Sanchez two-run jack pic.twitter.com/5Jl5gf719j

— Forbes to Federal (@ForbesToFederal) March 18, 2015

BRADENTON, Fla. — Whew.

The Tigers tried to spoil a beautiful night at the ballpark for a record crowd at McKechnie Field, scoring six runs in the nine innings, but RHP Josh Wall forced a double-play grounder to earn the save.

There were two real stars tonight: CF Starling Marte and C Tony Sanchez. They’ve been mighty hot recently, too.

Marte continued his recent surge with a 3-for-3 day. He doubled and homered, his first of the year, to raise his spring average to .370. Marte is 6-for-12 in his past four games.

OF Willy Garcia hit a three-run bomb to left late in the game that would prove to be the game winner.

Sanchez’s two-run home run in the second inning was his fifth hit in a row, and his eighth hit in nine at-bats. After a 1-for-3 night, Sanchez is batting .526 this spring. He is the first Pirates player with two home runs this spring.

Said RHP A.J. Burnett: “He mashes.”

Sanchez is better behind the plate, too.

“I love him back there,” Burnett said. “The way he blocks balls is a lot better. He was always pretty good at it. The way he goes about it now, he's really starting to pay attention to his pitchers and what they have. He blocked some good hooks today in good situations.

“He mashes. He's a good ballplayer, man. He comes in here everyday, does his stuff and works hard. I was pleased to have him in the lineup.”

• A.J. BURNETT: Burnett allowed five hits, walked two and struck out five in 3 2/3 innings. He threw 68 pitches and left with bases loaded and two outs in the third inning. LHP Charlie Leesman walked in Burnett’s second run. “It would have been good [to finish the inning],” Burnett said. “But skip [Clint Hurdle] is going to take care of us. It's still spring. It's just pitch counts right now."

How does the arm feel? 

“A little cold,“ Burnett joked, gesturing toward the two huge ice packs strapped to his right arm.

"It's getting there,” he continued. “There's a little fatigue here and there, body-wise, but I'm able to correct it as soon as I feel it out there. That's what [spring] is for, to build, build, build. Maybe I'll go five next time."

• JOSE TABATA: The left fielder fouled a pitch off the inside of his left ankle. He was helped into the dugout and then carted off the field. He had an X-ray, which came back negative, and has been diagnosed with a left ankle contusion.

• CHRIS STEWART: Hurdle said the Pirates are in a ”holding pattern“ with Stewart, who has been out with a tweaked hamstring.

First Published: March 24, 2016, 5:05 p.m.