Pittsburgh Pirates Defeat Detroit Tigers in Spring Training Opener

The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-2 in today's Spring Training Opener at Joker Merchant Stadium

Pittsburgh Pirates spring training action has officially started as the Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-2 in today's spring training opener at Joker Merchant Stadium. It was the first chance for manager Clint Hurdle and the rest of the Pirates coaching staff to see what they have in store for the 2016 season.

Today's lineup consisted of a combination of players who have solidified spots on the roster and people who are fighting for their major league lives. On the mound a total of seven Pirates pitchers saw work today and for the most part did a very good job.

Kyle Lobstein started the game for the Pirates and threw 2.0 innings giving up 0 runs on 1 hit while walking 2 and striking out 1. The former Tiger had a solid debut to spring training and he is one of the hopefuls for a long-relief spot or the fifth starter spot on this Pirates team. Last year in 11 starts for the Tigers, Lobstein had a 3-8 record with a 5.94 ERA. Lobstein shows a lot of upside and could be a good option for some starter depth as the season goes along.

Lobstein was followed by non-roster invitee Wilfredo Boscan, who threw two innings of two hit baseball, and Neftali Feliz, who threw a perfect inning of relief striking out 1. Feliz is vying for a spot at the back end of the Pirates rotation to help bridge the gap between the starters and the combination of Tony Watson and Mark Melancon. Feliz's first outing of the spring did not dissapoint and sets him up on the right track in 2016.

In inning number six, Rob Scahill got roughed up for two runs on two hits while walking one. The big blow in that inning came on a two-run home run by the Tigers Victor Martinez, The home run was Martinez's first of the spring. Scahill started the year in the bullpen for the Pirates last season and started off hot. However, as the season went on he wore out and an injury ended his 2015 season. He is looking to bounce back in 2016 and show he can be a reliable arm for the Pirates to use.

The game was finished out on the mound by a trio of non-roster invitees. Curtis Patch threw a scoreless seventh giving up only one hit, Trey Hayley threw a perfect eighth inning striking out two, and Kelvin Marte walked two and struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning. All three players are looking to develop their skills in the minor leagues this season.

Overall, on the mound, the Pirates pitchers looked pretty good in their spring debut. Lobstein had a rough first inning throwing eight straight balls before getting Martinez to ground into a double play, but he was able to bounce back in inning number two and allow no runs to score. The relief pitchers all did their part as well, besides a rough outing from Scahill. The bullpen will be key for the Pirates this season and to see them do well today is a major plus.

On the offensive side the Pirates were lead by two of their everyday starters in Francisco Cervelli and Jordy Mercer. Both players hit home runs in the game and were instrumental in leading the team to victory today.

Mercer finished the day 2 for 3 with the one home run and 1 RBI. Mercer has been known for his defense during his time in Pittsburgh but brought out the bat in today's game and helped the Pirates in a big way. Mercer will be the everyday short stop for Pittsburgh in 2016 and if he is able to hit consistently, he can help the Pirates in a big way.

Cervelli finished his day 1 for 3 with the home run and 1 RBI as well. Pittsburgh's everyday catcher last season, Cervelli had a break out year setting career highs in average and games played throughout the 2015 season. In 2016 he will look to provide a consistent spark to the offense once again and be the emotional leader on the field as well.

The other two runs were driven in by designated hitter Jason Rodgers, who went 1 for 4, and Alen Hanson, who went 1 for 1. The prospects who came into the game late also performed pretty well on the day.

Willy Garcia and Adam Frazier each had extra base hits and Frazier would later score on an RBI single by Hansen. Elias Diaz ended up going 1 for 2 on the day with a single backing up Cervelli. Frazier finished the day 1 for 2 with the triple that he later scored on.

Offensively the Pirates showed that they can put hits together and score some runs. In total they collected 10 hits on the day, two of which being extra base hits. They also showed the ability to hit the ball over the wall with home runs by Mercer and Cervelli. I do not know how much of power we will see from the Pirates lineup this season, but it is intriguing to see the power coming along early on.

There is still a lot of spring training games to be played but as of now the Pirates got off to a good start. The Pirates are back in action tomorrow afternoon when they face the Detroit Tigers again at McKechnie Field. Jeff Locke is scheduled to make his spring training debut for the Pirates as he fights for the fifth spot in the starting rotation. He will be opposed by Tigers right-hander Buck Farmer. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.