Donaldson, Blue Jays solve Yankees bullpen

March 10th, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. -- Andy Burns hit a three-run homer and Josh Donaldson drove in a pair of runs as the Blue Jays defeated the Yankees, 11-4, in Grapefruit League action on Thursday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The blast by Burns -- Toronto's 26th-ranked prospect who drove in four runs in the game -- came in the sixth inning off Diego Moreno after the Blue Jays navigated the gauntlet of the Yankees' vaunted relief trio, with Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman taking the mound in succession for the first time.

Donaldson's two-run single was the big blow among four third-inning hits off Miller, while Chapman was wild in his first Yankees appearance, issuing two walks and hitting two batters, including Jose Bautista, in just two-thirds of an inning. Betances retired the side in order in the fourth. Bautista made his Grapefruit League debut for Toronto, going 0-for-2.

"It was fine; normal first game," Bautista said. "It's how it goes all the time. I hadn't been there in a while, you're kind of getting a feel for it, your body and where it stands on the plate and all that. I saw some good pitches, I was tracking the ball, I felt like I was picking it up good out of their hand. It was a good day at the workplace."
Bautista deflects critical comments
Carlos Beltran and Alex Rodriguez collected RBIs off Blue Jays starter Drew Hutchison, who permitted two runs (one earned) and three hits over 2 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out two.

Yankees infielder Jonathan Diaz hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Jesse Chavez. New York starter Nathan Eovaldi pitched two perfect innings in his first outing of the spring.
Well-rested Eovaldi off to good start
"It's been a while," said Eovaldi, whose season ended Sept. 5 due to right elbow inflammation. "It's nice to have somebody other than your own teammates in the box. Especially it being the Blue Jays, being at home, it was nice."

Up next for the Blue Jays:Marcus Stroman will make his third start of the spring when the Blue Jays host the Red Sox in a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Friday afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, live on MLB.TV. Stroman is expected to throw four innings and likely will begin the year as Toronto's Opening Day starter, but the Blue Jays technically have yet to make that official. Other pitchers scheduled to appear include Drew Storen, Brett Cecil, Roberto Osuna, Chad Girodo and Chad Jenkins. The Blue Jays plan to rest most of their regular position players with knuckleballer Steven Wright getting the start for Boston.
Up next for the Yankees:Masahiro Tanaka will make his second start of the spring when the Yankees host the Orioles in a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Friday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field, live on MLB.TV. Tanaka pitched two scoreless innings against the Phillies on Sunday, marking his first start since offseason elbow surgery to remove a bone spur. Mike Wright is scheduled to start for Baltimore.