Pirates Fall Again By 3-1 Tally; First Cuts Announced

Willy's counting numbers were kinda weak last outing, but he didn't pitch poorly as much as with bad luck, so we'll see if the gods are a little more kindly to him against the Jays today. They were: Trevor surrendered two hits, two walks, and fanned a pair in three scoreless frames. Pittsburgh also put up nada (they left two aboard in the first and the bases loaded in the third), so its goose eggs after three. Williams Jerez walked three of the first four Jays in the fourth - the other singled - to force in a run, and a sac fly after Nick Mears relieved made it 2-0 Toronto. Keone Kela and Nick Burdi added more zeroes, and it remained 2-0 after six.

Willy looked solid today - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Kyle Crick whiffed a pair in a quiet seventh. Pittsburgh opened with two walks around a bloop knock. A pop out later, Oneil Cruz stroked an RBI rip high off the CF wall (the wind, which has been arbitrary all spring, was blowing in today or OC would have had a granny) that didn't work out all that great - it did score Phil Evans, but Kevin Kramer AND Jason Martin were thrown out behind him, and by quite a margin as KK stumbled on the way home, triggering the whole Keystone Kop scenario. Edgar Santana tossed a 1-2-3, two-strikeout, eighth and the Pirates made not a peep. Geoff Hartlieb was waved in for the ninth. He gave up a leadoff rap, then misfired on a pickoff throw. He got two outs, then a walk and single plated an insurance run. Blake Weiman closed it out. Two Pirates got dinged with pitches to set up a painful threat, but two pops and a whiff kept them anchored as the Bucs dropped another, this one by a 3-1 count.

The pitching gave up just five hits and fanned nine Jays, but were foiled by a 1-for-8 RISP day, with the one hit turned into a DP, by the attack.

Derek will climb the hill tomorrow - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Tomorrow: Derek Holland gets the call against the Tigers at Lakeland's Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. The game begins at 1:05 and will be on MLB Network and MLB.com. Wednesday is an off date.

Notes:

• Today's lineup featured seven of the eight presumed starters. Ke'Bryan Hayes was penciled in at third rather than Redbeard, so maybe the hot corner is still in play. Jarrod Dyson dropped to seventh with Kevin Newman at leadoff (he had two of the Pirates five hits), and Jake was at DH while Luke Maile (#1-B) caught. Both the backstops have been mainly slotted in the eight hole during camp.
• The Bucs made their first half-dozen roster-cutting moves today, all involving RH pitchers. JT Brubaker, Blake Cederlind and Cody Ponce, all carried on the 40-man roster, were optioned to Indy. Non-roster minor-leaguers Montana DuRapau, Luis Escobar and James Marvel were reassigned to Minor League camp. EDIT: The Buccaneers later sent Will Craig to Indy, Oneil Cruz to Altoona and Jason Delay, Arden Pabst & Blake Weiman to minor league camp after the game. The Pittsburgh active roster is now sits at 48 players; it needs pared to 26 by Opening Day.