Pirates Tie Tigers 8-8 In 3.5-Hour Game
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BRADENTON, Fla. (93-7 THE FAN) – Prospects Kevin Kramer and Austin Meadows both drove in 3 runs – Kramer with a 3-run homer, Meadows with a bases-loaded triple that narrowly missed being a grand slam – but the Pirates bullpen blew up, allowing 6 runs in the 7th inning and the Bucs had to settle for an 8-8 tie against the Tigers in Lakeland in a not-so-tidy 3 hours and 28 minutes.
Starter Tyler Glasnow was sharp in his first inning – 3-up, 3-down – and caught Miguel Cabrera looking for the third out but his second inning was not so smooth. He gave up a lead off HR to Nicolas Castellano then a bloop double, a wild pitch, a hit batter and a run scored on a ground ball.
All in all, though, Glasnow was happy.
"Yeah, it felt good; felt good to get out and get that game mentality and game speed," he said while adding that he's speeding up his delivery and working on a 1-inning mentality.
After the Pirate fell behind, 8-4, Meadows's 8th inning triple made it close then Jerrick Suiter tied it with an RBI double in the 9th. The Tigers went down quickly in the bottom of the inning and both sides had had enough.
The highlight was an inside-the-park HR by infielder Alfredo Reyes who got a favorable bounce off the centerfield fence and never slowed down.
One casualty – pitcher AJ Schugel left the game after facing 3 batters – the third walked on 4 pitches.
"Right shoulder discomfort," according to Clint Hurdle.
The Bucs host the Red Sox Monday afternoon at LECOM Park.
