• Who: Pirates (9-6) vs. Tigers (6-7) • When: 1:05 p.m. • What: Grapefruit League exhibition • Where: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium • Weather: 81°, sunny • Pitchers: LHP AndrewHeaney vs. LHP TarikSkubal • Radio: Pirates Radio Network • Streaming: Pirates.com • Boxscore: MLB.com
► FOLLOW ALONG
• That's game. Pirates are 9-7 this spring.
• Lawrence fields a chopper on his own and takes it to first for the final out of a scoreless eighth. Threw 8 of 12 pitches for strikes and leaned on nine sinkers, generating two whiffs.
• First-pitch sinker results in an easy groundout. Two down.
• Lawrence picks up a strikeout to begin his spring with the Pirates. Got a swinging strike on a 97 mph sinker at the top of the zone. Couple whiffs there, including one on a sweeper.
• JustinLawrence making his Pirates debut here in the eighth.
• Two quick outs for Shugart to end the seventh.
• Short outing for DennisSantana who also threw an inning against the Phillies on Friday. Needed just five pitches to record two outs. ChaseShugart's turn.
• Back up in the press box and now Bae is down after taking a foul ball off the right knee. Now walking it off a bit. He'll remain in the game. Also, doesn't seem like anything to worry about on the Pham front. Just spoke with him in the clubhouse. I'll have more on him in a story this afternoon.
• Phamwas removed from the game in the third inning with left hip tightness. Was replaced by Bae.
• Clubhouse time.
• Rodriguez retired 4-3 to end the inning.
• Ferguson appears to be next up to pitch for the Pirates.
• RUN: Ji Hwan Bae drives in a run with a groundout. TIGERS, 5-3.
• Valdez walks to load the bases.
• Peguero walk is followed by a single for Johnson. Two on for Valdez.
• Frazier down swinging, and that's Skubal's last batter of the day. Man, this guy's good.
• Carpenter pops out to end the third.
• HOMERUN: Baez sends a 1-0 sinker over the fence in left-center field. First of the spring. TIGERS, 5-2.
• JarodBayless takes over and gets a flyout to left. Runner stays put at third. Two outs.
• Heaney gets the ground ball he needs and Peguero makes a nice play at second, but it goes in and out of his glove. Single for Greene. Heaney's day is done after 2 1/3 innings. Threw 33 of 57 pitches for strikes.
• Greene really making Heaney work here. He's fouled off five straight pitches. Double digit pitches in this AB.
• Heaney walks Torres. He's at 46 pitches.
• RUN: Cook makes a nice running catch on a fly ball off the bat of Ibanez, but Jones scores easily on the sac fly. 2-2.
• Jones leads off the third with a triple to left. Lost view of Pham in the corner. Not sure if he had trouble gathering that one or not. Slider down and out of the zone from Heaney.
• Cook strikes out swinging to end the top of the third.
• RUN: One catcher drives in another, as JoeyBart sends an RBI single into left field to plate Rodriguez. I know it's only spring training, but the guy keeps hitting. Encouraging sign for a guy looking to build on last year rather than take a step back. Save some of it for when the games matter, though. PIRATES, 2-1.
• Endy followed Pham's homer with a single and Gonzales grounded out to third. Really liking the spring Endy's putting together at the plate.
• HOMERUN: TommyPham goes oppo for his first home run of the spring and first in a Pirates uniform. Fastball on the outer part of the plate from Skubal.
• Skubal gets Valdez swinging.
• Hasn't been the best outing, but Heaney is able to make it through the second inning for the first time. He's at 35 pitches with 19 of them thrown for strikes. Doesn't look like he's thrown the cutter at all today, which is notable considering he's trying to work that into his arsenal more this season.
• Heaney snags a line drive off the bat of TreySweeney. Made it look easy. That ends the second.
• Four-pitch walk to JakeRogers. Heaney missed with two changeups away and two fastballs in.
• KerryCarpenter beats the shift for a single into left, but he's gunned down trying to stretch it into a double. Pham with a strong throw to get the out.
• Heaney gets JavyBaez to fly out to left. Two straight sliders after starting him off with a fastball up in the zone.
• Bryce Johnson grounds out 5-3 to end the top of the second.
• LioverPeguero flies out to right. Fastball at the top of the zone from Skubal.
• AdamFrazier retired 5-3 to begin the second.
• An 18-pitch inning for Heaney. Threw 12 strikes.
• SpencerTorkelson grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the first.
• Couple of sliders and changeups, but Heaney leaning heavily on the four-seam early.
• RileyGreene flies out to Pham near foul territory in left. Two outs.
• RUN: Torres sends one to deep center for a sac fly. TIGERS, 1-0.
• AndyIbanez goes the other way for a single into right. Changeup low and away from Heaney. Out of the zone, and Ibanez went out and got it. Runners on the corners for GleyberTorres.
• JahmaiJones reaches on an infield single. Outstanding play at third by EnmanuelValdez. Diving stop but couldn't get the throw to first in time. Strong play on the ball and a strong throw nonetheless. Hit came on a first-pitch fastball over the heart of the plate. AndrewHeaney just trying to get one over to get ahead in the count.
• BillyCook still has just one hit this spring. Grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the top of the first.
• Line-drive single to center for JoeyBart. Endy hustles his way into third. Runners on the corners with two outs.
• NickGonzales works his way into a 3-2 count of his own, but he flies out to center on a fastball at the bottom of the zone. Two outs.
• EndyRodriguez draws a walk off Skubal.
• Skubal makes quick work of Pham. Needed four pitches. Got him looking with a slider over the inner third.
• First pitch: Pirates vs. Tigers, 1:04 p.m., TarikSkubal to TommyPham, 81 degrees, sunny.
• For the Tigers:
• JustinLawrence is expected to make his Pirates debut this afternoon. CalebFerguson, DennisSantana and ChaseShugart will also be on the mound.
• For the Pirates in Lakeland:
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THE ASYLUM
Final: Tigers 5, Pirates 3
• Who: Pirates (9-6) vs. Tigers (6-7)
• When: 1:05 p.m.
• What: Grapefruit League exhibition
• Where: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium
• Weather: 81°, sunny
• Pitchers: LHP Andrew Heaney vs. LHP Tarik Skubal
• Radio: Pirates Radio Network
• Streaming: Pirates.com
• Boxscore: MLB.com
► FOLLOW ALONG
• That's game. Pirates are 9-7 this spring.
• Lawrence fields a chopper on his own and takes it to first for the final out of a scoreless eighth. Threw 8 of 12 pitches for strikes and leaned on nine sinkers, generating two whiffs.
• First-pitch sinker results in an easy groundout. Two down.
• Lawrence picks up a strikeout to begin his spring with the Pirates. Got a swinging strike on a 97 mph sinker at the top of the zone. Couple whiffs there, including one on a sweeper.
• Justin Lawrence making his Pirates debut here in the eighth.
• Two quick outs for Shugart to end the seventh.
• Short outing for Dennis Santana who also threw an inning against the Phillies on Friday. Needed just five pitches to record two outs. Chase Shugart's turn.
• Back up in the press box and now Bae is down after taking a foul ball off the right knee. Now walking it off a bit. He'll remain in the game. Also, doesn't seem like anything to worry about on the Pham front. Just spoke with him in the clubhouse. I'll have more on him in a story this afternoon.
• Pham was removed from the game in the third inning with left hip tightness. Was replaced by Bae.
• Clubhouse time.
• Rodriguez retired 4-3 to end the inning.
• Ferguson appears to be next up to pitch for the Pirates.
• RUN: Ji Hwan Bae drives in a run with a groundout. TIGERS, 5-3.
• Valdez walks to load the bases.
• Peguero walk is followed by a single for Johnson. Two on for Valdez.
• Frazier down swinging, and that's Skubal's last batter of the day. Man, this guy's good.
• Carpenter pops out to end the third.
• HOME RUN: Baez sends a 1-0 sinker over the fence in left-center field. First of the spring. TIGERS, 5-2.
• Jarod Bayless takes over and gets a flyout to left. Runner stays put at third. Two outs.
• Heaney gets the ground ball he needs and Peguero makes a nice play at second, but it goes in and out of his glove. Single for Greene. Heaney's day is done after 2 1/3 innings. Threw 33 of 57 pitches for strikes.
• Greene really making Heaney work here. He's fouled off five straight pitches. Double digit pitches in this AB.
• Heaney walks Torres. He's at 46 pitches.
• RUN: Cook makes a nice running catch on a fly ball off the bat of Ibanez, but Jones scores easily on the sac fly. 2-2.
• Jones leads off the third with a triple to left. Lost view of Pham in the corner. Not sure if he had trouble gathering that one or not. Slider down and out of the zone from Heaney.
• Cook strikes out swinging to end the top of the third.
• RUN: One catcher drives in another, as Joey Bart sends an RBI single into left field to plate Rodriguez. I know it's only spring training, but the guy keeps hitting. Encouraging sign for a guy looking to build on last year rather than take a step back. Save some of it for when the games matter, though. PIRATES, 2-1.
• Endy followed Pham's homer with a single and Gonzales grounded out to third. Really liking the spring Endy's putting together at the plate.
• HOME RUN: Tommy Pham goes oppo for his first home run of the spring and first in a Pirates uniform. Fastball on the outer part of the plate from Skubal.
• Skubal gets Valdez swinging.
• Hasn't been the best outing, but Heaney is able to make it through the second inning for the first time. He's at 35 pitches with 19 of them thrown for strikes. Doesn't look like he's thrown the cutter at all today, which is notable considering he's trying to work that into his arsenal more this season.
• Heaney snags a line drive off the bat of Trey Sweeney. Made it look easy. That ends the second.
• Four-pitch walk to Jake Rogers. Heaney missed with two changeups away and two fastballs in.
• Kerry Carpenter beats the shift for a single into left, but he's gunned down trying to stretch it into a double. Pham with a strong throw to get the out.
• Heaney gets Javy Baez to fly out to left. Two straight sliders after starting him off with a fastball up in the zone.
• Bryce Johnson grounds out 5-3 to end the top of the second.
• Liover Peguero flies out to right. Fastball at the top of the zone from Skubal.
• Adam Frazier retired 5-3 to begin the second.
• An 18-pitch inning for Heaney. Threw 12 strikes.
• Spencer Torkelson grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the first.
• Couple of sliders and changeups, but Heaney leaning heavily on the four-seam early.
• Riley Greene flies out to Pham near foul territory in left. Two outs.
• RUN: Torres sends one to deep center for a sac fly. TIGERS, 1-0.
• Andy Ibanez goes the other way for a single into right. Changeup low and away from Heaney. Out of the zone, and Ibanez went out and got it. Runners on the corners for Gleyber Torres.
• Jahmai Jones reaches on an infield single. Outstanding play at third by Enmanuel Valdez. Diving stop but couldn't get the throw to first in time. Strong play on the ball and a strong throw nonetheless. Hit came on a first-pitch fastball over the heart of the plate. Andrew Heaney just trying to get one over to get ahead in the count.
• Billy Cook still has just one hit this spring. Grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the top of the first.
• Line-drive single to center for Joey Bart. Endy hustles his way into third. Runners on the corners with two outs.
• Nick Gonzales works his way into a 3-2 count of his own, but he flies out to center on a fastball at the bottom of the zone. Two outs.
• Endy Rodriguez draws a walk off Skubal.
• Skubal makes quick work of Pham. Needed four pitches. Got him looking with a slider over the inner third.
• First pitch: Pirates vs. Tigers, 1:04 p.m., Tarik Skubal to Tommy Pham, 81 degrees, sunny.
• For the Tigers:
• Justin Lawrence is expected to make his Pirates debut this afternoon. Caleb Ferguson, Dennis Santana and Chase Shugart will also be on the mound.
• For the Pirates in Lakeland:
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Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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