The Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Detroit Tigers a 7-5 loss at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Friday in spring training play. Despite Parker Meadows's 1-for-3 with two RBI effort at the plate, the Tigers could not pull even when it mattered. Casey Mize worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits. The Pirates out-hit the Tigers 11-3 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Tigers continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Parker Meadows was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI. His consistent contact set the tone for the lineup. The Tigers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Wenceel Pérez added to the attack, going 1-for-2 and Woody Hadeen provided support, going 1-for-2. The Tigers showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Jhostynxon Garcia led the Pirates offense with a 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI day. Endy Rodríguez also contributed, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jake Mangum added a 1-for-2 with an RBI effort as well. The Pirates offense proved to be too much for the Tigers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Casey Mize took the loss after running into trouble, working 3.0 innings while allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 67 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.3 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out eight. The Tigers continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Carson Fulmer recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Marco Jimenez stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out three. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Pirates got on the board first with two runs in the second inning. Pirates tacked on two runs in the third. Pirates pushed across two runs in the fourth. The Tigers struck back with two runs in the fifth. The Tigers added three runs in the seventh. Pirates responded with a run in the ninth. The Pirates were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Pirates out-hit the Tigers 11-3, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 6,122 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Tigers will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
