Pirates Outlast Rockies in 12 Inning Victory

The Pittsburgh Pirates were able to outlast the Colorado Rockies last night in 12 innings to pick up a 9-8 victory. Jordy Mercer drove in the game winning run with an RBI double to clinch the victory for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Coors Field in Colorado is known to host many offensive showdowns. Well, in the last two games of this four game series that has held very true. Last night it took 12 innings to find a winner, but in the end, Jordy Mercer drove in the game winning run with a two-out RBI double to give the Pirates a 9-8 victory. With the win, the Pirates have now taken the first three games of this four game series.


Jon Niese started the game for Pittsburgh and pitched a lot better than what his final line says. In total he pitched 5.0 innings giving up five runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out five. However, he cruised through the first three innings of his start and was able to locate the ball effectively.


Niese has been arguably the most consistent pitcher in the Pirates rotation. Coming over in the trade that sent Neil Walker to the New York Mets, Niese has gone out in every start and left the Pirates with a good chance to win the baseball game. He has been getting good offensive support as well as the team scored him seven runs tonight and eight runs his last time out. Don't let the high ERA fool you, Niese has had a very good start to the 2016 season.


The Pirates started the scoring in the top of the second after singles by Francisco Cervelli and Josh Harrison gave the Pirates first and third with only one out. Then Mercer, the man who ended the scoring, drove the in the first run of the ball game on a fielder's choice play that got Harrison thrown out at second and allowed Cervelli to score giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead. The Rockies would challenge the slide at second base, but it proved unsuccessful as the run still counted.


The Pirates would add to their lead in the top of the third when they put a three spot up on the Rockies. The inning started on singles by John Jaso and Andrew McCutchen to set the Pirates up with runners at first and third with no outs. Then David Freese singled to score Jaso giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead. The Pirates would add two more in the inning on a Gregory Polanco sacrifice fly and a Harrison RBI single to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead.


In the top of the fourth, the Pirates thought they has put the game out of reach for good. A single by Niese followed by a popout and a strikeout gave the Pirates a runner at first with two outs. Then Freese drove in his second run of the ball game with a double that scored Niese and gave the Pirates a 5-0 lead. Starling Marte hit an infield single to give the Pirates first and third with two outs before Francisco Cervelli hit a two-RBI double to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead.


Many people thought the game was out of reach, but if we learned anything in this series no lead is safe in Colorado. The Rockies put together a big fourth inning against Niese putting up a four spot. Niese was bitten by the home run bug as both Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado hit home runs to cut the deficit to 7-2. Then Mark Reynolds doubled and Ryan Raburn tripled on a ball that almost left the yard to cut the lead to 7-3. An RBI single by DJ LeMahieu finished the scoring for the Rockies and left the score at 7-4 Pirates.


Niese had a painless bottom of the fifth, but things started getting to him again in the sixth. He allowed three straight singles to start the inning by Raburn, Nick Hundley, and LeMahieu to load the bases with one out. At this point, manager Clint Hurdle pulled Niese in favor of right handed pitcher Ryan Vogelsong.


Vogelsong came in and worked masterfully only allowing one run in the inning. Mercer made a very heads-up play throwing out Hundley at third base on a ground ball that was ticketed for centerfield. However, Raburn scored on the play to cut the deficit to 7-5. Vogelsong finished the inning by getting Gerrardo Parra to line out and Story to strikeout.


The work by Vogelsong in that sixth inning saved the game for the Pirates. If he had come in and let all of those runners score, we would be talking about a Pirates loss rather than a Pirates win. Vogelsong has been a very valuable piece for the Pirates this season stepping up and performing in whatever situation the Pirates ask him to.


The Pirates added another run on a Polanco solo home run in the top of the seventh to give the Pirates an 8-5 lead. Then the unusual happened as both Neftali Feliz and Tony Watson struggled on the evening. Feliz gave up a two-run home run to Mark Reynolds to cut the lead to 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh. Watson came into relieve Feliz in the seventh and was able to get out of it.


However, Watson ran into his own problems in the eighth inning as he gave up the game tying home run to Parra and the game was all tied up at eight. Watson did work his way out of that eighth inning by striking out Arenado to end the inning.


In extra innings Kyle Lobstein came in and did what he has done all season and was an effective long relief man for the Pirates. He threw 3.0 innings giving up no runs on three hits and striking out two. Lobstein has also been a great pickup for the Pirates and has proved very effective out of the bullpen this season.


The final run was scored by the Pirates in the top of the twelfth inning. A Polanco walk set up the Pirates with a runner on second and two outs. The Mercer stepped up and cracked a ball into the right field gap for the game winning RBI double giving the Pirates a 9-8 lead. Mark Melancon came in and collected his fifth save of the year securing the victory for the Pirates.


The win gives the Pirates the chance to sweep the series this afternoon as they play game four of the four game series. The Rockies will send Tyler Chatwood (2-2 3.47) to the mound. Last time out, Chatwood struggled against the Los Angeles Dodgers giving up three runs in just 4.0 innings of work. The Pirates will counter with former Rockie Juan Nicasio (2-2 4.50). Last time out Nicasio pitched well but did not go deep giving up two runs in 5.0 innings of work. First pitch for this afternoons game is scheduled for 3:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh Pirates Week In Review: Pitching Struggles But Offense Keeps Rolling

The Pittsburgh Pirates finish this week just where they left off last week going 3-3 while facing the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitching was not very good this week, with a few exceptions, and the offense has kept on the hot streak that it has been on throughout the season.

Three weeks into the season and the Pittsburgh Pirates currently sit one game above .500 at 10-9 and are currently in third place in the National League Central. This week, they faced off against both the San Diego Padres, losing two out of three games, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, winning two out of three games.

Pitching in general was definitely a problem this week and as a result the offense had to pick up the slack and score a lot of runs. The one thing the Pirates have been missing this year is a dominant start from one of their pitchers. They have had glimpses of success from all five of their starters, but none of them have been able to put it together and go seven to eight innings consistently.

As a result, the bullpen has been taxed and the effects are starting to show as the entire shark tank has been bit by the wildness bug. Command has gone down and it is allowing the other team to take advantage and score a lot of runs. The Pirates are currently in the midst of a 16 games in 16 days stretch, and for them to be successful the starters are going to have to go deeper into ball games.

In the San Diego series, starting pitching was very shaky in what is known to be a pitchers ball park in Petco Park. Francisco Liriano started game one and was really shaky giving up four runs in just 4.1 innings pitched. The Pirates had a 3-0 lead early on in the game, but saw it fall through as Liriano struggled and Arquimedes Caminero gave up a run in his inning of work as the Pirates fell 5-4.

Game two, the starting pitching got worse. Jeff Locke took the mound and got obliterated by the San Diego offense. He gave up eight runs in just three innings of work putting the Pirates down big early. The Pirates offense was stifled in this game by left-hander Drew Pomeranz as they were only able to score one un-earned run off the lefty. The bullpen did a great job in this game however as Kyle Lobstein and AJ Schugel combined to throw 5.0 innings of shut out baseball giving up one hit and striking out four. However, it was not enough as the Pirates fell in game two by a score of 8-2.

Game three, finally saw the first good starting pitching of the week for the Pirates. After two rough starts, Gerrit Cole took the hill and was able to give the Pirates 6.0 strong innings giving up no runs on four hits and striking out seven. The offense jumped on San Diego pitching scoring 11 runs including an eight run seventh inning. That was more than enough offense for the Pirates pitching as they cruised to an 11-1 victory.

The series in San Diego was kind of a disappointment especially on the pitching front. Two of the three Pittsburgh starters got knocked around and it caused the Pirates to have to try and score more runs then they are used to. If you are asking your team to score six or more runs a game, it is not going to turn out well for you in the end. However, nothing will top the offenses showcase by both teams in the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Game one was the first of two back and forth affairs as the Pirates took it by the score of 8-7. Jon Niese had an ok start at best going 5.1 giving up four runs on 10 hits. The offense was lead by three of the longest home runs the Pirates have hit all season as Jordy Mercer, Sean Rodriguez, and Gregory Polanco each hit solo shots that went more than 420 feet. The Diamondbacks rallied late off of Tony Watson scoring three runs, one earned, but it was not enough as the Pirates pulled out the victory.

In game two, Juan Nicasio was very inefficient with his pitches on the mound as he only threw 5.0 innings giving up two runs on three hits while walking four and striking out four. AJ Schugel got knocked around out of the bullpen giving up five runs, four earned, in 1.1 innings of work. The Pirates were met by great staring pitching by Ruby De La Rosa as they could only muster a Rodriguez home run in what would turn out to be a 7-1 loss.

The final game of this series was a wild one going 13 innings. Both offenses scored a lot of runs and fought back and forth all afternoon. The deciding blow came in the top of the thirteenth inning when a Rodriguez double and a Niese pinch-hit single put the Pirates up for good with the final score being 12-10. The bullpen was very shaky and Rodriguez saved the game in the tenth by throwing out what would have been the winning run at the plate to extend the game. It was a wild one, but in the end the battling buccos pulled through.

The Diamondbacks series showed what this Pirates offense is capable of run production wise. It showed that they can battle with the bets of them and can score a lot of runs when they need to. While the pitching needs some improvement it was overall a good series win for the Pirates in Arizona.

Play of the Week: Sean Rodriguez Cuts Winning Run at the plate

The play of the week has to go to Sean Rodriguez's game saving play in yesterday afternoons contest. With the infield drawn in and runners at first and third a sharp ground ball was hit to Rodriguez, and he quickly back handed the ball and threw a strike to Chris Stewart for the out at home saving the game. The game would evetually go thirteen innings before the Pirates pulled out the 12-10 victory.

Hitter of the Week: Jordy Mercer (.454, 1 home run, 3 RBI)

Jordy Mercer had a great week for the Pirates hitting .454 and getting on base consistently for Pittsburgh. He got his first shot at the top of the lineup this week and produced against left-handed pitching. He also hit the longest home run of the season for the Pirates with a 466 foot blast in Arizona. He raised his average from .227 to .303 in the course of a week. This has been one of Mercer's hottest starts of his career and if he can keep it up he will be a very productive member of this Pirates lineup.

Pitcher of the Week: Kyle Lobstein (5.0 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts)

Kyle Lobstein has been very effective out of the Pirates bullpen so far this season and came through for the Pirates in a big way this week. He threw 5.0 shut out innings out of the bullpen and in both cases was tasked with keeping the opposing team off the board. He had to do it both in a blow out and a high pressure situation and came through both times. Lobstein has been a reliable member of the Pirates bullpen and looks to continue it into the fourth week of the season.

Up Next:

The Pirates start the first of a four game series with the Colorado Rockies tonight at 8:40 p.m. The Rockies will have right hander Chad Bettis (2-0 3.33) on the hill. Last time out, Bettis threw 6.0 innings giving up three runs against the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates will counter with Jeff Locke (0-2 7.24) who is looking to rebound after a rough start in San Diego where he gave up eight runs in just three innings of work. Going into a hitters ball park like Coors Field, Locke will have to be on his game if he wants to win and the offense will look to pile on the runs as they did against Arizona.

Mercer Comes Through in 11 As Pirates Beat the Cardinals

Jordy Mercer hit a walk-off single in inning number 11 that scored Gregory Polanco giving the Pirates a 6-5 victory. Jonathan Niese struggled in his Pirates debut giving up five runs (four earned) in five innings of work.

It took 11 innings last night, but in the end, the Pirates came out on top defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 at PNC Park. Jordy Mercer hit the game winning RBI single in the 11th that scored Gregory Polanco and sent Pirates fans home happy on a chilly Tuesday evening. Jonathan Niese made his Pirates debut and struggled on the mound tonight.

In total, he threw 5.0 innings giving up five runs, four earned, on four hits while walking win one and striking out seven. Niese started out the game strong by throwing two perfect innings retiring the first six men he faced. However, the Cardinals scored two runs in inning number three and everything fell apart from there.

Niese started out the game strong striking out two of the first three batters he faced and only allowed one hit through the first two innings of play. A two-run home run by Jed Gyorko ruined the festivities, however, and Niese could never really recover. Lucky for him though, the Pirates offense came ready to play tonight and scored enough runs to come out on top.

The Pirates started the scoring in the bottom of the second when they plated two runs off of Cardinals starter Michael Wacha. Francisco Cirvelli started things off with a single and was driven in on an RBI triple from right fielder Gregory Polanco. Polanco would later score on a ground out by Josh Harrison to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Polanco has had a hot start to the season hitting .500 (3 for 6) in the first two games of the season. He was signed to a five-year $35 million deal yesterday and is proving early on that he is worth the money. Polanco has scored two runs this season and has driven in two RBI as he looks to continue to lead this team in 2016.

The Cardinals wasted no time coming back, however, as an RBI single by Stephen Piscotty and a RBI ground out by Matt Holiday made the score 2-2 after 2.5 innings of play. Niese gave up a lot of base runners in this inning and it started what would become the downfall of Niese on the night. He never recovered after this inning and looked bad the rest of the night.

The Pirates responded again in the bottom of the third as John Jaso started the inning with a single and was driven in one batter later on an Andrew McCutchen RBI double making the score 3-2 Pittsburgh. McCutchen had a great offensive day for the Bucs going 3 for 5 on the night with an RBI and a run scored.

After not getting a hit on Opening Day against Adam Wainright, McCutchen broke through tonight and was a leader on the offensive side of the ball. Coming off of a season in which he won his fourth consecutive silver slugger award, McCutchen has been an offensive staple in the Pirates lineup throughout his career and looks to continue this season.

The Cardinals would take the lead in the top of the fourth as Gyorko hit his two-run home run that scored former Pirates Brandon Moss and gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead. They would tack on another run in the top of the fifth when Holiday reached on a throwing error by Mercer that scored Piscotty and gave the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.

The offensive battle kept going in the bottom of the fifth as the Pirates loaded the bases with one out and that brought up Francisco Cirvelli. Cirvelli capitalized on a Cardinal error and reached on a force play. However, the throw by short stop Aledyms Diaz went into the outfield and allowed McCutchen to score to pull the Pirates within one. Then Polanco came up and delivered a sacrifice fly that scored David Freese and tied the game at five.

Then it was a battle of the bullpens for the next several innings as both the Cardinals and Pirates bullpens dazzled from the sixth inning on. In total the two teams combined for 12 pitchers who gave up five hits through 10 innings of work. The Pirates bullpen was able to hold off the Cardinals, However, and lead the Pirates to victory.

Arquimedes Caminero, Tony Watson, Neftali Feliz, and Mark Melancon each threw an inning of work giving up no runs on a combined two hits in four innings of work. The back end of the bullpen has proved to be a strong point for the Pirates so far in 2016. In two games the bullpen has given up only one run in ten innings of work.

Kyle Lobstein came in to the game in inning number 10 and threw 2.0 innings giving up no runs on one hit while walking one and striking out three. Lobstein was in the competition for the fifth starter spot, but lost out to both Jeff Locke and Juan Nicasio. Lobstein proved his worth last night however, picking up the win in the ll inning victory.

Then in the bottom of the inning, Jordy Mercer stepped up with runners on first and second and one out. He promptly delivred the 2-2 pitch into right field past a diving Matt Adams and it was enough to score Gregory Polanco and give the Pirates the 6-5 victory. The win improved the Pirates record to 2-0 as they take the first two games from the Cardinals.

The Pirates and Cardinals finish up there three game series tonight at PNC Park at 7:05 p.m. The Cardinals will be sending newly acquired Mike Leake to the hill. The Pirates will counter with Juan Nicasio who one the battle for the fifth starter spot out of spring training. First pitch for tonights contest is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Liriano Homers but Pirates Cant Come Through Against the Braves

Francisco Liriano hit a home run but struggled on the mound today as the Pittsburgh Pirates fell to the Atlanta Braves 7-3 in the home half of split squad action.

The Pittsburgh Pirates squad was split this afternoon as they took on both the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins. In the home half, the Pirates fell to the Braves by a score of 7-3. Francisco Liriano started the game for the Pirates and struggled on the mound in his third outing of the spring. Performance is not the most important thing in spring training however. It is important that Liriano gets in his work and throws the necessary pitches that he needs to.

Liriano threw 3.2 innings today giving up four runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out five. Liriano has been named the Pirates opening day starter and is looking to get ready for the season. His slider has been his out pith throughout his career and it has led to a couple of productive seasons for the Pirates.

Liriano finished last season going 12-7 with a 3.38 ERA. He led the team in strikeouts and was one of Pittsburgh's more consistent starters. When he takes the mound, you know that the Pirates will be in the game. His strikeout ability is an intriguing ability for the Pirates and it is good to see that ability coming back with the five strikeouts today.

Up next Daniel Bard came into the game and struggled even more. He did not get any batter out while giving up three runs on three hits while walking two batters. Bard has had a solid spring up to this point, but everything seemed to snow ball on him this afternoon. These were the first runs he has given up this spring and his development will continue as the season goes on.

Jorge Rondon came in to clean up Bard's mess and ended up throwing a good game. He pitched 2.1 innings only giving up one hit while walking two and striking out one. Rondon, a non-roster invitee, came over from Baltimore in the offseason and is having a good spring up to this point. He has pitched in seven games while striking out six batters in 9.0 innings of work.The righty will more than likely start the year with Triple A Indianapolis and will be used as insurance help in the bullpen.

Eric O'Flaherty continued his fight for a bullpen spot next as he threw 2.0 innings allowing two hits and striking out four batters. O'Flaherty has pitched well this spring despite a few hiccups early on as he has a 2.25 ERA. Trying to return to form after a down year, O'Flaherty is trying to return as one of the elite relievers in the game. If he can come back to form, the Pirates bullpen will definitely be a strong point for this team.

 Trey Haley finished out the game on the mound for the Pirates as he threw 1.0 inning giving up one hit in the ninth. Haley is still currently on the active roster, but has had his struggles this spring as he sports an 8.10 ERA. Last season combined between Double A and Triple A Haley was 4-4 with a 2.45 ERA. Another great bullpen relief option, Haley will be throwing in Triple A for the Pirates this season and will be used as reinforcements.

The overall performance on the mound was ok in this game. Liriano and Bard struggled, but the back-end guys pitched really well. I am not too worried about Liriano, as he will come around and be ready for opening day on April 3rd. The good thing is that he got in his necessary work and he got the five strikeouts in the game. O'Flaherty continued his positive spring as he continues to fight for a spot in the Pittsburgh bullpen.

On the offensive side, the Pirates did not get much done as they only scored three runs on 10 hits on the afternoon and left 19 men on base. This is a stat the Pirates need to improve upon before the season begins. With a lack of power this year, it becomes more and more important that the Pirates score any runner that reaches base. It is a skill that will be worked on as the season progresses for the Pirates.

Jordy Mercer was the star offensively today for the Pirates as he went 2 for 3 with a single and a double on the afternoon. Mercer is generally a slow starter to the season and it has plagued him for the last couple years with the Pirates. However, this year, Mercer is hot out of spring as he is hitting .303 (10 for 33) with one home run and one RBI.

Mercer is known more for his defense than anything else. He has a career .979 fielding percentage at the short stop position commiting only 31 errors in 2,907 innings at the position. If he can add offense to his game he will be a more complete player and can contribute on a regular basis to this Pirates offense.

For the younger players, Erich Weiss had a good day going 1 for 2 with one RBI on the afternoon. The young second baseman played in his first spring training game this afternoon and performed well. Weiss transitioned between Single A and Double A hitting .277 with three home runs and 63 RBI. For Weiss, the key was getting his feet wet in the major leagues and can use today's experience to help him in his development at the Double A level.

The glaring issue for the offense today was the number of people left on base. 19 is a large number and that includes many missed opportunities. These opportunities need to be capitalized on as the season advances if the Pirates want to win a lot of games in 2016. The home run ball will not be the big blow in the Pirates offense, rather it will be the RBI double.

Up next, the Pirates come back together as a full squad at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida. They will face of against the Baltimore Orioles who will send Miguel Gonzalez (1-3 14.90) to the mound. The Pirates will counter with lefty Jeff Locke (0-3 7.07). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh Pirates Show Lots of Positive in First Spring Training Win

The Pittsburgh Pirates showed a lot of good things that they can build upon in their 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers in the first spring training game of the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers in the first spring training game of the year yesterday by a score of 4-2. Along with the win, there were a lot of other positives for fans to take away regarding the 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching was good and the bats proved that they can string together hits and score runs. Both of these will be necessary for the Pirates to succeed in 2016.

The first positive from yesterday's game was Kyle Lobstein's performance on the mound. The lefty is fighting with Jeff Locke for the fifth starters spot in the Pirates rotation. He started yesterday's game and threw 2.0 innings giving up only 1 hit, walking 2, and striking out 1. The start proved that Lobstein can be a quality major league starter.

The first inning started out rough for Lobstein. He got Jose Iglesias out on the first pitch, but then proceeded to walk both Justin Upton and Miguel Cabrerra before getting Victor Martinez to ground into a double play. He threw eight straight balls after getting the lead off guy but was able to fight out of what could have been a disastrous inning.

He bounced back in inning number two however, only allowing one hit and striking out a batter. Lobstein is a guy I'm looking for to have success this season, and with his performance yesterday, he is off to a good start. If Lobstein can limit his number of walks in 2016 he will be a much better pitcher then he was in 2015.

Another pitching positive I took away was Neftali Feliz. He only pitched one inning, but it was a perfect inning and he struck out a batter. In 2016, he will be called upon to be a one inning guy late in the game to help open the door for Tony Watson and Mark Melancon. If he can pitch the way he pitched in game one, it could lead to a dominant Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen.

Offensively, there were many bright spots as well. The offense in total collected ten hits on the day and scored four runs. There were contributions made both by members of the big league club and the prospects as well. Both are good signs for the here and now and the future of the Pirates organization.The Pirates offense is the big question for 2016 and the first game of spring training showed some promise.

On the big league club, I was most impressed with Jordy Mercer. He went 2 for 3 on the day with a home run and an RBI. The short stop mostly known for his defense, brought the bat yesterday and contributed in a big way. Throughout his career he has been known as a slow starter. If he can keep a fast start going at the beginning of the season, it will go a long way to improving his offensive numbers in 2016.

A guy I have been impressed with in the early part of spring training is non-roster invitee and minor league outfielder Adam Frazier. He finished the day 1 for 2 with a triple and a run scored. The converted infielder hit .324 last season in Double A Altoona, and so far in the early part of spring, has showed success at the plate. He also had a hit and scored a run in the annual Black and Gold game that was held on Monday.

I know it is still early in spring training as we are only one game in, but I saw a lot of things that show positive signs for the 2016 season. With good pitching and consistent hitting at the plate, the Pirates have a chance to contend for the NL Central title in 2016. Consistency is the key for the Pirates this season both on the mound and at the plate. If they can be a more consistent team, we will see a lot of good things from the Pittsburgh Pirates this season.

Spring Training action continues today as the Pittsburgh Pirates will once again take on the Detroit Tigers. The pitching match up will be Jeff Locke for the Pirates versus Buck Farmer for the Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

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.