Nick Kingham allowed two singles over five scoreless innings in the Pirates’ 4-2 win over the Rays in Port Charlotte. He walked two and struck out five. JB Shuck had two hits and drove in a pair of Pittsburgh runs. The Pirates are back in Bradenton today playing the Tigers.
The Bucs announced that Erik Gonzalez will start at shortstop and Jung Ho Kang at third when they open the regular season next week. Kang beat out Colin Moran, who is going to play some first base for the rest of spring training, while Gonzalez won the shortstop job over rookie Kevin Newman, who is going to play some second base in order to improve his versatility. The Bucs’ first game is a week from Thursday at Cincinnati.
The Pirates are down to forty players left in Big League camp, after sending down third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and second baseman Kevin Kramer, along with infielders Will Craig and Nick Franklin, catchers Christian Kelley and Arden Pabst, outfielder Bryan Reynolds, and pitchers Geoff Hartlieb and Brandon Waddell.
They will need to cut fifteen more players before the season starts next Thursday in Cincinnati.
