The Baltimore Orioles dropped a 8-6 decision to the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Adley Rutschman's 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI effort at the plate, the Orioles could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Trevor Rogers turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of 2-run ball with three strikeouts. The Orioles finished with 13 hits on the day while holding the Pirates to 12. Despite the result, the coaching staff gathered useful data on the current state of the roster. Spring training losses sting, but the information gained will inform decisions as Opening Day approaches.
Key Performers
Adley Rutschman was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Orioles confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Dylan Beavers also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, Colton Cowser chipped in, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and Taylor Ward added to the attack, going 2-for-3. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Marcell Ozuna led the Pirates offense with a 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI day. Henry Davis also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Billy Cook added a 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI effort as well. The Pirates offense proved to be too much for the Orioles pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Trevor Rogers got the start, delivering a strong performance, working 4.0 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 61 pitches in the outing. It was exactly the kind of outing the Orioles need from their pitching staff heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 3.3 innings of work, allowing 6 earned runs while striking out five. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Mason Montgomery recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Yaramil Hiraldo stood out with 1.0 innings of 3-run work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
Pirates got on the board first with a run in the first inning. Pirates plated a run in the second. The Orioles answered with two runs in the third. The Orioles tacked on two runs in the sixth. Pirates countered with a run in the sixth. The Orioles struck back with a run in the seventh. Pirates answered with three runs in the seventh. Pirates tacked on two runs in the eighth. The Orioles countered with a run in the ninth. The Pirates were able to score in five separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. The Orioles out-hit Pirates 13-12 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 6,595 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
It was not the outcome the Orioles were looking for, but spring training provides a forgiving environment to work through the rough patches. The focus remains on preparation and development, and the coaching staff will use today as a teaching opportunity. The regular season is right around the corner, and every game is a chance to improve.