With no established starters on turn, the Pirates tried a little bullpenning against the Yankees. It worked well for most of the major leaguers, but a couple of down-the-liners lost control and turned a 3-1 lead into a 7- defeat.
Chis Stratton started and didn't allow any hits but he walked 4 batters. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning but when he walked the leadoff man in the second that was it for him after 34 pitches.
Stratton, who had made 4 one-inning relief appearances before today, was disappointed but is already past it. "I already went back and watched some film," he said, "just with my lower half, just coming out of it a little early and I didn't like what I saw so I have something to work on tomorrow."
Stratton was charged with a run when that runner scored on a base hit allowed by Robbie Erlin, but Erlin, Michael Feliz, Richard Rodriguez, Dovydas Neverauskus and Cody Ponce combined for 5-and-two-thirds scoreless innings.
Shoutout to the Van Rider of the Day, John O'Reilly, who relieved Cody Ponce with a runner at second and 2 outs in the seventh inning to face catcher Josh Thole, who spent parts of 8 seasons in the majors, and struck him out on 3 pitches.
James Marvel, who made 4 major league starts last season, gave up 6 runs and didn't make it out of the eighth ining.. This Van Rider, Ike Schlabach, did not fare as well, walking three batters to force in 2 more runs before finally getting a ground ball
Catcher John Ryan Murphy, a Bradenton native who had a bunch of family and friends on hand, hit his team-leading third home run, a 2-run shot in the second inning. Murphy has 3 hits this spring, all of them homers.
Gregory Polanco had a pair of doubles, the second one knocked in a run in the sixth inning. 4 of Polanco's 6 hits are for extra-bases, 3 doubles and a home run.
After striking out 3 times, DH Luke Maile delivered an RBI single in the ninth then jokingly motioned that he wanted the ball.
Sunday, the Bucs travel to Port Charlotte for the second time in four days to take on the Rays. Mitch Keller is scheduled to make his fourth Grapefruit league start with lefthanded hopefuls Sam Howard, Nik Turley and Miguel Del Poso among those also expected to see action. Listen at 1:00 on 93.7 The Fan.
