The New York Yankees lose both ends of a split squad

The New York Rangers were defeated by the Toronto Blue Jays by the score of 1-0 and by the Houston Astros by the score of 7-6 on Thursday afternoon. There was one game played at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida and the other at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida. David Phelps started the home game and pitched three scoreless innings and so did Brett Marshall in the other game. Zoilo Almonte had a couple of hits and so did Melky Mesa. The young guys are trying to claim a stake to the left field job. Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki each had a hit as they continue their hot springs and Juan Rivera had a couple of hits as the left field competition is heating up. 
Phelps gave up two hits in his three innings with a walk and a strikeout. David Aardsma pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout, Branden Pinder gave up a hit in an inning and Clay Rapada pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout. Chase Whitley got the loss pitching 1 1/3 innings giving up three hits and a run with a strikeout, Juan Cedeno pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up two walks and striking out two and Jim Miller pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.

In the road game at Houston Marshall gave up a hit in his three innings and struck out three. Dellin Betances pitched an inning walking two and striking out two, Mikey O’Brien pitched 1 1/3 innings giving up three hits and three runs with a walk and a strikeout and Shane Greene pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up three hits and four runs with two walks and he got the loss. Shaeffer Hall pitched 1 1/3 innings giving up a hit and a walk with a strikeout and Kelvin Perez pitched an inning giving up a hit with a strikeout.

Gardner, Suzuki and Ronnier Mustelier each had a hit. Mark Teixeira had a hit, Rivera had a couple of hits and Jose Pirela had a hit. Rivera hit a double and the Yankees were 0-3 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base. Heathcott was caught stealing and Velazquez committed an error. This was all in the home game. In the road game Eduardo Nunez and Jayson Nix each had a hit and Cito Culver drew a walk. Almonte had two hits and an RBI, Tyler Austin had a hit and Matt Diaz had a hit and an RBI. Mesa had two hits and three RBI, Adonis Garcia had a hit and an RBI and Francisco Arcia had a couple of hits. Austin hit a triple and Mesa hit a homerun. The Yankees were 4-7 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. Nunez committed an error.

The Yankees are now 1-6 in the spring. In the road game at Houston 11 of the 13 runs were scored in the sixth inning. Almonte hit an RBI single, Diaz hit an RBI single and Mesa hit a three run homerun. Krauss had an RBI walk, Brandon Laird hit a grand slam and Jake Goebbert hit an RBI double.

In the home game the only run was scored in the seventh inning. Andy LaRoche hit a solo homerun and that was the only run of the game. The Yankees will host the Philadelphia Phillies at home on Friday afternoon.