BRADENTON, Fla.Jameson Taillon found the three simulated games he pitched in this spring to be helpful. The Pirates’ opening day starter was able to work on various pitches while facing some of his teammates at Pirate City. Pitching in a controlled environment, he was also able to face various game-type situations.

However, Taillon was excited Tuesday to make his first start of the exhibition season.

He allowed three runs on five hits – all doubles – in four innings of the Pirates’ 10-4 loss to the Twins at LECOM Park. He struck out two and had no walks as the Pirates lost their sixth straight game to fall to 7-11.

He threw an additional inning's worth of pitches in the bullpen once he exited the game.

"More than anything, it felt good to have my teammates out there behind me,” Taillon said. “Part of the thing about going over to Pirate City is that I don’t have all my guys with me. It’s nice to face other guys in other jerseys for a change but it’s just as good to be with guys who have been playing in games for a couple of weeks.”

The Pirates have tried a new approach this spring with pitchers assured of making the opening-day roster. They have been using them later in the Grapefruit League than normal. Thus, Taillon will have just two more starts before pitching the March 28 opener against the Reds at Cincinnati. He will face the Red Sox Sunday in Bradenton and the Rays on March 22 at Port Charlotte, Fla.

Taillon believes he will be just as ready for the season by pitching in three simulated games and three exhibition games as he would be by making six Grapefruit League starts.

“I thought the transition was pretty good,” Taillon said of going from simulated games to a regular game. “I was still strong. I still had energy after four innings. Overall, I’m one of those guys who it doesn’t matter if I’m throwing a ‘pen or throwing on a back field. I’m getting my work in and that’s the most important thing in spring training.”

The favorite to win the fifth starter’s job, Jordan Lyles followed Taillon and was removed after pitching two innings because of cramping in his right side. Lyles gave up one run – a homer to Tyler Austin – in two innings and has allowed six runs in 10 innings this spring.

Lyles said following the game that he did not think the issue was serious.

“Just a little precaution where we wanted to get out while I was still ahead type of thing,” he said. “Just in the second inning a couple of times, my body kind of told me I needed to stretch a little bit. I got out of the inning and I saw no point (in continuing).”

Michael Feliz pitched two innings and allowed one run on Wynston Sawyer’s double in the eighth that snapped a 4-4 tie.

Tyler Lyons was rocked for five runs in the ninth inning while retiring only one of the six batters he faced, putting a dent in the left-hander’s bid to make the bullpen as a non-roster player. LaMonte Wade’s bases-loaded triple was the big blow.

Brandon Waddell got the last two outs.

The top of the Pirates’ batting order had a productive day. Leadoff man Adam Frazier had two hits with a two-run single and a double. Starling Marte reached base three times on a double and two walks.

Melky Cabrera also had two hits.

• Gregory Polanco saw his first game action since undergoing shoulder surgery last fall. He had five plate appearances in minor-league camp at Pirate City and went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout. Three of the Pirates’ top relievers worked one inning each at Pirate City on Tuesday. Felipe Vazquez threw 23 pitches and had two strikeouts. Keone Kela had an 18-pitch outing and struck out one. Richard Rodriguez had two strikeouts in 15 pitches.

Kent Tekulve, the franchise’s all-time saves leader, has checked into camp as a special instructor. Tekulve saved 158 games in 12 seasons for the Pirates from 1974-85. He was also a longtime studio analyst for AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh before retiring after the 2017 season.

The Steelers’ brain trust made its annual visit to camp, taking a break from visits to pro days at various colleges in Florida. General manager Kevin Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin were on hand. Joining them were senior defensive assistant/secondary Teryl Austin, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, inside linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky and special teams coordinator Danny Smith.

• Here's a neat bit of trivia: Colbert was once the head baseball coach at Robert Morris, which long ago dropped the program.

The Pirates are off tomorrow before hosting the Phillies at 1:05 p.m. Thursday at Bradenton with Trevor Williams starting. Francisco Liriano, Nick Burdi, Clay Holmes and Brandon Maurer are also expected to pitch. It will be the first game action for Maurer since Feb. 26, as he has been slowed by a knee soreness. The game will be televised by AT&T SportsNet.

PERROTTO'S TAKE

Results don't matter for a proven commodity like Taillon, so there is no reason to be alarmed about him giving up five doubles in four innings. Two of them came on balls Cabrera could have possibly caught in left field.

What will be interesting to see about Taillon, as well as Trevor Williams, Joe Musgrove and Chris Archer, is if the lack of work in major-league exhibition games hampers them in the early part of the season.

Lyons seemed like a decent bet to make the opening-day roster when the Pirates signed him as a minor-league free agent in January, as he was a decent pitcher during most of his six years with the Cardinals. However, he has pretty well pitched himself out of contention by giving up eight runs in one inning over his last two outings.

Frazier and Marte have the potential to be a dynamic 1-2 punch at the top of the lineup. They showed that Tuesday by reaching base a combined five times in eight plate appearances.

Cabrera is a liability in the field but still a good hitter. The Pirates will have the risk/reward of that when it comes time to making final roster decisions.

Loading...
Loading...