BRADENTON, Fla. -- Erik Gonzalez had a very simple goal Thursday.
“I tried to hit a ball hard today and that was a success today,” said Gonzalez, vying with Kevin Newman for the Pirates’ starting shortstop job. “I was not trying for a home run, though, just hit a ball as hard as I can.”
Gonzalez hit a blast to center field in the fifth inning and it turned out to be the first of five solo home runs by the Pirates as they beat the Orioles, 5-4, in an exhibition game at LECOM Park. The Pirates won their third in a row and improved to 7-5 in Grapefruit League action.
Shortstop prospect Cole Tucker hit two home runs, including a leadoff blast to right-center field in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave the Pirates the win. Adam Frazier and Patrick Kivlehan also connected.
The Pirates acquired Gonzalez from the Indians in an offseason trade and he is considered the favorite to be the shortstop March 28 when the Pirates open the season against the Reds at Cincinnati.
Gonzalez is just 2-for-16 (.125) this spring, though, with six strikeouts and has yet to live up to his defensive reputation. Meanwhile, Newman is 3-for-14 (.231).
gonzalez homer from DKPittsburghSports.com on Vimeo.
Gonzalez said he is still getting acclimated to his new team after spending the first 10 years of his professional career in the Indians’ organization. However, he is starting to find a comfort level.
“I feel good, but I know I’m going to have to wait a little more before I really get to know everybody well,” he said. “I’m making more friends and I’m talking to everybody, especially a lot of the pitchers, so I can get more comfortable playing in the field behind them.”
Tucker replaced Gonzalez in the sixth inning and homered in both his at-bats. He put the Pirates ahead 4-3 in the seventh then hit the walk-off in the ninth.
Cole Tucker Homer from DKPittsburghSports.com on Vimeo.
The 22-year-old has hit just 17 home runs in five minor-league seasons since being the Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2014. However, he believes his power is starting to blossom.
“It’s being more aware of what my body does and to put it in the best position to hit,” Tucker said. “To get technical, it’s keeping my head down and staying on the ball to allow me to launch and do damage. It’s being controlled at the plate yet being aggressive.”
Corey Dickerson also had two of the Pirates’ 11 hits.
• Jordan Lyles had a solid four-inning outing in his bid to win the fifth starter’s job as he allowed two runs (one earned) and three hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
He has given up six runs in nine innings in three starts as he competes with Steven Brault, Rookie Davis and Nick Kingham.
Lyles had a chance to work with Francisco Cervelli for the first time.
“That’s the biggest takeaway for me today,” Lyles said. “It’s the first time I’ve thrown to him. It was a pleasure. I’ve been watching him from the other side for a handful of years and I always wanted a chance to throw to him.
“There’s just a trust factor there with his experience, knowing that anything you throw close to the plate that he is going to make it look good. There is no second-guessing, no thinking you know more than your battery-mate. There’s a confidence factor in the fingers he is putting down.”
Francisco Liriano pitched two shutout innings and Brandon Waddell worked a scoreless ninth for the win. Geoff Hartlieb and Nick Burdi each allowed one run in one inning.
• Cervelli caught for the first time in a game this spring, playing the first four innings and coming out of the game the same time as Lyles. The Pirates have looked to reduce Cervelli’s workload behind the plate during the exhibition season. He had previously made starts at first base and designated hitter.
• Lonnie Chisenhall returned to the lineup in right field, four days after leaving a game against the Rays with general lower-extremity tightness. He played five innings without incident, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
• The Pirates play the Blue Jays in split-squad games tomorrow with the game in Bradenton at 1:05 p.m. and the game at Dunedin at 1:07 p.m. Trevor Williams will start the game in Bradenton against Sean Reid-Foley. Also expected to pitch for the Pirates are Mitch Keller, Aaron Slegers and Dovydas Neverauskas. The game will be televised by AT&T SportsNet. At Dunedin, Rookie Davis will start against Marcus Stroman. Expected to follow Davis are JT Brubaker, Michael Feliz, Luis Escobar and Eduardo Vera.