Orioles overpower Pirates
SARASOTA, Fla. – Ryan Mountcastle hit a grand slam and Austin Hays added a three-run homer, powering the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in a spring training game Wednesday.
Pirates starter Vince Velasquez had a strong start as he attempts to secure a spot in the rotation. Velasquez struck out three in three scoreless innings before the bullpen gave up home runs in consecutive innings.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on Connor Joe’s double that scored Cal Mitchell.
The Orioles answered in the bottom of the inning when Hays smacked a three-run homer off reliever Colin Holderman.
An innings later, Mountcastle made it 7-1 when he hit his grand slam off lefty reliever Jose Hernandez, a Rule 5 Draft pick out of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ system. The Orioles loaded the bases on singles by Colton Cowser and Adam Frazier and an Adley Rutschman fielder’s choice that went for an error.
Oneil Cruz had an RBI single in the seventh inning for the Pirates’ second run. Outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba drove in a pair of runs with a single that pulled the Pirates to within 7-4 in the eighth. Smith-Njigba hit the ball over the fence but he passed teammate Travis Swaggerty on the bases, was ruled out and awarded only a single.