SPORTS

Tanaka pitches two shutout innings as Yankees beat Phillies 4-0

Mark Didtler The Associated Press
Published Saturday, March 1, 2014 8:23PM EST

New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka runs out of the dugout before pitching in the fifth inning of an exhibition baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Tampa, Fla. Saturday, March 1, 2014(AP / Charlie Neibergall)

Text:

TAMPA, Fla. -- Masahiro Tanaka pitched two shutout innings in his spring training debut, allowing two hits and striking out three as New York Yankees blanked the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 on Saturday.

The Japanese star entered in the fifth inning, following CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda. Some fans stood when Tanaka took the mound.

Both Sabathia and Kuroda threw two shutout innings.

Tanaka signed a $155 million, seven-year contract in January. He was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year while leading the Rakuten Golden Eagles to their first Japan Series title.

Tanaka features a sharp split-fingered fastball. He struck out All-Star Domonic Brown in the sixth.