The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped a 3-2 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals at LECOM Park on Thursday in spring training play. Despite Alika Williams's 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI effort at the plate, the Pirates could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Mitch Keller turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of 1-run ball with three strikeouts. The Cardinals out-hit the Pirates 6-5 on the day. Despite the result, the coaching staff gathered useful data on the current state of the roster. Spring training losses sting, but the information gained will inform decisions as Opening Day approaches.
Key Performers
Alika Williams was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Pirates confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Ryan O'Hearn also contributed, going 2-for-2 with a double, Dominic Fletcher chipped in, going 1-for-2, and Jhostynxon Garcia added to the attack, going 1-for-2. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Nolan Gorman led the Cardinals offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day. Pedro Pagés also contributed, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Jimmy Crooks added a 1-for-1 with an RBI effort as well. The Cardinals offense proved to be too much for the Pirates pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Mitch Keller got the start, putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 56 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Pirates evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out seven. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Ryan Fernandez recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Jaden Woods stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
Cardinals got on the board first with a run in the fourth inning. Cardinals plated a run in the sixth. The Pirates answered with two runs in the sixth. Cardinals responded with a run in the eighth. The Cardinals were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Cardinals out-hit the Pirates 6-5, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,380 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
It was not the outcome the Pirates were looking for, but spring training provides a forgiving environment to work through the rough patches. The focus remains on preparation and development, and the coaching staff will use today as a teaching opportunity. The regular season is right around the corner, and every game is a chance to improve.
