It was Girardi who received Sabathia in his office last October 4, the last game of the regular season, and blessed the pitcher’s request to leave the team before the postseason and get help for his alcoholism.
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Manager Dave Roberts said Crawford would undergo an MRI in Los Angeles, likely on Monday’s off day. Sabathia’s private struggle had become such a problem that he checked himself into treatment rather than join the Yankees for last year’s wild-card game. He pitched during spring training but not well. The 35-year old lefty hurled six innings of three run ball while striking out three in his first outing, and victory, of 2016. He faced one batter in the seventh, but was pulled after a single.
“He obviously had good command”, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
He gave up a home run to Alex Rodriguez in the first inning, and was knocked out by a bases-loaded triple by Jacoby Ellsbury in the fourth, both on pitches that were grooved, instead of in, like they were supposed to be. Sabathia pitched to one batter in the seventh, allowing a single, before being taken out of the game at 90 pitches. He walked four – perhaps a result of the cold conditions that included snow early – but he kept middle-of-the-order sluggers Justin Upton, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez hitless. The Yankees (2-2) failed to advance a runner past second base and recorded one hit after the fourth.
Jose Iglesias’ single loaded the bases again, but this time Sabathia stranded the runners, retiring Mike Aviles to hold the four-run lead.
The right-hander made another solid start, and Eugenio Suarezdrove in three runs with a single and a homer as the Cincinnati Reds sent the Pittsburgh Pirates to their first loss, 5-1 on Saturday. Opponents know it’s coming – he throws it roughly 40 percent of the time with two strikes – and they still can’t hit it, batting just.174 with a.095 ISO.
Rodriguez gave Sabathia a quick lead with a first-inning solo blast off Mike Pelfrey, A-Rod’s first home run of the season and No. 688 of his career.
NY reliever Luis Cessa made his major league debut, pitching the final two innings.
Behind the safety of a heated suite, surrounded by 17 family members and friends who flew in for this game, Amber Sabathia watched her husband prepare for this critical moment, and she believed.
“You have to give them credit – they came out and shot the lights out in the first quarter”, Wittman said.
“I want to thank my wife, my mom”, he said, noting both were toasty warm in a Comerica Park suite, watching his first start of the season. “Certainly, I couldn’t tell you if he did miss the call I was upset about”.
Tigers: OF Cameron Maybin (left wrist) went 1 for 4 with a double as a DH for Class-A Lakeland on Friday night as part of his rehab assignment. 3B Chase Headley was given a day off and replaced by Ronald Torreyes.
The Tigers have their ace Justin Verlander on the mound to face Masahiro Tanaka of the Yankees. The question was answered when they hit their first six 3-point attempts, three by Harris, to take a 39-25 lead at the end of the first quarter.
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Tanaka is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in two career starts against Detroit.
