Luis Severino had an erratic second spring training start for the Yankees and the bat of Kyle Higashioka‘s two home runs weren’t enough to keep the bullpen from melting down in the team’s, 6-5, loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday afternoon.
Takeaways
–Kyle Gibson started for the Phillies, and after striking out Aaron Hicks and Anthony Rizzo on check swings — with an Aaron Judge walk in between — he gave up a single to DJ LeMahieu. Phillies 3B Alec Bohm would end the Yankees threat after making a nice running throw to get Gleyber Torres out.
– Severino’s second spring training start was short-lived. After getting Kyle Schwarber to ground out, Bryson Stott singled and he walked Bryce Harper. Hicks made a shoestring catch in center to get JT Realmuto out, but Severino walked Bohm to load the bases. Matt Vierling jumped on a Severino slider and doubled off the centerfield wall to clear the bases. Severino walked the next batter and manager Aaron Boone pulled his starter after 28 pitches. Carson Coleman came in to strike out his lone batter to get the Yankees out of the inning down 3-0.
In his first start, Severino mostly threw fastballs and gave up four runs. Friday, he was using a lot of secondary pitches and was erratic. Severino walked three batters and there were a pair of passed balls by Higashioka, odd for the sure-handed backstop. Even the two outs Severino got were hit hard.
-Higashioka got the Yankees on the board in the top half of the second by launching a first-pitch fastball over the left field fence. Marwin Gonzalez, who walked earlier in the inning, scored on the Higgy blast to cut the Phillies’ lead to 3-2.
Severino returned to pitch the second and while he didn’t give up any runs, he walked another batter and gave up another single to Stott on a fastball. Severino did not have command of his secondary pitches while his fastballs didn’t have much movement despite topping off close to 97 mph. Severino’s day ended after giving up a leadoff double to Bohm in the third at 49 pitches.
-Former Mets reliever Jeurys Familia worked into trouble after walking two batters in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Gonzalez hit a comebacker to Familia who knocked it between first and second base. Judge, who was running on the pitch, scored from second to tie the game at 3. Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled the next pitch into right field, but Harper threw out LeMahieu at home.
-Higashioka launched a solo home run to lead off the top of the sixth to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. Oswaldo Cabrera struck out with men on first and second, failing to add to the Yankees lead.
-For three innings, the Yankees bullpen did their job, keeping the Phillies off the bases and off the board after Severino’s start. The combination of Aroldis Chapman, Manny Banuelos and Greg Weissert allowed the Yankees to take the lead. However, Ryan Weber would would allow four straight singles to start the top of the seventh and allow the Phillies to take a 5-4 lead. Weber would allow another run on a groundball out giving the Phillies a 6-4 lead heading into the eighth inning.
–Rodolfo Duran led off the top of the eighth with a double. Two batters later, Brandon Lockridge drove a 1-1 slider down the left-field line to cut the deficit to 6-5.
– In the top of the ninth, Cabrera gave the ball a ride but it was tracked down at the warning track by Simon Muzziotti in centerfield. Andrew Chaparro and Ryan LaMarre line out and grounded out, respectively, to end the game.
-Higashioka was the star, offensively, for the Yankees going 3-for-3 with his two home runs. LeMahieu was the only other Yankee with a multi-hit game. Judge walked three times while Gonzalez, Kiner-Falefa and Tim Locastro were the only other starters who got hits on Friday.
Highlights
What’s Next
The Yankees return to their spring training home in Tampa when they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday at 1:05 p.m.