Orioles fall to Pirates in first Spring Training game
It is official now, baseball is back! Unfortunately, the Baltimore Orioles lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven innings today. Thomas Eshelman got the nod to start for the Orioles and Chad Kuhl got the start for the Pirates. The Orioles scored four runs on as many hits. On the other hand, the Pirates scored six runs on eight hits.
Kevin Newman got on base for the Pirates with a single. Eshelman walked the next two batters to juice the bases. It was the least optimal position for the Orioles to be in with no outs in the top of the first inning. After a quick fly out by Colin Moran, Gregory Polanco went up to bat. Polanco reaches on base due to a fielder’s choice and that brought in two runs. The Pirates led two to nothing in the top of the first inning.
TREY MANCINI ROPED A SINGLE IN HIS FIRST MLB GAME BACK FROM COLON CANCER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST INNING.
Fast forward to the top of the third inning, Polanco smacks a two run homerun to make the game four to nothing in the top of the third inning.
The bottom of the third inning was where the Orioles first got on the board. Chris Davis reached base on a fielding error by, none other than, Gregory Polanco. Therefore, Pedro Severino scored to make a game four to one in the bottom of the third.
Regrettably, the Pirates got on the board yet again in the top of the fourth. Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled with a long fly ball to Cedric Mullins, to which scored Newman to make it a five to one Pirates lead.
The Pirates were not done scoring runs, unfortunately for the Orioles’ defense. An inning later, Todd Fraizer homered to left center field to push the lead now to six to one, Pirates.
The never say die attitude is evident with this Orioles squad even this early in the year. Yusniel Diaz absolutely demolished the ball to left field to score a two run home run. The Orioles pushed closer to the lead, now being only six to three, Pirates.
Subsequently, an inning later, Austin Wynns reached base on a fielding error committed by Mason Martin to score Rylan Bannon for the Orioles. This would eventually be the final score of six to four, Pirates.
Each team committed their own errors, but that is what Spring Training is for. The Pirates committed two errors in the win and the Orioles committed three errors. However, no need to fret. The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies tomorrow at 1:05 pm so hopefully they can clean up some of their defensive woes. Jo Lopez will start on the mound for the Orioles and Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies.
