Another impressive outing for Michael Pineda
Pitcher Michael Pineda of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 9, 2015 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. Credit: Getty Images / Brian Blanco
Michael Pineda had his second strong outing of spring training, facing the minimum number of batters in three scoreless innings, as the Yankees earned a 4-1 split-squad win over Detroit on Saturday at Steinbrenner Field.
"Outstanding,'' bench coach Rob Thomson said of Pineda's outing. "He filled up the zone, velocity was good, slider had good tilt and threw some good changeups. Really, the only hitter he got behind the whole time was the last guy, and he goes and picks him off.''
Pineda retired the first eight Tigers batters before walking Andrew Romine -- older brother of Yankees catcher Austin Romine -- but then picked him off to end the inning.
"I'm happy. A pretty good outing,'' said Pineda, pleased with the progress of all his pitches early in spring training. "The command was good.''
Pineda, who threw 24 of his 34 pitches for strikes, struck out four batters, giving him six in five innings thus far, with no runs and one hit. He's pitching with confidence, is healthy and is coming off a 1.89 ERA in 13 starts last season.
"That was impressive,'' said Mark Teixeira, who drove in the go-ahead run with a ground ball, with a second run scoring on the play on a throwing error. "Any time you come back from injury, you're going to have some physical and mental limitations. You never really know how you're going to feel. It's great to see him out there, letting his talent shine.''
After managing only three hits in the first five innings, the Yankees got four in the sixth, including three straight singles to rightfield by Didi Gregorius, Chase Headley and Stephen Drew.
With the bases loaded and none out, Teixeira hit a potential double-play ball to second base, but shortstop Dixon Machado threw wide for the first of his two errors, allowing a second run to score.
The Yankees got a run in the third when Mason Williams tripled to rightfield and scored on Gregorius' sacrifice fly. Detroit tied it up in the fourth as Dellin Betances gave up a ground-rule double to Nick Castellanos, balked him to third and allowed an RBI groundout.
"Just off a little bit, up in the zone, a little bit flat,'' Thomson said. "He'll bounce back and will be out there in a couple of days and get it going again.''
Outfielder Slade Heathcott stole second and third base in the seventh inning and scored on a balk for the game's final run. Headley had two hits, including a first-inning double, improving his batting average to .368. Righthander Nick Rumbelow got the win in relief, striking out two and walking one in 11/3 hitless innings.
