• Who: Pirates (6-2) vs. Astros (1-4) • What: Grapefruit League exhibition • When: 1:05 p.m. • Where: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches • Weather: 81°, sunny, 0% rain • Pitchers: RHP Braxton Ashcraft (0-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Burrows (0-0, 0.00 ERA) • Satellite: SiriusXM 861 • Boxscore: MLB.com
► FOLLOW ALONG
• Game has been called. Pirates beat the Astros, 5-2. Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer, Braxton Ashcraft was effective over three innings and Bubba Chandler struggled a bit with command again. Game tomorrow against the Cardinals in Jupiter.
• Chandler walks a third batter and his day is done. Gave up two runs on three hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings.
• HOMERUN: Paredes hits a solo shot off Chandler. A 3-2 slider. That ball just kept carrying. Pirates 3, Astros 2
• HOME RUN: Cruz hit a three-run homer while I was down in the clubhouse talking to Ashcraft. Looked at the pitch Jayden Murray threw him and face palmed. Changeup down the pipe. Yeah, makes sense. Pirates 3, Astros 1
• RUN: Chandler was close to coming away unscathed. Strikeout followed by a popout, but Matthews drives in a run on an infield single. Maybe some miscommunication between Triolo and Williams on who would take it. Someone has to make sure they make that play in a meaningful game. Astros 1, Pirates 0
• Well, velo isn't an issue for Chandler. Regularly hitting 99, 100 with the heater. Just changed speeds nicely to get Trammell looking with a 94 mph changeup. You see upper 90s heat consistently and then see that. Not fair.
• Another walk for Chandler and here comes a visit from Bill Murphy.
• Chandler enters for the fourth and the control issues are still evident. Walked the first batter he faced and now behind 3-0 to Walker.
• Another really good curveball from Ashcraft that results in a strikeout of Paredes. He makes it through three innings on 38 pitches.
• Peña almost delivered a two-run shot off Ashcraft. And I don't think he liked how he hit it off the bat. Just kept going until Cook tracked it down and made the catch at the wall.
• An effective eight-pitch inning for Ashcraft. He's really attacked the zone well here today. Struck out Dezenzo with a nasty curveball. Threw just eight pitches in that second.
• Aside from a four-pitch walk, a pretty good first for Ashcraft. Only needed eight pitches to record his three outs. Threw six of 12 pitches for strikes. Mixing the sinker in with a fastball and slider.
• First hit of the day belongs to Ozuna. A 2-2 changeup that Burrows left over the heart of the plate. Ozuna sends it into right for a single.
• Astros challenge a called ball on Ozuna and it's upheld. It was indeed inside. Believe that challenge came from the catcher Salazar.
• Cruz swings at a 3-0 fastball down the pipe and flies out to center. Only in spring training will you see him get the green light there.
• First pitch: Pirates vs. Astros, 1:07 p.m., Mike Burrows to Oneil Cruz, 82 degrees, sunny
• Astros lineup:
1. Jeremy Peña, SS 2. Isaac Paredes, DH 3. Carlos Correa, 3B 4. Christian Walker, 1B 5. Cam Smith, CF 6. Taylor Trammell, RF 7. Zach Dezenzo, LF 8. Brice Matthews, 2B 9. César Salazar, C
• Bubba Chandler will also pitch here today. Expect that he'll get at least two innings.
• Don Kelly's lineup:
1. Oneil Cruz, CF 2. Marcell Ozuna, DH 3. Spencer Horwitz, 1B 4. Nick Yorke, 2B 5. Jared Triolo, SS 6. Rafael Flores Jr., C 7. Billy Cook, LF 8. Esmerlyn Valdez, RF 9. Alika Williams, 3B
THE ASYLUM
Final: Pirates 5, Astros 2
• Who: Pirates (6-2) vs. Astros (1-4)
• What: Grapefruit League exhibition
• When: 1:05 p.m.
• Where: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches
• Weather: 81°, sunny, 0% rain
• Pitchers: RHP Braxton Ashcraft (0-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Burrows (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Satellite: SiriusXM 861
• Boxscore: MLB.com
► FOLLOW ALONG
• Game has been called. Pirates beat the Astros, 5-2. Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer, Braxton Ashcraft was effective over three innings and Bubba Chandler struggled a bit with command again. Game tomorrow against the Cardinals in Jupiter.
• Chandler walks a third batter and his day is done. Gave up two runs on three hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings.
• HOME RUN: Paredes hits a solo shot off Chandler. A 3-2 slider. That ball just kept carrying. Pirates 3, Astros 2
• HOME RUN: Cruz hit a three-run homer while I was down in the clubhouse talking to Ashcraft. Looked at the pitch Jayden Murray threw him and face palmed. Changeup down the pipe. Yeah, makes sense. Pirates 3, Astros 1
• RUN: Chandler was close to coming away unscathed. Strikeout followed by a popout, but Matthews drives in a run on an infield single. Maybe some miscommunication between Triolo and Williams on who would take it. Someone has to make sure they make that play in a meaningful game. Astros 1, Pirates 0
• Well, velo isn't an issue for Chandler. Regularly hitting 99, 100 with the heater. Just changed speeds nicely to get Trammell looking with a 94 mph changeup. You see upper 90s heat consistently and then see that. Not fair.
• Another walk for Chandler and here comes a visit from Bill Murphy.
• Chandler enters for the fourth and the control issues are still evident. Walked the first batter he faced and now behind 3-0 to Walker.
• Another really good curveball from Ashcraft that results in a strikeout of Paredes. He makes it through three innings on 38 pitches.
• Peña almost delivered a two-run shot off Ashcraft. And I don't think he liked how he hit it off the bat. Just kept going until Cook tracked it down and made the catch at the wall.
• An effective eight-pitch inning for Ashcraft. He's really attacked the zone well here today. Struck out Dezenzo with a nasty curveball. Threw just eight pitches in that second.
• Aside from a four-pitch walk, a pretty good first for Ashcraft. Only needed eight pitches to record his three outs. Threw six of 12 pitches for strikes. Mixing the sinker in with a fastball and slider.
• First hit of the day belongs to Ozuna. A 2-2 changeup that Burrows left over the heart of the plate. Ozuna sends it into right for a single.
• Astros challenge a called ball on Ozuna and it's upheld. It was indeed inside. Believe that challenge came from the catcher Salazar.
• Cruz swings at a 3-0 fastball down the pipe and flies out to center. Only in spring training will you see him get the green light there.
• First pitch: Pirates vs. Astros, 1:07 p.m., Mike Burrows to Oneil Cruz, 82 degrees, sunny
• Astros lineup:
1. Jeremy Peña, SS
2. Isaac Paredes, DH
3. Carlos Correa, 3B
4. Christian Walker, 1B
5. Cam Smith, CF
6. Taylor Trammell, RF
7. Zach Dezenzo, LF
8. Brice Matthews, 2B
9. César Salazar, C
• Bubba Chandler will also pitch here today. Expect that he'll get at least two innings.
• Don Kelly's lineup:
1. Oneil Cruz, CF
2. Marcell Ozuna, DH
3. Spencer Horwitz, 1B
4. Nick Yorke, 2B
5. Jared Triolo, SS
6. Rafael Flores Jr., C
7. Billy Cook, LF
8. Esmerlyn Valdez, RF
9. Alika Williams, 3B
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