Delay, Gonzales homer as Pirates down Orioles 7-4

After struggling for offense in the first two games of Spring Training, the Pittsburgh Pirates notched 10 hits in a 7-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. The win headlined by two home runs by former first-round draft pick Nick Gonzales and catcher Jason Delay.

The scoring kicked off in the first inning as Chavez Young and Tucupita Marcano drove in three on a double and single, respectively. Canaan Smith-Njigba followed that in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run single to center.

Baltimore brought the score within one during the fifth and sixth innings thanks to an errant pitch by Rob Zastryzny, a double by Jordan Westburg and a two-run home-run by Franchy Cordero, but the Pirates gained separation thanks to Gonzales’ home run in the sixth and Delay’s towering drive in the seventh.

Young was the lone Pirate to collect two hits.

Luis Ortiz was dominant in his first start of the spring, posting two scoreless innings while allowing two hits and a strikeout. David Bednar and Jarlin Garcia bounced back from rocky outings in the spring opener as each combined for two hitless innings of relief.

The Pirates are on the road tomorrow as they battle the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland.