New York Yankees 4 — Tampa Bay Rays 5
The Yankees got on the board early in the first inning. Eduardo Nunez and Ichiro Suzuki would hit singles and score following a Russ Canzler single and Kelly Johnson ground out.
Adam Warren, competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, had a rough opening to his start when Ben Zobrist took the righty deep for a solo home run. Warren would allow four hits but only one run on the solo home run. He struck out two and walked none in 2.1 innings.
In the fourth inning, Brett Gardner would hit a bases loaded, two-run single to left field but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double. The lead was increased to 4-1 but that would soon change.
In the fifth inning, Robert Coello, struggling this Spring, returned to a less than stellar appearance again. Coello began the inning by hitting a batter and giving up a single to put runners on the corners with no one out. Outfielder Desmond Jennings would bring them all home with a three-run home run, tying the game at four. One out later, Matt Joyce would put the Rays ahead with a solo home run and that would be the end of Coello’s day.
Getting just one out in the inning, Coello allowed four runs on three hits, two of them home runs. It may be safe to say this #62 is not much better than the former.
Eduardo Nunez was perfect at the plate today, going 3-for-3 with a double and scoring a run. Dellin Betances continues to look strong out of the bullpen, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings with a walk and two strikeouts.
