:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6144472/20120323_jel_sv7_017.jpg)
Ivan Nova pitched four perfect innings before giving up a two run homer to Josh Willingham in his fifth inning of work. Nova labored through the 5th and 6th inning, giving up seven hits and four runs, before pitching another perfect inning in the 7th inning before leaving the game.
Losing it a little bit in the middle cost him a nicer final line for the day, but his first four innings were really fantastic. It was by far the best Nova has looked this Spring before he ran into trouble.
Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano closed out the game with two clean innings.
Standouts on offense were Eduardo Nunez, who went 3-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Justin Maxwell, who continued to hit the ball well with two singles and an RBI. Ramiro Pena chipped in a rare home run of his own, while Mason Williams and Mark Teixeira drove in one run a piece. Derek Jeter returned to action after missing time with a calf injury, and singled in his first at-bat. He played only three innings as a precaution only.
Notes from the other game are after the jump.
Yankees 5, Phillies 3:
The Yankee offense jumped on the Phillies and Vance Worley early thanks to doubles by Brett Gardner and Robinson Cano, and singles by Francisco Cervelli and Eric Chavez. From there, Cano added two more hits, including another double, to his day; and Doug Bernier and Cervelli finished with two hits a piece.
Starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda went 5.2 innings, giving up only one run and striking out seven batters. The Phillies didn't crack the scoreboard until the sixth inning when Hunter Pence walked, stole 2nd, and was driven in on a John Mayberry bloop single.
David Phelps closed out the game with 3.1 innings of three-hit, two-run ball. He certainly got some help from the defense on a few hard hit balls, but managed to keep himself from running into any disastrous innings.
Tomorrow the full squad of Yankees will travel to Lakeland to take on the Tigers at 1:05 p.m. where Freddy Garcia will face off against crazy-eyed Max Scherzer.