Tanner Houck strikes out four, wasn't sharp in start versus the Yankees
The Red Sox played host to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon. The two teams played to a 3-3 tie from JetBlue Park. Boston’s fourth tie of the spring.
Tanner Houck was on the mound making his third start of the spring. The 26-year-old wasn’t sharp again as he labored through 3⅓ innings, while throwing 75 pitches.
Houck began the game with a 1-2-3 first inning, striking out Anthony Volpe and Aaron Hicks. His changeup looked good throughout the start.
The right-hander only surrendered one hit in the second inning, a single to Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The Yankees infielder stole both second and third base, but Houck worked out of that jam.
The third inning was where Houck began to slow down. He walked a batter and gave up two hits, ultimately working out of the jam.
The fourth inning told a different story for the righty. Houck would walk Kiner-Falefa and hit Billy McKinney with a pitch. The flood gates opened from there, the Yankees plated two runs and chased Houck from the game.
Houck pitched into many deep counts, surrendering four hits, walked two, giving up two runs, both of them earned and struck out four.
“Later on, I was definitely just rushing down the mound, getting quick again,” said Houck, whose start was his third of the spring. “It was the same thing I was doing in my first outing. Just too much upper half going too early and just leaving the arm hanging behind.”
The Illinois native is vying for a spot in the rotation, but his high pitch counts and struggle with his command is concerning.
Houck has made three starts, he’s walked eight batters, given up seven hits and four runs in eight innings.
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