Yankees-Astros, Yankees-Tigers (3/16)

The Yankees will use a split squad for the second time in this exhibition season as they meet the Astros at Legends Field (1:15 on YES), and travel to Lakeland (1:05) to take on the Tigers.

In Tampa, Chien-Ming Wang will face right-hander Brian Backe. Aaron Small was originally scheduled to start against the Tigers, but had to be scratched due to a hamstring injury. He's listed as day to day. Matt DeSalvo or Sean Henn will get the nod today against Nate Robertson.

Carl Pavano continued his rehab yesterday with a 45 pitch mound session. Pavano felt fine afterwards and is scheduled to throw batting practice on Sunday. In a rare display of enjoyment, Mike Mussina was ecstatic over his eight-strike out performance against the Astros yesterday. Mussina was on location, throwing 60 strikes out of 78 pitches.

Update 2:00

Yankees-Astros 2-2, bottom 2

Tigers 1 Yankees 0 Omar Infante with a solo shot off of Matt DeSalvo

Update 2:15

Yankees have taken a 4-2 lead to the top of the 4th on the Astros behind Hideki Matsui's home run.

Yankees also have just scored 2 to take a 2-1 lead on the Tigers in the 4th.

Update 2:50

Yankees still leading the Astros 4-2 as they play the top of the 6th.

Former Met Vance Wilson homered off of Jeff Karstens to tie the Tigers and Yankees at 2 over in Lakeland. Yankees are now batting in the top of the 7th.

Off topic - nice job by Seton Hall embarrassing themselves in the NCAA tournament. You proved you didn't belong there. I'm not sure who was dumber, the committee for putting you in or me for thinking you could win a game.


3:15 Update

The Astros Mike Lamb has homered off Kyle Farnsworth to the cut the Yankees lead to 4-3 in the 7th.

Meanwhile in Lakeland, the Yankees and Tigers are tied at 3 in the bottom of the eigth. The Bombers had taken the lead, but former farmhand Marcus Thames struck again, homering off of Scott Erickson. Thames homered off of Mariano Rivera earlier this spring.


Update 3:50

The Tigers scored in the bottom of the 9th off of Sean Henn to top the Yankees 4-3. Things aren't going much better in Tampa. Tanyon Sturtze was touched up for 4 runs in the 7th giving the Astros a 7-4 lead. The Yankees are now batting in the bottom of the 8th.





Update 4:25

The Tigers tacked on 3 runs in the 9th to finish off the Yankees 10-5. Russ Johnson had homered for NY to cut the lead to 7-5, before T.J. Beam allowed the Tigers to put the game out of reach.



Chien-Ming Wang looked good for the second straight start, going 4 innings and allowing no earned runs. Youngsters Melky Cabrera and Ramiro Pena had two hits each.