Pirates allow 18 runs in 2 losses; Bell, 4 others homer

Chris Adamski
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 5:19 p.m. | Wednesday, March 4, 2020 5:19 p.m.

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Pirates right fielder Guillermo Heredia catches a fly ball hit by the Phillies’ Didi Gregorius during the third inning of their spring training game Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Clearwater, Fla.

Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review

Pirates first baseman Josh Bell connects on a pitch during a spring training game at LECOM Park in Bradenton.

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Pirates first baseman Jose Osuna (36) throws to pitcher Dovydas Neverauskas at first in a failed attempt to tag the Phillies’ Jean Segura (2) during the inning of their spring training game Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Clearwater, Fla.

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The Pirates’ John Ryan Murphy is shown in the dugout during a spring training game Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Clearwater, Fla.

Josh Bell, Cole Tucker, Bryan Reynolds and Adam Frazier homered, but Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers allowed 16 earned runs in 17 innings in losing two split-squad Grapefruit League games by 9-7 scores Wednesday.

The Atlanta Braves scored the final seven runs to beat the Pirates at Bradenton’s LECOM Park in a game that featured more of the Pirates regulars.

In Clearwater, Fla., the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pirates, scoring at least one run in five of the eight innings in which they batted.

Tucker, Bell and Reynolds each hit their first home run of the spring against the Braves. Jacob Stallings went 2 for 3.

Josh Bell with a rocket. ?#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/rMB1x1o5G4

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 4, 2020

Starter Trevor Williams allowed one run, two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in three innings. Richard Rodriguez struck out two during a perfect fifth inning, but relievers Chris Stratton and Miguel Del Pozo each allowed three runs on three hits and a walk.

Frazier and Lolo Sanchez homered against the Phillies. It was Frazier’s first of spring training and Sanchez’s second in as many games.

Crushed by Cole.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/7mOB8Dz2lE

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 4, 2020

Starter Hector Noesi was charged with four runs on five hits (including two home runs) and a walk in two innings. Pirates relievers Yacksel Rios and Luis Escobar also each allowed a two-run homer.

Kevin Kramer went 2 for 3 for the Pirates, who fell to 2-10-1 in Grapefruit League play.

Derek Holland, Chad Kuhl, Keone Kela, Kyle Crick, Nick Burdi and JT Brubaker are scheduled to pitch for the Pirates on Thursday in Port Charlotte, Fla., against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.