Sloppy Play Dooms Bombers As Yankees Drop 7th Straight Spring Contest
TAMPA, Fla. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Roy Halladay is feeling good about himself and his pitching.
Halladay allowed one run and three hits in 2 1/3 innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Yankees 10-5 Friday, New York's seventh straight spring loss.
Halladay is coming off an injury-plagued year in which he had his fewest wins (11) since 2004 and the second-worst ERA (4.49) of his career. The righty missed nearly two months in the middle of the season because of a strained back muscle near his shoulder.
"I feel good right now the way I feel physically and conditioning wise," Halladay said. "Really, I think that is ahead of everything else, and it's a matter of just fine-tuning the pitches."
The 35-year-old Halladay gave up one run in two innings during his first spring training start against Detroit. In a 44-pitch outing Friday, he struck out three and walked one.
Halladay struck out Melky Mesa with the bases loaded and two outs in the first. He left after allowing a one-out double in the third to Francisco Cervelli, who scored on Robinson Cano's single off Cesar Jimenez.
"The big thing going forward is to get comfortable with my curveball and cutter," Halladay said.
John Mayberry Jr. drove in three runs and Jimmy Rollins added two RBIs for the Phillies. Closer Jonathan Papelbon allowed two runs — coming on a double by Addison Maruszak — and two hits in the fifth.
Cervelli, bidding to be the Yankees' starting catcher, finished with two hits and drew a walk from Papelbon. He also threw out Rollins, who was trying to steal second.
The Yankees had four errors and gave up six unearned runs. New York has 13 errors in eight games.
"I don't like to lose no matter what time of year it is," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're going to win a game again, I'm sure."
Hiroki Kuroda allowed four runs — one earned — and three hits over 1 2/3 innings in his initial exhibition-game start for the Yankees.
"It's early in spring training; there were a few pitches that were good and a few that were not," Kuroda said through a translator. "Main thing was to make sure I threw strikes and to work on my breaking balls, which are not there yet."
Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis returned after missing the previous three games because of left side soreness. He was charged with an error in the second for misplaying Mayberry's grounder, which led to two Phillies runs. He struck out and walked before leaving after three innings.
"I struck out looking and a guy's yelling at me. ... He's just angry at life," said Youkilis, the one-time Boston infielder. "There's always one out of a hundred. I actually don't remember what he said, but you just have to laugh it off. If people are booing, they're booing. If you're a Yankees fan and you want to boo me, that's your prerogative. If you don't want to win a World Series and root for guys that play on your team, that's what you have to do, I guess."
Mesa and Ronnier Mustelier homered for the Yankees.
Ryan Howard, who has played in all seven of Philadelphia's exhibition games this year, went 0-for-3. The first baseman didn't play until July last year while recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon sustained in the Phillies' final game of the 2011 playoffs.
New York will take on the Tigers in split-squad action on Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
NOTES: New York GM Brian Cashman is scheduled to participate in a parachute jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights on Monday at the Homestead Air Reserve Base near Miami to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. "It's an opportunity to do something that a lot of people don't do or will ever do, so that's awesome," Cashman said. "But no, it's not like on my list of something I've always wanted to do. I'm excited for the opportunity to do it, and at the same time big-time nervous." ... Halladay and Yankees guest instructor Reggie Jackson spent time together not talking baseball, but cars. "He's a big car guy, and I'm a car guy," Halladay said. ... Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (right knee surgery) said he will throw his second simulated game Sunday. ... New York RHP Phil Hughes could throw Sunday for the first time in two weeks.
Yes, yes, we know it's only spring training -- but does seven straight losses concern you, Yankees fans? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
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