Yankees Spring Training Game 21: Tanaka, Yankees dreadful on the road

Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees allowed 13 runs and four unfortunate errors in a hideous outing on the visit to the Nationals.

New York Yankees 0 – Washington Nationals 13

The Yankees made a visit to the Washington Nationals that went bad for them in many ways.

After being set down in order by Stephen Strasburg, Masahiro Tanaka took the mound looking to continue preparation for Opening Day. Ben Revere started the bottom of the first inning with a single. A balk advanced Revere and Anthony Rendon brought him home with a run-scoring double. Tanaka followed with a scoreless second inning but the third inning was going to go very poorly for the projected Opening Day starter and the Yankees in general.

In the third inning, Chris Denorfia, Ronald Torreyes and Brett Gardner reached base on singles against Strasburg as they loaded the bases with no outs. Aaron Hicks proceeded to strike out and Dustin Ackley grounded into a double play to finish the inning without a run scoring despite the bases being loaded with no outs.

In the bottom half of the third inning, former Yankee Stephen Drew got a hold of one and put a solo home run into right field to add to the Nationals' lead. Ben Revere and Anthony Rendon followed with a pair of singles before Bryce Harper walked to load the bases. Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a force out for the Nationals' third run of the game. Jayson Werth brought in a run on a single and Chris Heisey plated one run on a double to left field. A second run attempted to score but a relay from Gardner to Torreyes to Romine got Werth out at the plate. Just when things started to turn in the Yankees' favor, Wilson Ramos drove a ball over the right field wall for a two-run home run, making for a nightmare six-run third inning for Tanaka and the Yankees. Masahiro Tanaka finished his start with a scoreless fourth inning in an otherwise dreadful start.

In four innings, Masahiro Tanaka allowed seven runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out three. In the nine hits, two were home runs.

Over five innings against Strasburg, the Yankees secondary lineup was overmatched. The Yankees were struck out nine times and plated no runs despite getting six hits. The Yankees bullpen provided some sense of relief as Nick Goody, Luis Cessa and Johnny Barbato contributed one scoreless inning each.

After three innings of peace for the Yankees, the nightmare outing got reliever Anthony Swarzak and the defense.

After a single to start the eighth innning, shorstop Tyler Wade got a routine ground ball for a double play but he threw it past second baseman Pete Kozma for an error. Third baseman Donovan Solano contributed an error of his own on the next play, allowing a run to score. Swarzak compounded problems by walking Trea Turner to load the bases. A single to center field added to the Nationals lead before the Yankees were able to prevent a run to score on a force out at home for the first out of the inning. Another single brought in one run with a second run scoring on a fielding error by outfielder Cesar Puello. Reliever Nick Rumbelow looked to finish off the dreadful inning but another single, including an error by Cesar Puello, allowed another run to score. A double play thankfully ended the six-run eighth inning.

Anthony Swarzak started this inning, getting one out with six runs, none earned, on three hits and a walk. Three errors occurred in a dreadful inning for the Yankees in a completely poor game.

Win – Stephen Strasburg

Loss – Masahiro Tanaka

Notables

Yankees

*Brett Gardner – 2 for 3

*Austin Romine – 1 for 3, 2B

Nationals

*Anthony Rendon – 3 for 3, R, 2 2B, RBI (5)

*Wilson Ramos – 1 for 2, R, Two-Run Home Run (3) in the 3rd, 2 RBI (5)