Spring Training 2014: Pirates Edge Phillies In Comeback Win

The Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday 6-5 at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida, where the Pirates play their home games during Spring Training in the Grapefruit League.

Pirates star center fielder and 2013 National League MVP Andrew McCutchen homered in the first inning to center field, while Phillies first baseman and oft-injured slugger Ryan Howard sent one deep down the left field line in the sixth. McCutchen is now hitting.524 this spring.

The Phillies took a 4-2 lead into the eighth inning in the game witnessed by about 8,000 fans in the Florida sunshine, but reliever B.J. Rosenberg gave up five hits and four earned runs to the Pirates, including a two-run single to Willy Garcia. The Phillies rallied in the ninth by scoring one run and loading the bases, but the contest ended on a double play. Relief pitching was shaky for both teams, which seems to be an issue across Major League Baseball in general.

Pirates starter Brandon Cumpton tossed four innings (the first Pirates pitcher to go beyond three so far this spring) and allowed two unearned runs and two hits. Phillies starting pitcher Jeff Manship, who is trying to make the team’s regular rotation, gave up six hits and two earned runs over four innings. Phillies second baseman Chase Utley had two RBI in the game, including a go-ahead single in the fifth.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins returned to the lineup after riding the bench for three games and went 0-4. Rollins got himself immersed in a controversy with a “who cares” remark to a Philadelphia newspaper when asked about the team’s offensive struggles so far. Manager Ryne Sandberg claimed that Rollins’ absence from the starting lineup in the prior three games was unrelated to his comments to the media. The two men apparently talked on Thursday in an attempt to clear the air.

Howard, Utley, and Rollins were in the lineup for virtually the entire game, which is unusual in Spring Training action.

Going into today’s action, the Phillies are 4-11 (1-6 in away games), while the Pirates are 9-6 (with a 3-3 home record).

In 2013, the Pirates – who posted a 94-68 regular season mark — made the MLB playoffs for the first time since 1992 and defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Wild Card game but were then eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Division Series. Philadelphia finished out of contention last year with a lackluster 73-89 regular season record.

Spring Training is seldom a precursor of regular season success. It remains to be seen if the Pirates can duplicate their 2013 accomplishments and/or if the Phillies can resume their previous winning ways.