SPRING REPORT
PIRATES 2 BLUE JAYS 2
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Monday’s spring training game was a COVID-19 special: Done in the seventh-inning stretch, finished with a tie score, time of game under two hours (1:58).
With Major League Baseball teams traveling fewer players and trying to minimize exposure, spring training games in Florida and Arizona have lived up to their title of exhibitions. Get your work done, get home.
On the mound
Mitch Keller was pleased with his fastball velocity but didn’t have a ton of command in his one inning of work. The right-hander threw first-pitch strikes to just one of the six batters he faced and three times dug himself a 2- 0 hole.
Keller, who threw just 11 of his 21 pitches for strikes, used a couple of solid offspeed offerings to gain traction and felt good about the 97 mph fastball he pumped past designated hitter Danny Jansen to end the short start.
“I think when I throw harder, I actually locate better instead of trying to throw strikes,” Keller said. “It was a good learning experience for me.”
The Blue Jays scored two runs off Keller. After allowing a single through a shift and a hard-hit double, Keller gave up a sacrifice fly and a single to center fielder Breyvic Valera.
Kyle Crick followed Keller and pitched a scoreless second inning. Crick’s slider was solid, but his velocity remains concerning. After averaging 95.3 mph with his four-seamer in 2019, Crick topped out at just 91.9 mph Monday.
Chasen Shreve pitched a clean third inning before David Bednar (Mars) struck out two and worked around an error in the fourth. Blake Cederlind and Blake Weiman closed with clean innings.
At the plate
Anthony Alford returned to play a game against his former team and blistered a solo home run in the second inning.
“Felt good to get out there and get that first one,” Alford said. “It was kind of nervewracking playing against my old teammates and a lot of guys I came up through the system with and built a strong bond with, and they’re like family. To get out there and compete against them, it was a lot of fun.”
Phillip Evans added a runscoring single in the third inning, and Oneil Cruz beat out a grounder for a base hit in the sixth.
In the field
Right fielder Hunter Owen came within inches of making a terrific diving catch on a foul ball in the second inning, while Michael Perez and Cole Tucker committed errors on plays they’d absolutely want back.
Up next Game:
Pirates vs. Tigers, LECOM Park, Bradenton, Fla., 1:05 p.m.
Pitchers: RHP JT Brubaker vs. RHP Casey Mize. Also for Pirates: RHP Cody Ponce, RHP Chris Stratton, RHP Sean Poppen and LHP Braeden Ogle.
Watch/listen: AT&T SportsNet, KDKA-AM (1020).
— Jason Mackey