Didi Begins Rehab with Tampa. Lakeland Wins
Published on April 21, 2017 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Yankees News Release
LAKELAND, Fla. - Despite a two-hit night by Didi Gregorius, the Tampa Yankees (8-8) fell to the Lakeland Flying Tigers (8-8), 3-0, in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Gregorius joined the T-Yanks prior to the game as part of a MLB Rehab assignment and played six innings at shortstop, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. The 27-year-old is returning from a right shoulder strain suffered while playing in the World Baseball Classic.
Beau Burrows (W, 2-0) held the Yankees in check, tossing a season-high seven shutout innings for the Flying Tigers. The right-hander scattered four hits and a walk while tying a career-high with eight strikeouts.
Lakeland jumped ahead in the second as Wade Hinkle hit a leadoff single and later scored on an RBI hit by Zac Shepherd. A dropped foul popup, which led to a walk by Will Allen earlier in the inning, made the run unearned.
Ben Verlander singled and scored the second run for the Flying Tigers in the fifth, going home while Will Maddox reached on a second Tampa error.
Zack Littell (L, 1-1) made his third start with the T-Yanks and allowed two unearned runs on five hits in five frames. The righty walked two, struck out three and lowered his ERA to 1.13.
Shepherd crushed a two-out, solo homer to left off of RHP Jose Pena in the sixth for the final run.
RHP Spenser Watkins (SV, 1) threw two scoreless innings, yielding a hit while striking out one, earning his first career save for Lakeland.
Chris Gittens (1-for-4) returned from the disabled list and made his season debut. Nick Solak (1-for-4) has hit safely in six of his last nine games. RHP Andrew Schwaab (1.0IP, 1H, 3K) struck out the side in a scoreless eighth.
The series continues on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. LHP Josh Rogers (1-1, 2.25 ERA) is slated to start for Tampa against RHP A.J. Ladwig (1-1, 1.06 ERA) for Lakeland.
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