Tampa, Fla. — Good times, these early Grapefruit League games for the Tigers.
They pumped their record to 5-1-1 with a 9-6 thumping Wednesday of the Yankees at Steinbrenner Field.
John Hicks slammed a three-run homer in the third inning, which was part of a four-run burst that wiped out the Yankees early 2-0 lead against Daniel Norris, who made his first Tigers start of 2018.
Norris pitched the first two innings for Detroit. Other than the “ambush fastball” he acknowledged he threw the powerful Gary Sanchez, who sent it on a rocket ride over the ballpark’s 60-foot scoreboard, Norris was solid.