Bucs Back On Track With 6-1 Win Over Braves

 Today's Game: 

The Bucs were home at LECOM and sent Tyler Anderson, Kyle Crick, Sam Howard, David Bednar, Chasen Shreve, Clay Holmes and Blake Weiman against the Bravos. It was yet another shorty, going just seven frames. Oneill Cruz started in center, Kevin Newman at short and Erik Gonzalez at second, so Shelty isn't tipping his hand quite yet on his up-the-middle plans.

The Bucs prevailed 6-1. E-Gone and Joe Hudson went deep, Gregory doubled home a pair of Bucs and Ke'Bryan Hayes' two-out triple chased home another Pirate. The pitching held up well. Anderson gave up three hits and a run on a sac fly in two frames with three K. Every other Bucco on the hill put up a goose egg and claimed at least a whiff, with Bednar, who is from Mars HS, striking out the side during his frame and Howard fanning two of the three guys he faced.

Hayes stays hot - photo 2021 MLB Pipeline/Pirates

Notes:

• Kevin Newman and Hayes kept up their strong starts with a pair of hits each.
• The injury situation remains the same - Adam Frazier (groin), Cole Tucker (thumb) and Jared Oliva (back) are all close to returning, Anthony Alford (elbow) is still being evaluated for a return to throwing, and the relievers you haven't seen yet are victim of short games, not hors d' combat.
• The Pirates and PNC Financial announced a 10-year extension for the naming rights to PNC Park. The terms weren't disclosed, but the Bucs had been making $2M/year over the first 10 years of the original deal.

Tomorrow's Game:

The Bucs' bus rolls to Lakeland's Spectrum Field to tackle the Phils at 1 PM on a game that will webcast on pirates.com. Chad Kuhl gets his second start of the spring; the other guys haven't been announced yet.