Rays play long ball after CC's strong debut
TAMPA, Fla. -- Carsten Sabathia logged a solid Grapefruit League debut and the Rays hit three homers before the Yankees prevailed, 7-6, in 10 innings on Tuesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Sabathia worked two scoreless innings in his first spring start, scattering two hits and a walk. Sabathia stranded the bases loaded in the first inning, then worked a perfect second inning, freezing Michael McKenry and Daniel Robertson on breaking balls for called third strikes.
"The first inning, I was a little nervous," Sabathia said. "I told Joe [Girardi], 'I wasn't expecting that.' It felt good to get back out there and get through a couple of innings. The cutter was better in the second inning, the backdoor slider was good. It's something I can build on, for sure."
The Rays' Willy Adames and Corey Dickerson connected for back-to-back home runs off Adam Warren in the fifth inning. Rays starter Jake Odorizzi permitted a run on five hits over two innings of work, striking out four without a walk as he completed his second start of the spring.
"I got my pitches in and it's nice to work out of jams in Spring Training rather than April," Odorizzi said. "Good to pitch out of the stretch because I didn't get a chance to pitch out of the stretch in the first outing."
Gary Sanchez doubled and scored on a Chris Carter single to give the Yankees a first-inning lead. Ronald Torreyes had a third-inning RBI single and Kyle Higashioka hit a two-run homer off Ryan Yarbrough in the bottom of the seventh.
Ryan Brett tied the game with a solo home run off Chasen Shreve in the top of the eighth inning. The Rays added a pair of unearned runs in the 10th, but the Yankees responded with three in the home half.
WHAT'S NEXT
Rays: Right-hander Chase Whitley will get the start in the Rays' exhibition game against Team Colombia at 6:35 p.m. ET Wednesday evening in Port Charlotte, Fla. Erasmo Ramirez, Xavier Cedeno and Jose de Leon are among the other pitchers scheduled to throw for the Rays, while Rays right-hander Diego Moreno is among the pitchers expected to throw for Team Colombia.
Yankees:Luis Severino will make his third spring start on Wednesday as the Yankees host Team Canada in a 1:05 p.m. ET contest at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Right-hander Scott Richmond will start for Canada.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.