After being beaten by Division-II University of Tampa this past weekend, the Phillies opened their Grapefruit League Schedule yesterday at Bright House Field with a 5-5 tie against the Yankees. Today, the two teams played each other again, this time at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Cord Phelps got the Phillies on the board first in the second, driving in Darin Ruf from second for a 1-0. In the fifth, Maikel Franco knocked an RBI single into center field to score Odubel Herrera to make it a 2-0 lead for Philadelphia.
Ethan Martin came on for the Phillies in the sixth and immediately loaded the bases, but luckily got out of it with just one earned run. The Yankees scored on a sacrifice fly from Gary Sanchez, scoring Mason Williams.
The Phillies got that run back in the top of the seventh. Odubel Herrera got on base with his third hit of the day and followed it with his third stolen base of the game. Two at-bats later, Aaron Altherr hit a looping single to right, scoring Herrera, making it a 3-1 game. That is how things would end.
For the Phillies offensively, it was a big day for Rule-5 selection, Odubel Herrera. The 23-year-old went 3-for-4, scored two runs and stole three bases and started in center field. Cord Phelps chipped in with an RBI of his own, going 2-for-4 at the plate while Ryan Howard, Domonic Brown and Freddy Galvis went a combined 0-for-8 with a sacrifice bunt.
On the pitching end of things, starter Kevin Slowey struck out two and gave up one hit in two innings. Hector Neris rebounded after giving up a grand slam in the University of Tampa game, tossing two shutout innings and striking out two. Ethan Martin got out of a bases loaded jam with just one run against him and Paul Clemens pitched two scoreless as well.
Alex Rodriguez went 1-for-2 with a walk in his first game action since September of 2013.
Up Next: The Phillies head to Osceola County Stadium tomorrow for a 1:05pm matchup against Evan Gattis and the Astros. Cliff Lee will make his first start since July 31st. Houston will oppose with Collin McHugh.
