The Detroit Tigers handed the New York Yankees a 12-1 loss at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Jonathan Ornelas's 1-for-2 with an RBI effort at the plate, the Yankees could not overcome a sizable deficit. Luis Gil worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 7 earned runs on 9 hits. The Tigers out-hit the Yankees 18-8 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Yankees continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Jonathan Ornelas was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI. His consistent contact set the tone for the lineup. The Yankees will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Max Schuemann chipped in, going 2-for-2, Randal Grichuk added to the attack, going 1-for-2, and Zack Short provided support, going 1-for-2 with a double. The Yankees showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Jordan Yost led the Tigers offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and four RBI day. Spencer Torkelson also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Matt Vierling added a 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI effort as well. The Tigers offense proved to be too much for the Yankees pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Luis Gil took the loss after running into trouble, working 3.0 innings while allowing 7 earned runs on 9 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 68 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of work, allowing 5 earned runs while striking out five. The Yankees continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Ryan Yarbrough stood out with 3.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Tigers got on the board first with four runs in the first inning. Tigers added two runs in the second. Tigers tacked on a run in the third. Tigers pushed across five runs in the eighth. The Yankees struck back with a run in the ninth. The Tigers were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Tigers out-hit the Yankees 18-8, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 9,300 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Yankees will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
