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Alex Rodriguez homers in first spring training at-bat

TAMPA, Fla. – After just two days of watching Alex Rodriguez take batting practice this spring, Yankees hitting coach Alan Cockrell made an observation.

“I would have to say, yeah, he does [look further along than at this point last spring],” Cockrell said Saturday. “He’s in great shape. We see all the quick twitch and everything that we saw last year, and it’s even better right now.”

Rodriguez certainly looked that in his first at-bat of the spring Thursday afternoon, homering on the second pitch he saw. The full-time designated hitter, batting with Carlos Beltran aboard and with one out in the first, ripped lefty Adam Morgan’s 1-and-0 pitch to left for a home run that gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead over the Phillies.