The Atlanta Braves handed the New York Yankees a 7-6 loss at CoolToday Park on Friday in spring training play. Despite Garrett Martin's 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBI effort at the plate, the Yankees could not pull even when it mattered. Ryan Weathers worked 3.2 innings on the mound, allowing 4 earned runs on 7 hits. The Braves out-hit the Yankees 14-7 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
Garrett Martin was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Yankees will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Tyler Hardman chipped in, going 1-for-1 with two RBI, Cody Bellinger added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek provided support, going 2-for-2. The Yankees showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Mauricio Dubón led the Braves offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day. Ambioris Tavarez also contributed, going 2-for-2 with two RBI. Kyle Farmer added a 3-for-3 with an RBI effort as well. The Braves offense proved to be too much for the Yankees pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Ryan Weathers took the loss after running into trouble, working 3.2 innings while allowing 4 earned runs on 7 hits with four strikeouts. He threw 67 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 4.1 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out three. 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. Blane Abeyta recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Yovanny Cruz stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Braves got on the board first with four runs in the first inning. The Yankees answered with a run in the fourth. Braves responded with two runs in the sixth. Braves pushed across a run in the eighth. The Yankees struck back with five runs in the ninth. The Braves were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Braves out-hit the Yankees 14-7, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 7,473 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.
