PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A couple of players just hanging onto the Pirates roster had multi-hit nights on Thursday in a 10-9 loss to the Orioles. The Bucs final evening Spring Training game of 2021.
Phillip Evans (.393 this spring) made a running catch against the wall in right and went 4 for 5, scoring 3 runs and driving in 2 more. Evans leads the Pirates in runs, 4th in RBI in Grapefruit League play.
The 28-year-old Evans hit .333 in 18 games with the Pirates in 2020 before a collision with right fielder Gregory Polanco resulted in a broken jaw and an end to the season. Evans hit .346 in last year’s shortened Spring Training.
Veteran Wilmer Difo also had a RBI double trying to make the Bucs as a utility player, batting .278. In the mix to be the centerfielder, Anthony Alford started in left, singled and scored, and stole a base in his first at bat. Alford ended up 2 for 5 and is hitting .276.
Catcher Mark Wolters (.214 this spring) went 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI. Shortstop Liover Peguero (.333 this spring) also drove in a pair of runs with a double as one of two hits. Centerfielder Brian Goodwin (.233 this spring) went 2 for 4 with a run scored. Todd Frazier (.259 this spring) returned after a couple of days away to go 2 for 3.
Mixed bag righties
Sean Poppen made a spot start giving up 5 runs in 1.2 innings. Richard Rodriguez spring ERA rose to 6.35 giving up a run in 1.1 innings. Michael Felix gave up 3 runs in an inning, ERA now 6.75. Edgar Santana gave up a run in an inning, ERA now 12.71. Chris Stratton pitched a perfect inning, ERA 3.60. Luis Oviedo worked around a walk to face only three batters to lower his ERA to 4.50.
Up Next
Pirates drop to 12-11-1 in Spring play and start Tyler Anderson at home against Detroit at 1:05 on Friday.