BRADENTON, Fla. — Kevin Newman isn’t the only Pirates infielder having a splendid spring.
Adam Frazier has also been hitting the cover off the ball, while rookie Nick Gonzales had himself a moment to remember.
Predicted to be traded long ago, Frazier homered Wednesday in a 6-3 victory over the Braves at LECOM Park. It was Frazier’s second homer of the spring — both coming in the past two days — and raised his batting average to .563 (18-for-32). Eight of those hits have gone for extra bases.
The Pirates (12-10-1) have now won four consecutive Grapefruit League games after dropping six of seven.
On the mound
Braves right fielder Austin Riley hit a pair of loud home runs, but it was actually an encouraging outing for JT Brubaker, who went five innings and threw 72 pitches, his longest start of the spring.
Brubaker was around the plate a lot, his slider was effective, and the first Riley homer — a 442-foot shot — came on a curveball that wasn’t horribly located.
Now one of the steadier starters the Pirates have, Brubaker allowed three earned runs, walked one and struck out six.
Clay Holmes looked terrific during his 1-2-3 eighth. The big right-hander hasn’t allowed a run in eight spring appearances.
At the plate
With 18 hits, Frazier and Ke’Bryan Hayes are currently tied for the MLB lead during spring training. Newman isn’t far behind with 16. Furthermore, only Hayes and three others have more than Frazier’s eight extra-base hits.
Gregory Polanco’s double was encouraging, as he entered Wednesday’s game hitless in his past nine at-bats. Newman picked up a pair of hits to improve his spring average to a ridiculous .727 (16-for-22).
Gonzales crushed a first-pitch fastball out to left-center for a pinch-hit homer off of A.J. Minter in the eighth.
Despite looking tentative early in camp, Gonzales has shown himself to be a quick study, with three hits in his past six at-bats after an 0-for-6 start that featured four strikeouts.
In the field
The Pirates failed to catch a fly ball they probably should have had in the ninth, but it wasn’t a terrible effort overall. Better than many of their spring games.
On the bases, Dustin Fowler was thrown out while trying to steal in the sixth inning after getting a late jump.
Phillip Evans and Bryan Reynolds did an excellent job of baserunning in the sixth inning. Evans, pinch-running for Hayes, went first-to-third on Reynolds’ single. Reynolds took a wide turn, forced a throw, the Braves made an error, and Evans scored easily.
Wilmer Difo made a nice play on a hard shot in the hole from Braves left fielder Abraham Almonte in the seventh inning, an underrated stab that showed some possible defensive depth.
Difo has also reached base safely in 10 consecutive games, nine of those with a hit.
Up next
Thursday’s game: Pirates at Orioles, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Fla., 6:05 p.m.
Pitchers: RHP Sean Poppen vs. LHP Keegan Allen
* Also for Pirates: RHP Michael Feliz, RHP Richard Rodriguez, RHP Luis Oviedo, RHP Chris Stratton and RHP Edgar Santana
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Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: March 24, 2021, 7:45 p.m.
