FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Pirates made a rare Grapefruit League appearance on national television on Wednesday and Nick Kingham put on a good show for the ESPN audience.
The right-hander pitched four scoreless innings while facing a lineup full of regulars to help the Pirates beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 at Jet Blue Park. Battling for the fifth starter’s job, Kingham retired his first nine batters and wound up allowing two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
“You take it for what it is, you can’t make it elevate your game or cause you to do too much, which is easier said than done,” Kingham said of pitching on national TV. “It’s a different level when a lot of people are watching, though, and the stakes are higher, for sure.”
Kingham is competing with Steven Brault, Rookie Davis and Jordan Lyles for one open spot in the rotation. Kingham gave up five runs in three innings to the Phillies in his previous start but pitched well against the defending World Series champions.
“I made them respect all four pitches that I had to offer,” Kingham said. “It started in the first inning and carried over through all four innings.”
In the fourth, Kingham got into trouble when he allowed back-to-back singles to Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts to begin the inning. However, Rafael Devers grounded into a double play and Xander Bogaerts hit an inning-ending fly out.
Overall in exhibition play, Kingham has allowed five runs in nine innings.
Kyle Crick gave up the Red Sox’s lone run while allowing a hit and two walks in 2/3 inning. Richard Rodriguez, Tyler Lyons, Dovyadas Neverauskas and Pedro Liranzo each worked one scoreless inning as the Pirates improved to 6-5.
• Journeyman non-roster outfielder JB Shuck continued to make a strong impression as he went 2-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base. The 31-year-old is 7-for-18 (.389) this spring with a double and two home runs.
Shuck has played in the major leagues for six seasons with the Astros, Angels, Indians, White Sox and Marlins in a career that began in 2011.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Shuck said. “They’re giving me every chance to show what I can do, and I feel good about the way it has gone so far. I’ve been working with all the hitting guys here to get a better feel for hitting behind the ball. It took a couple of games to get into a rhythm, but I feel really good.”
Colin Moran and Jose Osuna also had two hits each, but both made baserunning mistakes. Osuna was doubled off second on a fly ball to short left field and Moran was picked off first base when his dive back to the bag was short.
The Pirates scored two runs off Josh A. Smith in the first inning on Moran’s RBI single and a fielder’s choice grounder by Kevin Newman.
Third base prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes hit an RBI double in the eighth. All seven of his hits this spring have gone for extra bases -- four doubles, two homers and a triple.
• Elias Diaz, who has missed the last two weeks with a virus, was to be examined by team doctors today. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Diaz is feeling healthy and in good spirits.
Meanwhile, Gregory Polanco is throwing from 120 feet in his recovery from shoulder surgery. Within the next week, he will begin taking part in defensive drills in which his throws will be aided by a relay man.
Lonnie Chisenhall is close to returning to game action. He left Sunday’s game because of general lower-extremity tightness.
Felipe Vazquez remains day-to-day with an upper-respiratory infection. He was scratched from his scheduled appearance Tuesday against the Orioles at Sarasota, Fla.
Non-roster right-handed reliever Brandon Maurer is dealing with soreness in his right knee and is playing catch at 90 feet. He last appeared in a game Feb. 26.
Non-roster infielder Nick Franklin has yet to appear in an exhibition game as he has been slowed by tightness in his right hamstring. He has resumed taking batting practice but there is no timetable for when he could get into a game.
• Left-handed reliever Robbie Ross Jr. and outfielder Trayvon Robinson have been signed to minor-league contracts. Neither will participate in major-league spring training.
Ross, 29, spent six seasons in the major leagues from 2012-17 with the Rangers (2012-14) and Red Sox (2015-17). He had a 16-12 record, six saves, a 3.92 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 266 games, including 12 starts.
Ross was in the White Sox’s farm system last year, making a combined 12 relief appearances with Triple-A Charlotte and low-A Kannapolis and posting a 10.66 ERA and 2.44 WHIP. He was released June 9 after experiencing shoulder problems.
Following the 2017 season, Ross underwent back surgery.
Robinson, 31, played in a combined 90 games for the Mariners in 2011-12, hitting .215/.272/.330 with five home runs. Last season, he played for Lancaster in the independent Atlantic League and batted .295/.382/.442 with seven homers and 19 stolen bases in 107 games.
• The Pirates host the Orioles tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. in Bradenton, Fla.
Lyles is scheduled to start and be followed in some order by Francisco Liriano, Nick Burdi, Alex McRae and Brandon Waddell. Meanwhile, opening-day starter Jameson Taillon will pitch in a simulated game at Pirate City at 11 a.m.
Mike Wright Jr. will start for the Orioles.
The game will be televised by AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.
