Pirates Fall to Rays in Spring Training
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates fell behind early and never came back in a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Fla.
The Pirates (14-11) make it two defeats in their past three games with this loss, as they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies at home on a walk-off home run on March 18, 3-2, and lost the second game on March 19, 8-6 to the Detroit Tigers on the road on March 17.
Pittsburgh also suffers their first loss to Tampa Bay (11-10) in the Grapefruit League, as they won 3-2 at home on Feb. 28.
Left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney got the start for the Pirates and struggled in the bottom of the second inning.
He allowed a single to Rays right fielder Josh Lowe to start the inning and then back-to-back home runs to designated hitter Eloy Jimenez and catcher Danny Jansen, giving the home team a 3-0 lead.
Heaney did well the rest of the way, going 4.1 innings of work with just one other hit allowed and two strikeouts.
The Pirates responded immediately afterwards, with catcher Henry Davis singling and then center fielder Ji Hwan Bae doubling, scoring Davis and getting to third on an error. Bae would later score, as third baseman Adam Frazier got him home on a groundout, trimming the deficit to 3-2.
Pittsburgh almost tied it up after right fielder Tommy Pham hit a triple, but designated hitter Andrew McCutchen would strikeout, ending the inning.
They also had a chance in the fifth inning, with Davis hitting a single and Bae doubling with one out, but Frazier would strikeout and Pham lined out to third base.
Left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza came in relief for the Pirates in the seventh inning and allowed a double from Rays left fielder Christopher Morel.
First baseman Robert Seymore doubled as well, scoring Morel, and then second baseman Jamie Westbrook hit a ground-rule double, scoring Seymore and extending the Rays' lead to 5-2.
The Pirates wouldn't get a hit the rest of the game and the Rays held on for the victory.
Right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman relieved Heaney and got two strikeouts to end the fifth inning. Right-handed pitchers in Joey Wentz and Jarod Bayless both pitched scoreless sixth and eight innings in relief for Pittsburgh.
The Pirates will have the next day off before they travel to face the Boston Red Sox at Jetway Blue at Fenway South on March 21, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m.
