J.T. Realmuto's return sparks Marlins to rout of Yankees
NEW YORK (AP) --J.T. Realmuto homered and drove in four runs in his season debut after coming off the disabled list, leading Jarlin Garcia and the Miami Marlins to a 9-1 blowout of the sloppy New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
Garcia (1-0) gave up one hit in five shutout innings, overcoming five early walks to win for the first time as a starter. Miguel Andujar doubled off the base of the left-center wall with one out in the fifth off Garcia -- who held the New York Mets hitless for six innings last week at home in his first major league start.
One night after a 12-1 loss in the Bronx, the last-place Marlins (5-12) turned the tables to split the two-game series. The listless Yankees committed two costly errors in the first two innings as Miami built a 4-0 lead and finished 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Slumping slugger Giancarlo Stanton struck out two more times and grounded into a double play, finishing 0 for 4 and drawing boos from Yankees fans again. Last year's NL MVP, traded to New York in the offseason as part of a payroll purge by new Marlins CEO and former Yankees captain Derek Jeter, went hitless in his first series against his former team.
Stanton is 3 for 35 (.086) with 20 strikeouts at home this season.
Realmuto broke open the game with a three-run homer off Masahiro Tanaka (2-2) in the fifth, and the Marlins went on to set a season high for runs. The athletic catcher had been sidelined by a bruised back since March 11.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly pulled Garcia after 77 pitches against the Mets last Wednesday, saying it was an easy decision because the 25-year-old lefty, a rookie reliever last season, never would have been left in long enough to finish the job.
Garcia was far less efficient this time, throwing only 48 of 92 pitches for strikes while earning his second career win. But he put together a streak of 10 1/3 hitless innings against New York teams and still hasn't given up a run as a big league starter.
Tayron Guerrero, Drew Steckenrider, Kyle Barraclough and Brad Ziegler finished the four-hitter. Andujar hit his first major league homer off Ziegler with two outs in the ninth, spoiling the shutout.
Tanaka was charged with seven runs, six earned, and eight hits in five innings. The errors raised the Yankees' total to 17 in 16 games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (strained left elbow) allowed one run and three hits over 2 2/3 innings in a rehab start for Class A Jupiter. He struck out four, walked one and threw 60 pitches. ... RHP Dan Straily (strained right forearm) is scheduled to pitch Wednesday for Jupiter.
Yankees: Right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle was placed on the 10-day DL with right shoulder tendinitis. RHP Luis Cessa was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and entered in the sixth, but was removed in the eighth with an injury. ... Top prospect Gleyber Torres sat out for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but could return to the Triple-A lineup Wednesday. The touted infielder, expected to be called up soon, left Monday night's game with stiffness in the middle of his back. "Kind of precautionary," manager Aaron Boone said. "They don't think it's anything serious." ... 1B Greg Bird (right ankle surgery) hit off a tee for the first time since March 27 surgery to repair a broken spur on the outside aspect of his right ankle. He expects to begin baseball activities on the field by the end of the week. The Yankees projected Bird to return in six to eight weeks after the operation.
UP NEXT
Marlins: After a day off, the Marlins send LHP Dillon Peters (2-1, 6.75 ERA) to the mound Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee. RHP Chase Anderson (1-1, 2.82) starts for the Brewers.
Yankees: Following an off day, LHP CC Sabathia (strained right hip) is scheduled to come off the DL and start Thursday night against Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez (1-1, 3.66) in the opener of a four-game series. The 37-year-old Sabathia has a 4.00 ERA and no decisions in two starts this season. He is 17-11 with a 3.59 ERA against the Blue Jays.
