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Ohlendorf shaky, but Pirates top Netherlands, 5-4
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BRADENTON, Fla. -- Ross Ohlendorf had a shaky start, but Garrett Jones had three RBIs in the Pirates' 5-4 exhibition victory against the Netherlands' entry into the World Baseball Classic this afternoon at McKechnie Field.
Ohlendorf, one of a handful of candidates for the largely unsettled rotation, threw hard but elevated too many pitches in giving up a run and four hits over two innings. He did not strike out anyone despite facing a lineup with no active major leaguers.
"I'm throwing harder now than I was last September," Ohlendorf said. "Overall, I felt fine. There were a couple of hard-hit balls in the second. I felt I was able to get the ball up there and put it where I want."
The Pirates went entirely with non-regulars in the lineup: Jones went 2 for 4, Andy Phillips had an RBI double, and Jeff Salazar hit an eighth-inning solo home run to right.
Rule 5 draft pick Donnie Veal, continuing his strong bid for a bullpen job, made a fourth consecutive scoreless appearance by striking out the side in the sixth. Two of those came with serious heat, the last with a knee-buckling curve.
Matt Capps, Jesse Chavez, Romulo Sanchez and Jeff Sues pitched scoreless innings. Daniel Haigwood allowed a run in the ninth to cut the Pirates' lead to 5-4, but he stranded runners at second and third by getting Sharnol Adriana to look at a third strike.
First-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez, getting his first start at third base, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and stranded four runners.
The Pirates are 5-1 in Grapefruit League play, 6-1 overall.
Tom Gorzelanny will start against the Minnesota Twins tomorrow.
In Fort Myers today, Ian Snell pitched three scoreless innings -- one hit, three strikeouts -- for Puerto Rico in an exhibition against the Twins.
Check PBC Blog for details, updates.
First Published March 3, 2009 3:59 pm
