Spencer Turnbull sharp in 2nd ...

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers lost to New York Yankees, 4-3, on Friday at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.

The Tigers are 8-7 in Grapefruit League play.

What happened

Right-hander Spencer Turnbull sounded confident warming up in the bullpen. "Oh yeah, that feels good," he told catcher Eric Haase.

Turnbull was talking about his slider before the game, and his slider looked dynamite through the first two innings against the Yankees. The 30-year-old pitched his second game since returning from Tommy John surgery. He allowed one run on one hit and one walk with three strikeouts across 2⅓ innings.

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In the seventh inning, backup catcher Andrew Knapp hit a tying home run to straightaway center. The Tigers' top three catchers — Knapp, Haase and Jake Rogers — finished 4-for-5 with two home runs, two singles and one strikeout.

The Yankees took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Anthony Seigler. Right-hander Billy Lescher, called up from minor-league camp, started the inning with a five-pitch walk.

Starting off

Turnbull retired the first seven batters he faced.

He struck out DJ LeMahieu (87.3 mph slider), Aaron Hicks (86.7 mph slider) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (94.8 mph fastball). He recorded a swinging strikeout against LeMahieu and a called strikeout against Hicks. His ability to land his slider for a strike at the bottom of the zone stood out.

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Fatigue set in for Turnbull during the third inning.

He retired the first batter but walked Carlos Narvaez on seven pitches. A passed ball by Haase allowed the runner to advance to second base. Billy McKinney, the next batter, tagged Turnbull's slider for an RBI single.

After the single, Turnbull was removed from the game and replaced by right-handed reliever Kervin Castro, who walked LeMahieu but sent down the next two batters to conclude his outing. Turnbull threw 27 of 45 pitches for strikes and generated six whiffs with four fastballs, one slider and one sinker.

His fastball averaged 94.1 mph.

At the plate

Facing Yankees right-hander Luis Severino, the Tigers scored the first run of the game in the second inning. A mistake from Severino — a hanging slider — allowed Haase to capitalize. He punished the ball for a solo home run to left-center.

Haase has three homers this spring.

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On the mound

Joey Wentz is being built up as a starting pitcher, but since the Tigers' starting rotation is full, the left-hander pitched out of the bullpen against the Yankees. He allowed two runs in the fourth inning.

Wentz walked Rafael Ortega, the leadoff hitter, and then gave up a two-run home run to Kiner-Falefa. To end the inning, he fired three straight four-seam fastballs — 94 mph, 93.5 mph and 95 mph — to strike out Narvaez.

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Wentz turned in a scoreless fifth inning and recorded two outs in the sixth before right-hander Rony Garcia replaced him. The 25-year-old, whose 56 pitches (33 strikes) included 50% cutters and 38% four-seamers, allowed two runs on three hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 2⅔ innings.

Three stars

1. Turnbull; 2. Haase; 3. Fry.

Next up

Saturday (1:05 p.m.) vs. Atlanta Braves in North Port.