The Philadelphia Phillies cruised to a 14-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on Friday in spring training action. Rafael Marchán paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Jean Cabrera worked 2.1 innings on the mound, allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits. Both clubs finished with 10 hits apiece in a closely contested battle. The Phillies will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Rafael Marchán was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI. His extra-base hit was a key moment in the game. The Phillies will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
René Pinto also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI, Felix Reyes chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, and Paul McIntosh added to the attack, going 2-for-2 with an RBI. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Ryan O'Hearn led the Pirates offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBI day. Omar Alfonzo also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Derek Berg added a 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Phillies pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Jean Cabrera got the start, running into trouble, working 2.1 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 50 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.5 innings of work, allowing 9 earned runs while striking out nine. The Phillies continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Nolan Hoffman stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Pirates got on the board first with three runs in the third inning. The Phillies struck back with nine runs in the fourth. Pirates answered with three runs in the fourth. Pirates tacked on a run in the sixth. The Phillies countered with a run in the eighth. Pirates struck back with three runs in the eighth. The Phillies answered with four runs in the ninth. The Phillies spread their scoring across three different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. Both teams finished with 10 hits apiece, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,593 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Phillies will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.