Spring Training Games 17 and 18: Yanks vs Astros and Pirates

Spring Training Game 17
SS Yankees @ Pirates
McKechnie Field - Bradenton, FL
Game Time: 1:05 p.m.
TV/radio: none

Here are the lineups:

YANKEES
Melky Cabrera CF
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Jorge Posada DH
Austin Jackson LF
Kevin Cash C
Doug Bernier 2B
Kevin Russo 3B
Ramiro Pena SS

Pitching: Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Jason Johnson, Jon Albaladejo, Mark Melancon.

PIRATES
Nyjer Morgan, LF
Freddy Sanchez, 2B
Nate McLouth, CF
Ryan Doumit, C
Adam LaRouche, 1B
Craig Monroe, DH
Jeff Salazar, RF
Neil Walker, 3B
Jack Wilson, SS

Pitching: Ross Ohlendorf

Spring Training Game 18
SS Yankees vs Astros
George M. Steinbrenner Field - Tampa, FL
Game Time: 1:15 p.m.
TV/radio: YES, WCBS 880

Here are the lineups

YANKEES
Brett Gardner CF
Johnny Damon LF
Xavier Nady RF
Hideki Matsui DH
Cody Ransom 2B
Jose Molina C
Juan Miranda 1B
Angel Berroa SS
Justin Leone 3B

Pitching: A.J.Burnett, Dan Giese, Brian Bruney, Edwar Ramirez, Christian Garcia.

ASTROS
Kazuo Matsui, DH
Jason Michael, CF
Hunter Pence, RF
Geoff Blum, 3B
Aaron Boone, 1B
David Newhan, 2B
Reggie Abercrombie, LF
J.R. Towels, C
Tommy Mazzella, SS

Pitching: Wandy Rodriguez.

News & Notes

- You can follow both games on MLB.com's live boxscore. Here's the Pittsburgh game and here's the Houston game. I'll post updates from the Pittsburgh game below.

- Mariano Rivera threw a 40-pitch batting practice session this morning, facing Colin Curtis and Justin Leone.

"As long as I feel good, that's what matters," Rivera said.

"I wanted to push myself a little bit more. I was supposed to throw 30. I threw 40."

Both Peter Abraham and Kat O'Brien said Rivera looked like he was throwing the ball better today than he did the other day.

- According to Peter Abraham, the Yankees called up infielders Eric Duncan and Walter Ibarra, and outfielder Edwar Gonzalez from the minor league camp today for the game against the Astros.

****Houston Game Updates****

UPDATE 2:10 p.m.: The Yankees lead 1-0 on a Johnny Damon homer in the first.

A.J. Burnett had another very good start: 4 perfect IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

UPDATE 2:20 p.m.: Yanks score two more on an error. Angel Berroa hit a ball between the third baseman's legs. 3-0 Yanks.

UPDATE 2:44 p.m.: Dan Giese allowed a solo homer, 3-1 Yanks.

UPDATE 3:07 p.m.: Edwar Ramirez pitched his first inning since injuring himself. He looked pretty good. He allowed one hit in one scoreless inning, another run reached on an error. Still 3-1 Yanks.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: Robinson Cano had an at-bat in the bottom of the 8th and grounded out to third. Hopefully this is a sign his injury isn't bothering him too much.

UPDATE 3:37 p.m.: That's the ballgame, Yankees win 3-1.

**** Pittsburgh Game Updates ****

UPDATE 2:10 p.m.: Pittsburgh is winning 2-0 by the way. Two solo homers against Hughes, one from Morgan and the other from Doumit.

Hughes' day is done: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: The Yankees got a run back in the top of the on an RBI from Ramiro Pena. But they gave the run right back in the bottom half. Nate McLouth drove in a run with an RBI double off Ian Kennedy.

3-1 Pirates.

UPDATE 3:15 p.m.: Austin Jackson tied the game at three with a two-run homer in the top of the 6th inning.

UPDATE 3:24 p.m.: The Yankees scored three more in the top of the 7th. Melky Cabrera, Shelley Duncan, and Ramiro Pena each drove in a run.

6-3 Yanks.

UPDATE 3:31 p.m.: The Yanks are really blowing it open now against the Pirates. Jesus Montero hit a grand slam to give the Yanks a 10-3 lead.

UPDATE 4:26 p.m.: The Pirates scored two runs off Christian Garcia in the bottom of the 8th.

The Yanks came right back with two run in the top of the 9th. Kevin Russo and Doug Bernier each drove in a run.

12-5 Yanks.

UPDATE 4:42 p.m.: The Yanks added another on a Chris Malec RBI.

13-5 Yanks.

UPDATE 4:49 p.m.: Mark Melancon came in the game in the 9th and got roughed up. He allowed five runs on six hits and a walk. But the Yankees held on to win 13-10.

Stick around and discuss the game

as it happens in the comments section.