Blue Jays Drop Sloppy Bucs 8-5

The first inning was difficult for a Pirates pitcher again today.

Erik Bedard is still working on his breaking pitches and it showed.

Bedard gave up two runs in the inning.  He had a leadoff walk in the second inning, before settling in and getting a double play ball followed by a strikeout.

Joel Hanrahan concentrated on his breaking pitches and sailed through his one inning of work.  He got Brett Lawrie to groundout, but it sounded like the play was close at first base.  Hanrahan then got his first two strikeouts of the spring.  It’s refreshing to see Hanrahan have a strong outing the first time out as he struggled a bit last season.  Not that it mattered though, because when the games that mattered in 2011 started, Hanranator was lights out.

The Bucs did bring their bats to McKechnie, but just couldn’t catch up to the lead that the Blue Jays would put on the scoreboard which was brought on by some sloppy defense by the Pirates.  Nick Evans had a wind-aided homer to right field.  Rod Barajas went two-for-two.  Nate McLouth had a hustling double.

But a couple poor outings were difficult to overcome.  Evan Meek had what sounded like a nightmare first outing.  We couldn’t even figure out how two runs scored on a comebacker to the mound.  Meek got two Blue Jays out, walked two more and was pulled after giving up four runs on three hits.

Shairon Martis shot himself in the foot and had another error behind him.  Martis gave up two runs, both unearned.

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The Bucs will make the short trip to Sarasota to take on the Orioles tomorrow.  Jo-Jo Reyes will make his debut while Tim Woode, Mike Crotta, Justin Wilson, Jared Hughes, Duke Welker, and Bryan Morris will also pitch.

Left-hander Brian Matusz will be on the bump for the O’s.

The lineup that we saw on Twitter.  Presley 7, Harrison 6, Navarro 4, Hague DH, Alvarez 5, G. Hernandez 8, GFJ 3, Marte 9, McKenry 2.