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Oviedo strikes out 7 but Bucs fall to Red Sox

2 min read

BRADENTON, Fla. – Jorge Alfaro, Bobby Dalbec and Ronaldo Hernandez each hit two-run homers, powering the Boston Red Sox to a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in Grapefruit League action Thursday.

Pittsburgh pitcher Johan Oviedo tossed four solid innings in what might have been his last opportunity to win a spot in the Pirates’ rotation.

Following opener Duane Underwood Jr., who gave up the home run to Dalbec in the first inning, Oviedo allowed two runs on four hits while striking out seven in four innings. He did not walk a batter but gave up a home run to Hernandez in the fifth inning that put Boston ahead, 4-2.

Oviedo’s seven strikeouts were the most by a Pirates pitcher in a Grapefruit League game since Phil Irwin had as many against the Baltimore Orioles in 2013.

Alfaro homered off Chase De Jong in the sixth to give the Red Sox a 6-2 lead.

Boston made it 7-2 in the when Colin Holderman walked two batters, threw a wild pitch and gave up a sacrifice fly.

Pittsburgh’s Rodolfo Castro hit a two-run homer, his second home run of the spring, in the bottom of the inning.

Castro came to the plate with two outs and two on in the bottom of the ninth butstruck out swinging.

The Pirates had a strong day at the plate with 11 hits, led by Bryan Reynolds, who went 3-for-4.

Pittsburgh tied the score in the second inning when Canaan Smith-Njigba doubled to drive in Ke’Bryan Hayes and scored on Ji Hwan Bae’s single to shallow center. Smith-Njigba is batting .407 (11-for-27) in his last 11 games and is tied with outfielder Travis Swaggerty for the team RBI lead with 10.

The Pirates play Friday evening against Detroit in lakeland, Fla. Roansy Contreras is expected to start for Pittsburgh.

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