Bombers bits

• This marks the Yankees' first trip to U.S. Cellular Field since last August, a visit which was marked by Alex Rodriguez's 2013 season debut, immediately following an appeal of what was then a 211-game suspension.

The suspension was later reduced to 162 games, spanning the complete 2014 campaign. Girardi said that he had not given any thought to Rodriguez's situation. Asked if he had contacted Rodriguez recently, Girardi replied: "I'm not going to say."

• Girardi has been pleased with the work of 23-year-old catcher John Ryan Murphy, who started behind the plate on Thursday to give Brian McCann a break against White Sox left-hander Chris Sale.

"He's improved, there's no doubt about it, but I was pretty impressed with him when he came up last year," Girardi said.

• On this date in 1930, the Yankees and Athletics combined for 33 runs in a 20-13 Yankees win in Philadelphia, which included Lou Gehrig's third and final three-homer game. The total runs remain tied for the Yankees' franchise high.

• On this date in 1963, in an 8-7, 11-inning win over the Kansas City A's, Mickey Mantle hit a walk-off homer off Bill Fischer that hit the upper-deck frieze in right field at Yankee Stadium. It marked the second time in Mantle's career that he hit the frieze.