The Philadelphia Phillies overcame an early deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-10 in a high-scoring spring training matchup in Bradenton, Florida. Rafael Marchan drove in four runs with two doubles in a decisive nine-run fourth inning that turned the game around.
Rafael Marchan delivered a spectacular performance with two doubles that drove in four runs during a single inning, powering the Philadelphia Phillies to a 14-10 victory over Pittsburgh’s split squad in Friday’s spring training action in Bradenton, Florida.
Philadelphia exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning after falling behind 3-0 when Ryan O’Hearn launched a three-run homer for the Pirates in the third. Marchan brought home Philadelphia’s initial run, then after Felix Reyes evened the score with a double and two players earned bases-loaded walks, Marchan connected on a three-run double to center field. Bryan De La Cruz capped the big inning with his own RBI double.
Pittsburgh battled back as Yordany De Los Santos, Derek Berg and Omar Alfonzo each went deep to create a 10-10 deadlock entering the eighth inning. However, De La Cruz crossed home plate on a defensive miscue in the ninth inning’s opening frame, and Carson DeMartini provided insurance with a three-run homer to center field.
Otto Kemp and Paul McIntosh each collected two hits alongside Marchan and De La Cruz for Philadelphia, while Jared Triolo finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI for Pittsburgh.
In other spring training action, Nathan Lukes’ clutch two-out grand slam in the fourth inning lifted Toronto to a 9-2 triumph over Pittsburgh’s other split squad in Dunedin, Florida. Yohendrick Pinango and Edward Micheletti contributed late home runs for the Blue Jays, while Jose Berrios earned the victory by surrendering two runs on five hits with three strikeouts over four innings.
St. Louis dominated Baltimore 10-2 in Sarasota, Florida, behind home runs from Nelson Velazquez and Joshua Baez. Yohel Pozo went 2-for-2 with a two-run double for the Cardinals, while Michael McGreevy struck out four batters and allowed just one run on four hits through four innings for his second spring victory.
Detroit crushed Boston 11-3 in Lakeland, Florida, as Matt Vierling went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and four RBIs. Jace Jung added three RBI singles for the Tigers, who scored all 11 runs between the fifth and eighth innings.
Houston defeated Washington 7-1 in West Palm Beach, Florida, with John Garcia homering and Brice Matthews doubling home two runs each. Mike Burrows dominated for the Astros with four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings of one-hit shutout baseball.