SPRING REPORT

BRADENTON, Fla. — Five games into their Grapefruit League season, the Pirates should be encouraged by what they’ve seen out of Kevin Newman, Gregory Polanco and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Those three played integral roles in Pittsburgh’s 6-1 victory over the Braves Thursday at LECOM Park.

Newman picked up a pair of hits and scored twice, the first of those coming on a triple from Hayes, who now has three extra-base hits. Polanco crushed a double that had an exit velocity of 112.8 mph in the fifth inning, scoring two more.

On the mound

The biggest developments here might’ve been the pitching of two Pirates relievers — lefthander Chasen Shreve and local boy David Bednar (Mars).

Both worked 1-2-3 innings, with Bednar striking out the side in the fifth. “The ability to execute at the top of the zone was outstanding,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Bednar.

Shreve, meanwhile, has recorded six outs on 22 pitches in a pair of 1-2-3 innings.

Tyler Anderson became the first pitcher to go multiple innings. He threw 32 of his 44 pitches for strikes. Atlanta scored its only run on a sacrifice fly after shortstop Dansby Swanson doubled and moved to third on a single from Riley in the first.

At the plate

Erik Gonzalez pounced on a mistake pitch — an elevated, 3-1 fastball — from Atlanta’s Chad Sobotka. It helped Gonzalez stay in the race for the starting shortstop job.

While Cole Tucker is out with a bruised thumb, Newman has had a strong spring, tying Hayes for the team lead in hits with four. Newman has also scored a team-high four runs and has walked three times. “When he’s been good, he’s used the middle part of the field,” Shelton said. “He’s done that so far early in the spring.”

Credit to Hayes for running hard on his triple, refusing to settle for a double. The youngster also blistered a liner to right at 105.8 mph for an out in the first inning.

In the field

The sun gave the Pirates some fits, and it caused Bryan Reynolds to drop a ball for an error in the second inning. Newman followed by booting a grounder up the middle. In the third inning, Hayes lost a foul ball in the sun that dropped at his feet. Sun or not, the Pirates have talked this spring about needing to make more routine plays, and this certainly didn’t help that.

Up next

Game: Pirates at Phillies, BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Pitchers: RHP Chad Kuhl vs. RHP Chase Anderson. Also for Pirates: RHP Wil Crowe, RHP Edgar Santana, RHP Blake Cederlind, LHP Braeden Ogle, RHP Yerry De Los Santos, RHP Sean Poppen Watch, listen: Pirates.com. — Jason Mackey