PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates improved to 6-4-1 in Grapefruit League play with a 7-5 comeback win at home against the Orioles on Thursday afternoon. Center fielder Anthony Alford was the only Pirate to have multiple hits, one a homer. First baseman Will Craig also homered as Mitch Keller started and gave up two runs in two innings.
Alford HR and diving catch
Alford became the fourth center fielder to homer in three days, but he also made a diving catch. So which did he like more?
“Definitely the diving catch,” Alford said. “That’s my first fly ball of spring. I was just thinking to myself, I would really like to lay out for a ball. It just happened to happen today.”
“You are going to run into some balls and hit home runs. I definitely enjoy making highlight plays in the outfield.”
Manager Derek Shelton seemed to be impressed with all of it.
“Good at bats,” Shelton said. “Looked good in the field. Made a really nice base running read when third base vacated. Very good game all around.”
He also liked the homer that went just slightly to the opposite field.
“Little bit of cross-wind today,” Shelton said. “To go right-center field into it. He’s a strong man. It was a no doubter.”
This center field power explosion is crazy, after all struggled the first couple of games. Troy Stokes homered on Tuesday. Wednesday night, Jared Oliva and Brian Goodwin (grand slam) homered. Now Alford on Thursday. Dustin Fowler is now on watch for Friday.
“We are having fun, talking a lot of trash to each other,” Alford said of the competition. “Really just pushing each other to become better.”
Keller on outing
Keller started, giving up two runs on two hits, two walks and two strikeouts, saying he actually felt really good out there.
“Trying to refine fastball location right now,” Keller said. “I yanked a few today. More than usual, more than I like. But I think that’s coming with getting my velocity back.”
“Now it’s just a release point thing. That’s going to take a little bit of repetition in a side or another game. I feel really good where I’m at right now. I threw a lot of sliders and a lot of curveballs for strikes. Just a lot of competitive pitches.”
Facing King Felix
Keller started against a Cy Young Award winner looking for another shot. Felix Hernandez signed a minor league deal with Baltimore after 15 years with Seattle. The allegedly 34- year-old righty has a career 3.42 ERA and 2,524 strikeouts.
“Yeah, it’s cool,” Keller said. “Going up against him even though its Spring Training is kind of sweet. To say I toed the rubber with a guy who’s thrown a perfect game. It’s kind of cool to be able to say I pitched on the same mound as him in the same game.”
Hernandez would last 2.2 innings, 5 hits, 3 earned runs and a strikeout.
Quick hits
· Former Pirates first round pick, first baseman Will Craig hit his first home run of the spring. It was also his first hit in 10 at bats.
· 26-year-old righty Wil Crowe, who came to the Pirates in the Josh Bell trade, gave up just a hit with three strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
· Clay Holmes got the save working out of a situation where he gave up a hit and a walk. Holmes got a pair of groundouts to end the game.
Up Next
Pirates play a second straight day in Bradenton with righty Chase De Jong against Toronto’s Thomas Hatch at 1:05p on Friday.