SPRING REPORT

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Pirates pounded out 14 hits, erupting for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, and held on to defeat the New York Yankees in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 8,008 at LECOM Park.

On the mound

Right-hander Jordan Lyles, who is in the mix to become the fifth starter, wasn’t particularly pleased with his second start of the spring. Lyles gave up three earned runs on seven hits in three innings, striking out one and walking two.

“It was kind of a strange outing,” he said. “A lot of things were happening. A lot of balls were hit hard. A couple found their way through.”

Manager Clint Hurdle defended Lyles. “I thought he stayed focused on what he had control of. He made pitches and attacked.”

It was a disastrous outing for Lithuanian right-hander Dovydas Neverauskas. Entering the game with an 8-4 lead in the eighth inning, he allowed three earned runs on four hits in 11⁄3 innings.

At the plate

Left fielder Corey Dickerson, batting in the No. 2 spot as the team’s designated hitter, tripled off the top of the wall in the third inning and recorded a bloop double in the fourth.

“I liked the hustle today,” Hurdle said of Dickerson. “He hits a pop fly to shortstop and ends up at second base when the ball finds the grass. That’s leading by example.”

In the field

Hurdle hasn’t been pleased with the team’s defense over the past few days. Saturday was no exception.

First baseman Josh Bell and shortstop Cole Tucker both committed throwing errors.

“Our defense hasn’t shown up with the consistency we like to have to back up our pitching for the past few days,” Hurdle said.

Next up

Games: Pirates vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m Sunday, LECOM Park. Radio: KDKAFM (93.7).