For Harvey, another pitching exhibition
Port St. Lucie, Fla. - Yankees center fielder Jose Pirela was carted off the field after crashing into the wall on Juan Lagares' inside-the-park home run, the first of three long balls off CC Sabathia, and the New York Mets beat their crosstown rivals 6-0 behind a dominant effort from Matt Harvey.
David Wright and Lucas Duda also connected off Sabathia, in his second start after having major knee surgery last year.
Harvey allowed two hits over 5.2 innings in his fourth spring start after having Tommy John surgery in October 2013.
"That was a good test, and obviously the work load is increasing," the ex-Fitch High great said. "I felt pretty good into the sixth inning and was commanding pretty much every pitch I threw."
Harvey, who faced only 18 Yankees, mixed in sliders, curves and changes without having to dial up the fastball into the high 90s.
"The big thing is, coming in, I knew (command) possibly could be an issue with Tommy John surgery. For me, I was really concentrating on throwing strikes and pounding the zone," said Harvey, who has allowed just one walk in 14.1 innings with 12 strikeouts and only two runs.
Leading off the bottom of the first, Lagares drove a pitch to straightaway center field. Pirela, the versatile prospect, crashed face first into the padded wall after just missing the catch and fell backward to the ground, hitting his head.
Pirela tried sitting up but went onto his back. Lagares scored standing up.
With manager Joe Girardi looking on, a Yankees trainer examined Pirela for several minutes. Pirela was able to walk and was helped into a golf cart.
Pirela, who complained of dizziness, was taken by ambulance from the complex to Tradition Medical Center, where a brain CT scan was negative.
The Yankees said Pirela will also have a cervical MRI also.
Sabathia was frustrated with his outing on a sunny day in the mid-80s. He allowed five hits and four runs in 2.2 innings.
"Two-seamers were up. The ball David Wright hit was up, Lagares, Duda - they were just fastballs up and put good swings on them," said Sabathia, who made just eight starts last year in a season shortened by knee surgery on July 23.
Girardi said the time off could be affecting his left-hander.
"I think sometimes we forget that CC didn't pitch much last year. For him, it's getting back the consistency and work. He's always thrived on work," Girardi said.
"He feels great and there's a lot of life to his arm. I'm still encouraged. Don't worry about the numbers. He needs to pitch; he hasn't pitched a lot in the last 20 months or whatever."
Notes: Ex-Norwich Free Academy great Eric Campbell hit his second home run of the spring for the Mets, a solo shot in the eighth ... Girardi said OF Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique strain) "is doing better" but is not participating in much baseball activity.
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