SPRING REPORT
BRADENTON, Fla. — Pirates pitchers held the Detroit Tigers scoreless until the ninth inning at LECOM Park. Felipe Vazquez, Keone Kela and Francisco Liriano combined for 31 ⁄ scoreless 3 innings and four strikeouts.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
On the mound
Monday night, hours after Nick Kingham pitched five scoreless innings and hours before Steven Brault’s scheduled Tuesday start, was the first time the spring training roommates discussed their status in the competition for final spot in the starting rotation.
“It hasn’t been an easy spring, it’s been a little stressful,” Brault said. “We’ve both had good outings, we’ve had bad outings.
“We’re both working for something, and you don’t want to hold it against the other person, but sometimes it’s like, King went five scoreless yesterday. I have to go out and get four scoreless today. It’s good. It’s good healthy competition.”
Brault pitched 32⁄3 scoreless innings and struck out four.
He gave up two walks and a single in the first, but a visit from pitching coach Ray Searage helped him escape his old, bad habits and find his new mechanics.
The Pirates turned a flyout rundown double play to end the inning.
Liriano pitched his third consecutive scoreless outing.
At the plate
Adam Frazier, Corey Dickerson and Josh Bell all went 2 for 4. Dickerson doubled and is hitting .480 this spring, and Frazier is hitting .360.
In the field
Jung Ho Kang snagged a ball hit hard down the third-base line in the ninth and nearly turned a double play with a whirling throw to second.
Next up
Game: Pirates at Minnesota Twins, 1:05 p.m. Wednesday, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers, Fla. Internet: Pirates. com Webcast.