Major League Baseball

Gardner hitless in return; Yankees beat Blue Jays 2-1

Published Mar. 16, 2016 10:54 p.m. ET

foxsports

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Brett Gardner went 0 for 2 in his first spring training game of the year, Starlin Castro hit a two-run homer and made a nifty defensive play and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 Wednesday night.

Gardner played five innings in left field. He hit a grounder and struck out in his first game since bruising his left wrist in last year's AL wild-card loss to Houston.

Castro hit an opposite-field drive to right off Drew Hutchison and made a running grab in shallow right on Kevin Pillar's pop fly. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs in December, Castro moved from shortstop to second base last season and played 38 games at the position.

Hutchison, bidding for the fifth starter spot, allowed two runs and four hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Nathan Eovaldi struck out two and walked two over two hitless innings in his second spring training appearance for the Yankees since his season was cut short after a Sept. 5 start due to right elbow inflammation.