Pirates strike out in 5-0 loss to the Blue Jays

The Pirates struck a total of 13 times on Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays at McKechnie Field.

No player struck out more than once. That’s a pretty rare feat –but not in a good way.

James McDonald started for the Bucs and he had a rough time from the first pitch he threw (ball). It took him 29 pitches to get out of the first inning in which he allowed two runs, three hits, a walk and a strike out. After a 1-2-3 second, Manager Clint Hurdle pulled him in the third inning after throwing 52 pitches.

“I’ve got to focus on getting strike one,” said McDonald, who had thrown two scoreless innings his first time out. “Early innings, just I got a little out of whack.”

“I was pleased with some of the pitches I threw,” McDonald said. “Some of the results to me were good. It might not look that good out there because they hit it in play. But it was the pitch I wanted and I executed it. Things are going fine.”

Former Pirates third baseman Jose Bautista 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.

The Blue Jays Ricky Romero sailed through four innings allowing one hit and no runs. He struck out six and walked two.

Notes:

• James McDonald, who is 1-for-33 at the plate lifetime, wants to have at least 10 hits this season.

“I vowed that I would get at least 10 hits,” McDonald said. “If I can be decent at hitting and at least get my bunts down, I can help this team.”

• Corey Wimberly made his first start this spring at shortstop today and it didn’t go so well. He made a bad throw to first baseman Josh Fields in the third inning which sailed over his head. The error cost the Pirates two unearned runs.

Wimberly is 0-for-12 this spring with four walks and two stolen bases. He is battling for an extra infielder spot on the roster.

“We’re just going to keep working with him,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We ran him out for a bunch of innings and couldn’t get him a groundball and they came in bunches today. We’ve got to loosen him up a little bit so he’ll be able to pick up some rhythm and timing at short. At the end of the day, we’ve got to be able to have him at short. We’ve got to be able to have him at centerfield.”

• Aaron Thompson is quietly having himself a nice spring training. Through three innings of work he hasn’t allowed a hit, run or walk, and has struck out three.
• Joel Hanrahan had a nice outing allowing no hits or runs in the fourth inning.
• Justin Wilson bounced back from his last trip to the mound, he struck out three and walked one in the seventh.
• Gift Ngoepe, the south African player the Pirates signed in 2008, pinch hit for Jeff Locke in the 9^th inning (struck out).
• The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays at McKechnie field on Monday at 1:05. Ross Ohlendorf will get the start for the Bucs.

Right hander Evan Meek is scheduled to make his spring training debut tomorrow. Meek has been sidelined with a tight right calf and will pitch one inning following Ohlendorf.

Jose Veras, Tyler Yates, Michael Crotta and Daniel Moskos will follow.