The Pittsburgh Pirates earned a 9-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox at LECOM Park on Sunday in spring training action. Billy Cook paced the offense, going 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, and three RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Carmen Mlodzinski turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of 1-run ball with four strikeouts. The Sox out-hit the Pirates 13-12 on the day. The victory gives the Pirates positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Billy Cook was the key contributor at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, and three 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.
Nick Yorke chipped in, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI, Rafael Flores Jr. added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with an RBI, and Endy Rodríguez provided support, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Mickey Gasper led the Sox offense with a 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI day. Ahbram Liendo also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI. Andruw Monasterio added a 2-for-2 with an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Pirates pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Carmen Mlodzinski earned the win after putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 5 hits with four strikeouts. He threw 58 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 5 earned runs while striking out five. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Cam Sanders recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Mike Clevinger stood out with 3.0 innings of 4-run work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Pirates struck first, tallying two runs in the second inning. Sox answered with a run in the third. The Pirates responded with a run in the third. Sox countered with a run in the fourth. The Pirates struck back with a run in the fourth. Sox answered with a run in the fifth. The Pirates responded with four runs in the sixth. Sox countered with two runs in the seventh. Sox plated two runs in the eighth. The Pirates answered with a run in the eighth. The Pirates spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. Sox out-hit the Pirates 13-12, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 6,684 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Pirates can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.
