Phils 5, Bucs 0

Geez, even AJ has caught the wildman disease. After a scoreless first, he bopped Darin Ruf to open the second. That was followed by an infield knock, and an out later, the roof fell in.

Another single loaded the sacks, and two walks and a knock later, Clint Hurdle gave Burnett the hook for Kris Johnson, who walked the first guy he faced. Nothing like three bases-juiced walks to demoralize a team. The Phils would add another run in the fourth when Wandy Rodriguez gave up a knock to Ben Revere, who stole second, went to third when Mike McKenry's throw was off the mark, and came home on a bouncer to second.

The Pirates managed one hit, a ground rule double rolled up the right field line by Travis Snider that first baseman Ryan Howard didn't feign worthy of his attention in the opening frame. The club did manage four walks, but three ground ball DPs and a caught stealing erased them all.

All in all, a totally forgettable day at the office. As Clint Hurdle told Dejan Kovacevich of the Tribune Review: “There's really not anything to a day like this. It's one of those where you got your work in and you move on.”

• Lefty Kris Johnson continued an impressive spring. Yah, that walk hurt, but in 1-2/3 frames he gave up a hit, walk, and whiffed three. The young guys held up their end, too - Duke Welker, Vic Black & Hunter Strickland all put up a goose egg.
• Today was the second time this week that the Pirates issued three walks with the bases loaded in one inning. Maybe Ray Searage should get them off the mound and into a Gulf Coast tiki bar to loosen up. Even if it doesn't work, they'll at least have an excuse...
• The Nats signed journeyman outfielder Jason Michaels, who had a stop in Pittsburgh, as a minor league hitting coach/player. He was out of MLB last year. Michaels was hurt while in the minors and finished the year coaching for Syracuse.