Outfield prospect Jason Martin hit another home run but the Pirates managed just 5 other hits and lost to the Blue Jays, 2-1, at LECOM Park, their second straight Grapefruit League defeat
Clay Holmes made his first start of the spring – and second appearance – but ran into his pitch count in the 2nd inning. He gave up 2 hits and 2 walks but no runs. He also struck out 2.
Francisco Liriano breezed through the 4th inning getting a fly ball then a pair of grounders to Colin Moran at third. He admits it is a change to be coming during games, especially when the inning before he's scheduled to pitch gets extended and he has to wait a little longer than it looks like he's going to have to which is what happened today. "I just got he keep moving," Liriano shrugs, "find a way to stay loose."
It was Liriano's second straight one-inning stint but Clint Hurdle says Liriano will get stretched out. "His fastball may be down a tick," Hurdle notes, "but there's still spin to the breaking ball, there's still a very good change-up and he's throwing a two-seam and four-seam fastball which both can be weapons."
Kyle Crick struck out the side in the 5th inning but also gave up an RBI double to Kendrys Morales. Morales who also singled in a run off Luis Escobar in the 3rd which accounted for all of Toronto's offense
Martin (who came over last off-season in the Gerrit Cole trade) hit his second homerun of the spring in the 1st inning and is 4-for-9. The other top OF prospect Bryan Reynolds (McCutchen trade) singled to lead off the 6th and advanced on a wild pitch but then was cut down at the plate on a single to left field by Lolo Sanchez.
The Pirates' minor leaguers put a couple of other runners on base but didn't really threaten but the threatened rain did finally start to fall and continued through the final 2 innings.
