In Like a Lion in March...Pirates Pound Jays 13-9; Holmes Foot Broken

Big Joe Musgrove opened with a 1-2-3 frame. The Bucs responded by having themselves an inning - two doubles, an infield scratch, three walks and four runs (Colin Moran's two-run double was the big blow) off ol' Brewer/current Jay tosser Chase Anderson, who didn't last through the frame. Another zero for Joe and more runs for the Bucs. They plated a pair on J-Bell's two-bagger and had the bases loaded with no outs, but Redbeard banged into a DP to save the Jays from a complete meltdown. Still, a seven spot is a pretty good start for a team that scored just 22 runs in its first nine games. A triple and Bo Bochette's homer in the third muddied Joe's last go-around. The Pirates went quietly while Chris Stratton and Keone Kela posted zeroes against Toronto.

Big Joe diggin' in for the season - photo 2020 Pittsburgh Pirates

In the sixth, Yacksel Rios gave up a pair of bombs and a double, making it 7-5. The Pirates came back to load the bases with no outs, but SOB - a pop up and Kevin Kramer 4-6-3 DP left the scoreboard blank. Kyle Crick made his spring debut and posted a zippo, so hopefully his bum digit is fully mended. Pittsburgh surged on to rebuild their lead - Oneil Cruz, Gregory Polanco and Lolo Sanchez all went deep, and it was a comfortable 11-5 pad after seven. But Luis escobar made it exciting. A homer, single, Cruz boot and walk brought on Sam Howard, who gave up a bases-loaded double. But he found the groove after that and fanned the next three Jays to keep it at 11-8 for the good guys. No sweat; the Bucs turned a couple of walks, a couple of steals and a Christian Kelley two-bagger into two more tallies. Nick Burdi gave up a two-out homer, closing out a 13-9 win.

15 hits (nine for extra bases) and seven walks is a good afternoon; free passes are weapons when they're backed by some extra-base ripping, a balance the Bucs couldn't strike in February.

Tomorrow: It's a home-and-home set; the Bucs play the Jays tomorrow at TD Ballpark in Dunedin at 1:07. The game will be aired by 93.7 The Fan.

Notes:

• The big news was that Clay Holmes, who left the game yesterday after taking a comebacker off his foot, has a fracture and will be in a boot for 4-6 weeks. He'll start the year on the IL after looking pretty good in limited spring action.

Clay's out for awhile - photo 2019 Dave Arrigo/Pirates

• Tuck continues his hot camp - two more hits brought his BA up to .357. Fraze and Christian Kelley also added a pair of raps. In all, a dozen Pirates had hits today.
• Pittsburgh hit more home runs in the eighth inning than they had in the first nine games total. On the other side of the pillow, they've also rolled into a pair of bases-jammed DP's. and the Bucs keep on drawing walks -  they got seven today and have 44 free passes in 10 games.
• The Pirates showed their four-outfielder shift against Cavan Biggio. 2B Adam Frazier went to left-center field (he has spent considerable time as an OF'er) and positioned SS Cole Tucker up the middle, behind second base, with Redbeard playing 3B at bunt distance. After all that dancing, Biggio walked!
• Lots of regulars playing today; lately the bubble guys got the bus rides and the A-Team mostly enjoyed home cookin' from Shelty. Seems sensible to us. 
• Manny Sanguillen took the lineup card out before the game today. It's nice to see Shelton embrace the ol' Bucco spring tradition.
• Nope, no idea why: The Pirates signed 2B/3B Sherman Johnson to a minor-league contract with an invite to camp (he reported yesterday). The 29-year-old has 10 MLB at bats and a lifetime MiLB .250 BA in eight seasons. As for the Bucs, they have their returning infield plus Erik Gonzalez, Joey O, Tuck, Kevin Kramer and JT Riddle, NRI's Phil Evans, Jake Elmore and Johnson, plus pups KeBryan Hayes, Oneil Cruz and Will Craig on hand. Lotta bodies to find time for, even if just looking for some organizational depth for roster and trade scheming.