The Pirates lost to the Orioles, 7-6, and tied the Twins, 2-2, in a split squad day of action in spring training. Rich Hill got roughed up in the game against the O’s, giving up five runs in three innings. Canaan Smith-Njigba homered against the Twins in the other game.
The Bucs play the Blue Jays this afternoon in Dunedin. We’ll have it on WCCS starting at one o’clock.
The Pirates sent eight players to minor league camp yesterday including star prospect Endy Rodriguez, pitchers Mike Burrows, Colin Selby, Wei-Chieh Hunag, Nate Webb, and Caleb Smith, infielder Jared Triolo and outfielder Ryan Vilade.
Former Pirates starter Jose Quintana will be sidelined until at least July after doctors found a lesion on one of his ribs. Quintana is now with the Mets after signing as a free agent in the offseason. Good news: he was sent to a tumor specialist and had a biopsy, which came back benign. He is scheduled for surgery.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
Mexico squeezed past Great Britain, 2-1, last night.
Manny Machado hit his second home run of the WBC to lead the Dominican Republic to a 10-0 win over Israel in Miami. The Pirates’ Roansy Contreras gave up only a single while striking out four in 2-and-two-thirds shutout innings for the DR, and fellow Bucco Luis Ortiz threw two hitless shutout innings, striking out three.
In other action, Venezuela topped Nicaragua, 4-1, and Canada defeated Colombia, 5-0.
Pool play action continues today with four more games, including the United States against Colombia in Phoenix.
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