Bucs Run Away From Bosox For 9-4 Win; Steven Wright Signs NRI Deal

Today's Game: 

Taking the bump against the Bosox are Wil Crowe, Clay Holmes, Sean Poppen, Braeden Ogle and Nick Mears. The Frazier boys manned the right side, Tuck was at short and Brian Goodwin in center. 

Crowe was workmanlike again, going 3-2/3 IP (63 pitches) and giving up one run on four hits. Holmes followed with a  zippo, and Poppen surrendered two in two innings, one earned and the latter credited to a throwaway by Ji-Hwan Bae. Ogle ran into some eighth-inning issues with two hits and a walk, surrendering a run and leaving Red Sox on the corners. Mears wrapped it up with a 1-2-3 ninth as the Bucs cruised to a 9-4 win.

Ke'Bryan Hayes lovin' the spring - photo Pirates

A couple of walks, a wild pitch and Fraze's two-out, two-run double put the Bucs up 3-0 after two frames. They added another trio of tallies on a bases-loaded Fraze right side bouncer and two-run rap by Ke'Bryan Hayes  in the fourth. One more Buc scored in the sixth when Brian Goodwin scooted two bases to third on a wild pickoff and tallied on Wilmer Difo's grounder. The next frame, Hayes tripled and trotted home ahead of Bryan Reynolds' dinger for the Pirates cherry on top.

Notes:

• Fraze had two hits (double, three RBI) and Hayes also added a pair of knocks (triple, two RBI).
• Utility hopeful Wilmer Difo entered today with a 7-game hitting streak. He went 0-for-1, but walked twice. scored twice and drove home a run.
• Bucco pitchers only had six whiffs; Ogle and Mears each punched out a pair in an inning's work while Crowe posted the other two.
• The Pirates signed ex-BoSox 36-year-old RHP Steven Wright to an NRI contract as a depth option, we assume. The knuckleballer didn't pitch in 2020 and had 26 outings in 2018-19 while serving two suspensions. He's also had elbow and knee issues which he says are behind him now.

Tomorrow's Game:

The Orioles return for a 1:05 game at LECOM Park, with the game on AT&T SportsNet & KDKA 1020. Pretty interesting group of pitchers lined up for the match: Mitch Keller, Trevor Cahill, Duane Underwood Jr, Chris Stratton, Luis Oviedo and Quinn Priester. It will be this spring's first Grapefruit League action for Cahill (FA), Underwood (trade) and Oviedo (Rule 5).