Jordan Lyles possibly locked up the fifth spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting rotation in his final start of spring training.
Lyles allowed seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks as the Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-3, on Saturday in a split-squad Grapefruit League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.
Phil Gosselin hit a homer in the second off Lyles, and Phillies pitcher Zach Elfin had a two-RBI single in the second.
Francisco Cervelli extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI double in the first. Corey Dickerson went 2 for 4, hitting his third home run of the spring off Zach Elfin in the third. Prospect Oneil Cruz played shortstop the entire game and crushed a solo shot off Elfin to right-center in the fifth for his second homer of spring and a 4-3 lead. Lonnie Chisenhall added a RBI single in the sixth.
Felipe Vazquez threw a scoreless ninth, recording the save. He has retired 15 of the 17 batters he faced, with 10 strikeouts.
Jameson Taillon took the loss in a 12-3 defeat to the Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers, allowing four runs on eight hits.
Pirates third base prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a three-run homer off reliever Heath Hembree in the sixth, Hayes’ third homer of the spring. He has a team-high 12 RBIs.
Trevor Williams is scheduled to start against right-hander Andrew Cashner when the Pirates play the Baltimore Orioles at 1:05 p.m. Sunday in Sarasota, their final game of spring training in Florida. Nick Kingham and Steven Brault also are expected to pitch for the Pirates.
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