Game Notes: Pitchers Shine in Tie With Yankees

After being forced to make a last second switch on the mound, the Pirates had to be all hands on deck on the mound. The nine pitchers each took their roles and helped the Pirates pull off a 3-3 tie in Monday night action.

Monday's spring training game was supposed to be the Grapefruit League debut for Chris Archer when the Pirates took on Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees. However, Archer was dealing with neck stiffness so he was scratched and in his place stepped Chris Stratton.

It would be a combination of Stratton and five other pitchers as the Pirates battled to a 3-3 tie. Stratton was efficient in the first inning walking a better and striking out a batter as he kept the Yankees off the board in the first. It was a good debut for the right-hander who is bouncing between the possible fifth starter role and long-relief after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels last season.

Stratton was followed by Geoff Hartleib who threw a scoreless second striking out two and walking a batter. Then came the debut of Edgar Santana who underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2019. Santana threw a 1-2-3 third as his outing went without problems to begin 2020.

After an impressive rookie season where he appeared in 69 games and had a 3.26 ERA, Santana looks to make his way back into high leverage situations in 2020. He struck out 54 batters in 66.1 innings of work in 2018 and would help bridge the gap between the starters and Keona Kela in the later innings of games.

Yaksel Rios and Luis Escobar each threw scoreless innings before the Bucs got on the board in the top of the 6th. Bryan Reynolds would be hit by a pitch to start the inning and a Cole Tucker single put runners at first and third with nobody out. Josh Bell would then ground into a double play and a run scored to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.

After Nik Turley logged a scoreless inning the Pirates added another run on a wild pitch to take a 2-0 lead. The Yankees would get to reliever Nick Mears in the bottom of the seventh scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The Pirates trailed by that same score heading into the top of the ninth but a walk and a one out single put runners at first and third with one out.

Jason Martin would tie the game with his first RBI of the spring driving in Andrew Susac to tie the game at 3-3. Martin is on the outside looking in for an opening day roster spot but will factor as a nice triple-a depth option. Martin got a taste of the big leagues last season appearing in 36 games and hitting .250 with two RBI.

Pedro Vasquez held the Yankees off the board in the ninth and both teams agreed to end the game in a tie. The Pirates pitching staff showed promise today competing with one of the best teams in the American League. Oscar Marin has his staff clicking on all cylinders in the early going.

Player of the Game: Ke'Bryan Hayes (2-2, 2 singles)

Ke'Bryan Hayes has had a strong spring training so far in 2020. He added another multi-hit game going 2-2 with two singles against the Yankees while helping to set up the game tying run in the ninth. Hayes is currently hitting .667 this spring and is looking to prove he belongs in the major leagues.

Up Next:

The Pirates continue their Grapefruit League Schedule when they host the Philadelphia Phillies tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. Joe Musgrove is set to make his spring debut at LECOM Park.