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Phillies 3, Yankees 1: Bryce Harper picks up three more hits, but Didi Gregorius remains hitless in spring training

Harper has eight hits in 16 at-bats so far this spring.

Phillies Bryce Harper smiles after teammate Mikie Mahtook hit a third inning solo home run against the New York Yankees in a spring training game at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida on Monday, March 9, 2020.
Phillies Bryce Harper smiles after teammate Mikie Mahtook hit a third inning solo home run against the New York Yankees in a spring training game at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida on Monday, March 9, 2020.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- After another hitless spring training game for Didi Gregorius, Phillies manager Joe Girardi joked that the shortstop must be saving all of his hits for the season.

Bryce Harper doesn't have that problem.

Harper notched a double and two singles Monday in a 3-1 victory over the New York Yankees at Spectrum Field. For the spring, Harper has reached base in 12 of his 20 plate appearances (8-for-16, four walks).

“He’s in a good spot,” Girardi said. “He beats out a hit, hits a couple of balls hard, just misses hitting a home run in his last at-bat. He’s in a good spot right now.”

All the usual caveats apply, of course, about the relative meaninglessness of spring training results, which is why the Phillies aren’t more concerned about Gregorius. After going 0-for-3 against the Yankees, he’s 0-for-22 with two walks.

"He's not wasting any [hits]," Girardi said. "He hit the ball hard twice today. His at-bats were better today. I'm going to tell him to wait until the last day."

The Phillies broke a tie in the eighth inning on a two-run homer by Christian Bethancourt, a nonroster invitee who is likely bound for triple-A as catching depth.

Veteran outfielder Mikie Mahtook gave the Phillies a lead with a solo homer in the second inning.

Aaron Nola was a late scratch after coming down with the flu. Hard-throwing prospect Ramon Rosso started in Nola’s place, and after a nine-pitch first inning, he gave up one run in the second.

Reggie McClain, Edgar Garcia, Mauricio Llovera, Adam Morgan, Addison Russ, and Garrett Cleavinger combined for seven scoreless innings against a Yankees lineup that featured only two regulars -- outfielder Brett Gardner and third baseman Gio Urshela.

The Phillies will remain at home Tuesday, with right-hander Zack Wheeler scheduled to face the Minnesota Twins. The team has a day off Wednesday before traveling to Port Charlotte, Fla., to face the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.