Yankees 4, Nationals 3(10)
Gio Gonzalez's third spring training start was an eye-opening experience.
Gonzalez pitched into the fourth inning and allowed one run for the Washington Nationals in a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the New York Yankees on Friday.
Gonzalez gave up two hits and three walk in 3 1-3 innings. He had six strikeouts. The Nationals' new starter called the outing ''a good stepping stone.
''Today was a learning curve for me,'' Gonzalez said. ''There's more stuff for me to work on. Can't stay up in the zone. Can't walk people to get my pitch count up. Obviously I need to get my conditioning in, other stuff to work on, like staying tall and staying back.''
Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer and Brandon Laird had a 10th-inning sacrifice fly for the Yankees. After opening-day starter CC Sabathia was touched for three runs and six hits over three innings, rotation candidate Phil Hughes gave up three hits in four scoreless innings.
The Yankees announced Friday that Andy Pettitte has come out of retirement, signing a minor league contract with the team.
Washington manager Davey Johnson said right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, who strained his left hamstring fielding a grounder Thursday, will be out a couple weeks.
Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper had one hit in four at-bats. The slugging prospect struck out swinging in his only at-bat against Sabathia.
''It was pretty cool,'' Harper said. He snapped some sliders off that were pretty good. Hopefully I can get him next time.''
The Yankees played without several injured regulars, including team captain Derek Jeter.
Jeter will be out until Tuesday because of a stiff left calf, an injury the Yankees' shortstop says is not serious.
New York manager Joe Girardi says he wants to avoid unnecessary risks. Jeter spent time on the disabled list last season with a right calf injury.
''It's really not that big of an issue, seriously,'' Jeter said. ''Just sore. Nothing out of the ordinary, I don't think. Things happen at spring training. One of the things with spring training is you have extra days.''
Jeter first felt the soreness in Wednesday's game against Toronto. He went through a full workout Thursday, but stayed off the field Friday.
''I remembered what happened last year even through it was a different calf, so I'm just being cautious,'' Girardi said.
Others sitting out the game with the Nationals because of injuries include catcher Russell Martin and outfielder Nick Swisher - both groin injuries.
Swisher had an MRI, but could play this weekend. Martin will miss at least a couple days.
''We're getting a little nicked up right now,'' Girardi said.
NOTES: Yankees RHP Freddy Garcia (bruised right hand) is expected to miss his next scheduled start in a minor league game Monday. ... Nationals C Wilson Ramos, sidelined the previous two days because of a heel injury, went 1 for 4 as the DH. ... Yankees reliever David Robertson (bruised right foot) ran in the outfield for the first time and also threw at 60 and 90 feet on level ground. He should be ready for opening day. ... New York RHP Joba Chamberlain (elbow ligament replacement surgery) threw sliders - a total of five - for the first time off the mound after a 32-pitch fastball session. ... Yankees INF Eduardo Nunez (bruised right hand) will swing a bat on Saturday. ... The Nationals have agreed on two-year player development contract extensions through 2014 with Triple-A Syracuse, Double-A Harrisburg, Class-A Potomac and Class-A (short season) Auburn. ...