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Phillies lose exhibition opener to Yankees

TAMPA - The Phillies failed to reach base until the seventh inning on Friday as they opened the exhibition season with a 9-4 loss to the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field.

TAMPA - The Phillies failed to reach base until the seventh inning on Friday as they opened the exhibition season with a 9-4 loss to the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field.

The Phillies scored twice in the seventh thanks to a pair of Yankees errors. Scott Kingery, who reached on an error to give the Phillies their first baserunner, charged home on a single by Daniel Nava. Cameron Perkins, who had the Phillies first hit, later scored on a throwing error.

Perkins and Brock Stassi homered in the ninth.

The Phillies and Yankees play another Grapefruit League game on Saturday afternoon in Clearwater.

Alec Asher, the Phillies starter, allowed a homer in the first to Didi Gregorius before settling in. The righthander pitched two innings, allowed a run on two hits with no walks and a pair of strikeouts. He is adding a cutter to his pitch repertoire, a season after finding success by adding a two-seam fastball. The Phillies have a bevy of young starters and Asher is a candidate to transition to a bullpen role.

"It's something we won't know until it happens," Asher said. "I'm just out there trying to pitch, get guys out, and I'll go where I go."

Nick Pivetta pitched two scoreless innings. He struck out three, walked one, and allowed one hit. The righthander is likely to start the season in triple-A Lehigh Valley's rotation. Pivetta has to make the most of his time in big league camp as he leaves in early March to join Team Canada for the World Baseball Classic.

"It's a lifelong dream for me," Pivetta said. "It's right up there for when I eventually get that first big league start with the Phillies. It's going to be an honor."

Lefthander Elniery Garcia allowed two runs in the sixth and lefthander Sean Burnett was tagged for two in the seventh. It was not a great debut for Burnett, who is trying to make the team after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery.