Nestor Cortes was touched up for six runs in his third spring training start and the Yankees’ comeback fell short as New York lost to the Minnesota Twins, 10-7, on Saturday afternoon.
Here are the takeaways …
-After his best start of the spring when Cortes gave up just one run over four innings, the southpaw would have his worst outing.
Cortes lasted 3.1 innings (62 pitches) while giving up six runs on nine hits and one walk. He did strike out six batters though. Saturday’s rough outing inflated Cortes’ ERA to 8.10 in three spring starts.
The left-hander’s outing would have been shorter as he was taken out in the middle of a four-run second inning that included a bases-clearing triple from Byron Buxton — who homered off of Cortes earlier in the game.
Cortes would come back out to pitch a clean third but would get tagged for another run in the fourth.
– On a positive note, Austin Wells’ bat remained hot as he launched another homer, his second in two games, to put the Yankees up 2-0 in the first inning. The young catcher launched a fastball that was middle-in over the right-field wall.
The backstop finished 1-for-3 with one strikeout. Over his last two games, Wells is 3-for-6 with two home runs and five RBI.
– With a bullpen spot or two open, Nick Burdi had another opportunity and wasn’t as sharp. In his one inning of work, the right-hander gave up a run on two hits, one walk and struck out one.
In his four appearances, Burdi has given up two runs in four innings of work while striking out eight batters in total.
– It was revealed before Saturday’s game that INF Oswald Peraza will miss 6-8 weeks due to a shoulder injury. With his Opening Day spot now open, other infielders will have to step up.
On Saturday, Josh VanMeter started at third and came into the contest 0-for-14, but the veteran launched a two-run shot to finish 1-for-3.
Jahmai Jones started at second and the young infielder went 0-for-3. This spring, he’s 3-for-8 with two doubles. Oswaldo Cabrera started at first base and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. So far this spring, the utility infielder is 1-for-23 with a run scored.
– Everson Pereira was the only other notable hitter as he went 1-for-4 with a two-run single to cap a three-run eighth inning to cut the Twins’ lead to 8-7. But the Yankees bullpen gave up two more runs in the bottom half of the inning and the bats could not answer in the ninth.
Upcoming schedule
The Yankees return home to take on the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
Clarke Schmidt is on the mound for the Yankees, who will go up against AJ Smith-Shawver.
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