The Pittsburgh Pirates used three home runs to power a 7-6 Spring Training victory Monday against the Tampa Rays.
The game was the first time A.J. Burnett and Francisco Cervelli, both former New York Yankees, played together since 2011.
Burnett received a no-decision throwing 4.2 innings while allowing three hits and five runs. Two of those runs came in the first inning on an RBI ground out from Asdrubal Cabrera and a run-scoring single from James Loney.
“I told him [Cervelli] where I wanted him behind the plate: not in the middle, but get me on the corners,” Burnett said. “He moved, and I kept asking him for a little more [movement]. Now he knows. And I started to get into a little groove.”
The Pirates scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning with a Starling Marte RBI ground out, an Andrew Lambo run-scoring single and a two-run home run from Cervelli. Cervelli’s blast is his third of the spring and the projected starting catcher has now reached base in eight consecutive games.
The Rays countered with a four spot of their own bottom of the fifth inning which included a David DeJesus RBI triple. Burnett was relieved by Brad Lincoln in the frame. Lincoln pitched one-third of an inning and allowed a run.
Arquimedes Caminero had another solid outing throwing two innings, allowing one hit and striking out four batters. Caminero leads Pirates pitchers with 16 strikeouts in 10 innings of work.
Gorkys Hernandez hit his first home run of the spring in the top of the sixth inning. Hernandez initially came to the Pirates as part of the trade that sent Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke to the team. The Pirates traded Hernandez in 2012 for Gaby Sanchez and Kyle Kaminska. After stints in both the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox minor league systems, Hernandez is back in Bradenton this spring, where he is batting .407.
Pedro Florimon tied the game in the eighth inning with a solo home run, his first, to center field off Kevin Jepsen. Bobby LaFromboise pitched the bottom half of the frame walking and striking out two batters.
In the ninth inning Wilkin Castillo had an RBI single off Brad Boxberger to win the game. Deolis Guerra earned his first save of the spring after keeping the Rays off the base paths.
Up next for the Pirates [10-8-3] is a home game against the Baltimore Orioles. Radhames Liz will start against his former team while Ubaldo Jimenez will get the nod for the Orioles. Jared Hughes, Josh Wall and Deolis Guerra are expected to throw for the Pirates. The game will be webcast on pirates.com.
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
