Pineda allows first spring runs, but strong vs. Jays
Righty, who's battling for a rotation spot, pitches spring-high six innings
TAMPA, Fla. -- Left-hander Mark Buehrle pitched 6 1/3 strong innings while Adam Lind had a pair of hits to lead the Blue Jays to a 3-1 victory over the Yankees on Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Buehrle was making his third Grapefruit League start and got his pitch count up to 98. He allowed seven hits and didn't walk a batter while allowing just one run. His only blemish came in the sixth inning when Ichiro Suzuki led off with a ground-rule double to right field and eventually came around to score on a double-play ball off the bat of Derek Jeter.
New York outfielders Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran had a pair of hits, but for the most part Buehrle cruised through his outing.
Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda matched Buehrle pitch-for-pitch during most of his outing. Pineda experienced a little bit of difficulty in the second when he allowed an RBI single -- the first run he allowed this spring -- to catcher Dioner Navarro, but for the most part he looked very strong.
Pineda's other issue came in the fifth, but most of that had to do with his defense. With runners on first and second, Ryan Goins bunted down the third-base line. Pineda fielded it cleanly but then threw the ball away, which allowed Colby Rasmus to score. Brett Lawrie then scored when Pineda threw a wild pitch.
The 25-year-old Pineda allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits while striking out two over six innings. Pineda has now allowed only those two earned runs with 16 strikeouts in 15 innings of work this spring.
Up next: Right-hander David Phelps will start against the Phillies on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET at George M. Steinbrenner Field (watch on MLB.TV). He has had a strong spring, including a six-inning start against the Red Sox last Thursday, but is in danger of being crowded out of the starting rotation. Jacoby Ellsbury, who has been out since March 14 with a strained right calf, will play in a Minor League game on Tuesday. Ivan Nova will pitch in a Minor League game on Monday at the Himes Complex.