Joba Pitches Well

YANKEES 4, REDS 0
at Tampa, Fla.
Monday, March 10

Reds at the plate: Jay Bruce reached base in his first three plate appearances, getting aboard on a throwing error in the first inning before singling in each of his next two at-bats.

Yankees at the plate: Alex Rodriguez showed few ill effects from the upper right lat soreness that slowed him last week, doubling in Bobby Abreu for the Yankees' first run in the third inning. Hideki Matsui, playing his second game of the spring, also drove in a run with a single to center, one of two hits for the designated hitter.

Reds on the mound: Homer Bailey had a mixed outing, blanking the Yankees over his first two frames before running into trouble in the third. Bailey allowed two runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out three while also hitting a batter. Gary Majewski (two-thirds of an inning) and Mike Stanton (one scoreless inning) kept the Yankees off the board, while Edinson Volquez allowed two runs in four innings, striking out eight.

Yankees on the mound: Joba Chamberlain didn't have his best command, but he held the Reds scoreless through 2 1/3 innings, walking none. His 49-pitch, 31-strike effort included a 14-pitch at-bat with Edwin Encarnacion in the second inning that ended on a swinging strikeout, Chamberlain's only of the night. Billy Traber, looking to make the Yankees' roster as a lefty reliever, continued to succeed by recording two outs to end the third. Mariano Rivera made his second appearance and remained efficient, retiring the Reds on two groundouts and a strikeout in the fourth. Ian Kennedy struck out two in four innings.

Up next: The Reds will play a pair of split-squad games on Tuesday. Aaron Harang will start a 1:05 p.m. ET game against Brandon Backe and the Astros in Sarasota, Fla., with Francisco Cordero and David Weathers also scheduled to pitch. Also at 1:05 p.m., Matt Maloney will start for the Reds against Dontrelle Willis and the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla. Todd Coffey and Jared Burton are slated to follow Maloney.

The Yankees will be home at Legends Field again on Tuesday, welcoming the Blue Jays to Tampa for the first time this season. Chien-Ming Wang will get the start for New York opposite Gustavo Chacin. Darrell Rasner, Kyle Farnsworth, Heath Phillips, Jonathan Albaladejo and Ross Ohlendorf are also scheduled to pitch for the Yankees.