The Pirates split the squad and lost both games by identical scores but in different fashion, blowing a late lead in a 9-7 loss to the Braves in Bradenton, while a late rally fell short in the 9-7 to the Phillies.
Home runs have been scarce for the Pirates early on, but the Bucs blasted 3 of them at LECOM Park - Cole Tucker, Josh Bell and Bryan Reynolds in that order - to grab an early lead
Braves young ace, Mike Soroka, allowed baserunners in the first two innings but escaped trouble by getting Bell and Colin Moran to hit into double plays but then came the homers
In the third, Jake Stallings led off with a single then Tucker, starting at second base, hit an opposite field home run to left field. After Soroka issued a two-out walk to Reynolds in the third, that was it for him and sidearmer Ben Rowan was greeted by Bell who launched a ball over the wall in straightaway center.
Reynolds hit a 2-run homer of his own in the fifth inning and Moran added an RBI triple.
Stallings had 2 hits and is batting .364.
LHP Robbie Erlin got out of a seventh inning jam and struck out 2 in an inning-and-a-third., his second straight scoreless outing. Another veteran lefty, Miguel Del Pozo, allowed 3 runs in the ninth to take the loss.
But Manager Derek Shelton says it was a good day. "Our core group that started the game, that was exciting," Shelton beamed, "Williams threw the ball well, the core group swung the bat well, we ran the bases well. Sometimes in spring training games things happen at the end but we saw guys getting their timing back and doing really good things."
In Clearwater, Hector Noesi, who had pitched well in his first start, gave up first inning home runs to JT Realmuto and Bryce Harper and allowed 4 runs in all over 2 innings. Harper finisihed with 2 homers and former Pirate Neil Walked delivered an RBI single.
Kevin Kramer played left field, had 2 hits and scored 2 runs, van rider Lolo Sanchez hit a home run for the second straight game, Adam Frazier also homered. Philip Evans had a 2-run double.
Thursday, the Bucs travel to Port Charlotte to face the Tamps Bay Rays. Derek Holland is scheduled to start with Keone Kela, Chad Kuhl, Kyle Crick and Nick Burdi also expected to pitch.