Carlos Rodon has solid outing in Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Red Sox
Carlos Rodon had a solid outing in the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon in Tampa, Fla.
Here are some key takeaways …
- Rodon breezed through the first three innings, setting all nine Sox down in order with three strikeouts on 48 pitches (30 strikes). With one out in the fourth, Boston first baseman Triston Casas tagged Rodon's 96.6 mph fastball that got too much of the middle of the plate for a 421-foot home run to center field on a 3-2 count.
The final line in his third outing of the spring: 4.0 innings, one run on one hit with three strikeouts on 68 pitches.
For the Yanks' left-hander, he threw almost exclusively fastballs (45 times) and sliders (17) against the AL East foes. The heater averaged 94.6 mph (up from 93.2 mph his last start) and induced 24 swings with four whiffs and five called strikes. The slider (which was also a touch faster than his last start) got nine swings with two whiffs and two called strikes. Rodon got a called strike or whiff on only 19 percent of his pitches, down from 27 percent in his last outing.
- Anthony Rizzo put New York on the board in the first inning with a two-out RBI single. The first baseman followed that up with a single in the home half of the fourth before coming around to score three batters later. Rizzo finished his day with a third single to right field in the fifth.
- Gleyber Torres, who walked and scored in the first after swiping second base, smacked a 419-foot homer to center with two down in the fifth to put the Yanks up 4-2. He finished 1-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Anthony Volpe rocketed a two-RBI double in the fourth inning for his only hit in three at-bats batting in the No. 7 spot.
- Austin Wells started behind the plate and batted out of the No. 8 hole. The catcher doubled in his first time up with two outs, lacing a 95 mph fastball 108.9 mph off the bat. He went 1-for-2 on the day, grounding out with a runner in scoring position.
- D.J. LeMahieu, batting leadoff, went hitless in four times up with a strikeout. Juan Soto followed him by going hitless in three at-bats in the No. 2 hole. And Alex Verdugo, who has struggled at the plate this spring, saw his average dip to .190 with an 0-for-3 day.
After striking out his first trip to the dish, Giancarlo Stanton would single and double his next two times up to finish 2-for-3.
- Left-hander Nick Ramirez surrendered a solo home and a walk in his one inning of work. Right-hander Ron Marinaccio gave up a run on a sacrifice fly after allowing a leadoff double in his one inning appearance.
Minor league pitcher Oddanier Mosqueda was charged with the loss after allowing five earned runs on three hits and a walk in 0.2 innings pitched.
Highlights
Upcoming schedule
The Yanks travel to play the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
Marcus Stroman will be the starting pitcher for the 1:05 p.m. first pitch.
