New York Yankees lose final spring game in Florida

The New York Yankees were defeated by the Washington Nationals by the score of 8-2 on Friday afternoon.  The game took place at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.  CC Sabathia made the start and after struggling early he pitched well.  Chase Headley had two hits to lead the offensive attack.

Sabathia pitched 5 1/3 innings giving up five hits and three runs with three walks and three strikeouts.  He suffered his third loss of the spring.  Branden Pinder pitched to two batters and retired them both, Andrew Bailey pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up a hit and three runs with two walks and two strikeouts and Nick Goody pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up a hit and a run with a strikeout.  Danny Burawa pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up an unearned run with a walk and two strikeouts, Chasen Shreve pitched 1/3 of an inning and walked a batter and Cesar Vargas pitched an inning giving up three hits and a run with a strikeout. 

Ben Gamel had a hit, Brian McCann had a hit and Mark Teixeira had a hit.  Slade Heathcott drew a walk, Headley had two hits and an RBI and Chris Young had a hit.  Ramon Flores had a hit, Rob Refsnyder had a hit and an RBI and John Ryan Murphy drew a walk.  Teixeira, Headley, Flores and Refsnyder each hit a double and the Yankees were 3-7 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. 

In the first Bryce Harper hit an RBI triple to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead and Ryan Zimmerman hit an RBI single to increase the lead to 2-0.  Ian Desmond hit an RBI double to make it a 3-0 game.  In the bottom of the fourth Headley hit an RBI double to cut the lead to 3-1 Nationals.  Josh Johnson hit an RBI single in the seventh to make it 4-1 Nationals.  Mike Carp hit a three run homerun in the seventh and it was 7-1 Nationals.  In the ninth Austin Davidson hit an RBI single to push the Nationals lead to 8-1.  Refsnyder hit an RBI double in the ninth to cut the lead to 8-2 and that was the final score. 

The Yankees broke camp after the game and are headed to Washington D.C. to play one final exhibition game against the Nationals at their home park.  The Yankees will then head home to New York to begin the regular season on Monday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays.