The Pittsburgh Pirates fell to 1-2 in Spring Training after a 2-1 loss Thursday to the New York Yankees (1-1-1) in front of a sellout crowd of 7,879.
Fred Lewis (1-0) picked up the win for the Yankees and Deolis Guerra (0-1) suffered the loss for the Pirates. Taylor Garrison threw the ninth inning to earn the save.
The Pirates lone run came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jaff Decker singled in Willy Garcia who had a 2-for-2 day at the plate. Decker has a .600 batting average thus far in Spring Training.
The Yankees struck first in the top of the fifth when former Pirate Garrett Jones doubled to right field off closer Mark Melancon and plated Chris Young.
Guerra was the second reliever to allow a run which came in the top of the eighth inning when Tyler Austin homered to left field.
This game marked the Spring Training debuts of Francisco Liriano and Charlie Morton. Each allowed two hits in two innings. Liriano struck out two batters and walked one while Morton did the exact opposite walking two and striking out one.
Top prospect Tyler Glasnow made his Spring Training debut in this contest and had a clean inning while striking out two batters. Clayton Richard and Jeremy Bleich rounded out the Pirates pitchers and each allowed a hit in an inning of work.
Andrew McCutchen made his 2015 debut as a DH and went 0-for-3 from at the plate. Jung Ho Kang and Chris Stewart played the first five innings at shortstop and catcher respectively with each registering a hit in two at-bats.
The Pirates will travel to Tampa, FL. and take on the same Yankees in a game scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Jeff Locke will start for the Pirates as his attempt to earn what is projected to be the fifth and final spot in the team’s starting rotation begins. Arquimedes Caminero, Adrian Sampson, Collin Balester, Charlie Leesman, Blake Wood and Angel Sanchez also are scheduled to appear in this game. Chris Capuano will start for the Yankees.
Notebook: Josh Harrison left Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays after one inning due to left ankle discomfort, however the move was precautionary. As a result, Harrison is expected to sit a few days before resuming activities.
“I wouldn’t even say I completely turned it,” Harrison said to the assembled media. “I kinda caught myself when I felt something. The trainers spotted me pulling up and right away said, ‘Let’s just be cautious,’ so I came out.”
