Masahiro Tanaka allowed two hits over seven innings in his best start this season, Chris Young hit a grand slam and the New York Yankees routed the Tampa Bay Rays 9-0 Saturday night.
Tanaka (2-1) struck out eight and walked none. He gave up a single to David DeJesus leading off the first, then retired 15 in a row before Brandon Guyer's double opening the sixth. After failing to reach the sixth inning in his first two starts, Tanaka lowered his ERA from 7.00 to 3.94.
The Japanese star missed most of the second half of last season with a partially torn elbow ligament and had faced questions this spring about his decreased velocity.
David Carpenter and Branden Pinder completed a three-hitter, the first shutout for the Yankees since Sept. 22 against Baltimore.
Young homered off Grant Balfour in a seven-run seventh, his third career slam.
Brian McCann put the Yankees ahead in the sixth with his third hit, a two-run, two-out triple off Jake Odorizzi (2-1) that followed one-out walks to Brett Gardner and Alex Rodriguez.
Odorizzi gave up three runs and five hits in six-plus innings. He was the third AL pitcher in the last 100 years to start the season by winning consecutive starts of six-plus innings, two hits or fewer and one run or less.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: Gardner (right wrist) was in the starting lineup for the first time since Monday. ... RF Carlos Beltran (cold) was scratched.
Rays: Evan Longoria (bruised left hip) started at third base after being the DH Friday. ... LHP Drew Smyly (left shoulder) is to start Sunday for Double-A Montgomery and should return this month. ... Closer Jake McGee (right elbow) could join Triple-A Durham Monday.
UP NEXT
Yankees: In nine road starts with New York, Sunday starter Michael Pineda has 41 strikeouts and two walks over 43 innings. Tampa Bay got both walks last Sept. 16.
Rays: Longoria is 0 for 11 with two walks and four strikeouts against Pineda.