Lombardi’s RBI Single Leads Yankees to Win

Rookie Phil Lombardi broke open a close game with a two-run single in the seventh inning Tuesday night to lead the New York Yankees to a 4-0 Grapefruit League victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Lombardi, a 23-year-old from Kennedy High in Granada Hills, is ticketed for the Yankees’ Triple-A farm club at Columbus this season. He lined his two-run single to left after Toronto left-hander Stan Clarke had walked the bases loaded.

The quintet of Phil Niekro, Marty Bystrom, Dennis Rasmussen, Mike Armstrong and Dave Righetti combined on a six hitter. After three Grapefruit League games, Yankee pitchers have allowed only four runs.

The game also marked the spring debuts of Yankee outfielders Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson and Ken Griffey.