win 8-5

Jose Gil and Bill Hall each drove in two runs as the Yanks beat Washington 8-5 today to improve their spring training record to 6-8.

They went up against ex-Yankee Chien Ming Wang, and Wang was doing well, 2 2/3 IP, 0 r, 2 H, 0 walks and 4 K when he injured his hamstring in making an unassisted out on Russell Martin.

Michael Pineda started for the Yanks, and concerns about his velocity remain since he once again was stuck around 90-91 instead of hitting the 97 he was at last year. Pineda started well, retiring his first seven hitters, before running into trouble. I wonder if his conditioning will be called into play again since after those first seven hitters he then struggled a bit.

Pineda went 3 2/3, 2 R, 4 H, 1 walks, 4 K.

Clay Rapada came in, 1 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 2 w and a K. Rapada is really making a mark for himself, and could be in the bullpen until Joba comes back. If so, the Yanks would have two lefties, Logan and Rapada. When Joba comes back, it’d go down to one.

Juan Cedeno went 2/3, 1 R,  1 H, 1 walk and 0 K.

Hall had a two-run double in the third, but the Yanks were losing 3-2 entering the seventh. They scored four in the seventh and two in the eighth on their way to the victory. For the most part, the offense today consisted of minor leaguers. One major leaguer who WAS in the lineup was Brett Gardner, who had an awful day by striking out in all three plate appearances.

Besides Gil and Hall’s two RBI each, Justin Maxwell had 2 hits and an RBI.

Brett Marshall got the win, going 2 2/3, 2 R, 2 H, 1 walk and 3 K.

Adam Warren faced one batter, and got him to pop up to end the game.

Ramiro Pena had to be removed after a caught stealing after he turned an ankle.

If I didn’t mention it before, I’ll mention it now. Long-time ump Harry Wendelstedt died last week.

Also, sportswriter Ken Davidoff has left Newsday to go to the NY Post.

Now to watch some March Madness…