Yankees power train halts with 4-1 loss to Phillies

Tuesday April 4, 2023

New York Yankees 1, Philadelphia Phillies 4

NEW YORK — On the second pitch of the game, Kyle Schwarber hit his 200th career home run. He also added an RBI single to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 4-1 on Tuesday night to become the last team in the major leagues to get a win this season. The Philadelphia Phillies avoided their worst start since 1934.

The NL champions had only one home run and had been outscored 37-12 in their first four games. They were on the verge of having their worst start to a season since 1934, when they lost their first seven games.

Brandon Marsh also went deep after making two key mistakes Monday. Marsh got to New York’s bullpen in center field after missing a shoestring catch in center on DJ LeMahieu‘s leadoff triple and running past third base for the third out of the fifth in Monday’s 8-1 loss.

Schwarber hit a career-high 46 home runs last year, but he was only 1 for 17 in his first 17 games this year. He hit Domingo Germán‘s (0-1) second pitch into the right field stands near the Judge’s Chambers.

Trea Turner and Schwarber both had RBI singles in the fifth against Michael King, who was making his second appearance since breaking his elbow last July 22.

In four innings, Matt Strahm gave up only one hit, a single by rookie Anthony Volpe in the third. In his first start for San Diego since August 17, 2021, Strahm struck out three batters and walked one.

Andrew Bellatti (1-0) won the game by pitching the fifth inning. In the sixth, José Alvarado threw 12 pitches and struck out all three batters, including Aaron Judge, to end the inning.

In the ninth, LeMahieu hit a home run off of Craig Kimbrel. Giancarlo Stanton got a single after Judge walked, and then Kimbrel got Josh Donaldson to foul out to end the game.

DJ's 1st homer of the year 🤖💪 pic.twitter.com/Cnx7RuUUH0
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 5, 2023

In 4 2/3 innings, Germán gave up four runs and four hits. He also struck out eight batters and did not walk anyone. He threw 30 curveballs, 21 changeups, 18 fastballs, and 6 sinkers. He gave up both home runs on fastballs, but got six strikeouts with curveballs, which batters only hit 1 for 9 against.

In the fifth inning, Volpe had a chance for a double play, but Marsh’s ground ball bounced out of his glove, so he only got a forceout. Garrett Stubbs hit a single, King took over, and Philadelphia went up by four runs.

“I haven’t been getting it done,” King said. “Mechanically it feels like my timing is a little off and I’d much rather give up my own runs.”

UP NEXT

On Wednesday, the right-handed pitcher for New York, Gerrit Cole (1-0, 0.00 ERA), will face off against the right-handed pitcher for Philadelphia, Aaron Nola (0-0, 12.27).

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