The Pirates have started hot in the Grapefruit League, beating the Orioles on Saturday and taking both split squad games yesterday, over the Phillies, 4-3 and over the Rays, 7-4. In the game against the Rays, Bryan Reynolds was 3-for-3 with a double, Jhostynxon Garcia stroked two hits and Nick Cimillo smacked a home run. In the win over the Phillies, Esmerlyn Valdez smoked an opposite field line-drive grand slam in the sixth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit. In that game, infielder Jack Branigan suffered bloody injury when a bad-hop grounder struck him in the nose.
The Pirates played a video tribute to Bill Mazeroski before the game and his number 9 was stenciled onto the field. After Maz’s death was announced on Saturday, manager Donnie Kelly saluted the Hall of Famer, saying he sees some of his great qualities in the current Bucs.
Bubba Chandler will start for the Pirates today against the Yankees in Bradenton. You’ll hear it on WCCS at 1 o’clock.
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