Bucs’ Burnett opens spring strong in tie against Rays
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BRADENTON, Fla. – Pittsburgh’s A.J. Burnett pitched two scoreless innings Saturday, accomplishing everything he hoped in his first spring training start.
Back in a Pirates uniform after a frustrating season with the Philadelphia Phillies, the 38-year-old said that he’s excited about the opportunity ahead with a team that’s made the playoffs the past two seasons.
Burnett went 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA with the Phillies in 2014 after making 61 starts and helping the Pirates emerge as postseason contenders over the previous two seasons.
The right-hander eagerly signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract to return to Pittsburgh in November. He received a nice ovation from fans during pregame introductions and felt as good as he has in a “long time” after working two scoreless innings during a 1-1, 10-inning tie with the Tampa Bay Rays.
“I think it’s everything. Being back, pitching. … It’s just great to be here,” Burnett said. “I think that plays in it. Makes you free, makes you want to just go out and work.”
Burnett hit a batter and allowed a one-out single to Desmond Jennings in the first. He escaped by getting Evan Longoria and James Loney to ground into force plays to end the inning.
“It kind of puts a period at the end of the sentence. He’s out on the mound. He got his work in, he established his fastball and threw some good changeups,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “He had five ground balls out there in two innings.”
Yankees 3, Pirates 1: Alex Rodriguez went 0 for 2 with a walk in his second exhibition game Friday night, a New York Yankees’ split-squad 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rodriguez drew a full-count walk in the second inning against Jeff Locke, had a soft lineout the next time up and then took three straight called strikes from Blake Wood in the seventh.
Tony Sanchez and Jeff Decker homered for the Pirates.
“That was absolutely well struck,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said about Sanchez’s two-run opposite-field drive to right. “He’s shown that power to right-center field before.”