Marte drives in 5, Pirates lose to Red Sox
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Pirates got a grand slam from outfielder Starling Marte in his first game back after the World Baseball Classic but dropped a 10-7 spring training game Thursday to the Boston Red Sox.
Marte, who played for the Domincan Republic in the WBC, drove in five runs in the game, including four on his fifth-inning home run.
“It felt great, just practicing and getting connected with the things that are going to help me during the season,” Marte said through team translator Mike Gonzalez. “It feels good.”
Marte saw action in just three WBC games – going 3-for-12 at the plate – because of a sprained ankle but doesn’t expect the injury to hold him back when the regular season begins.
“I don’t think it’s going to be an issue,” he said. “Yeah, it is a little bit here and there. However, I do believe that I’m going to be great, being able to play throughout the season, especially with the therapy that I’m going through.”
Marte wasn’t the only Domincan player to make a return. Fellow outfielder Gregory Polanco was back in the Pittsburgh lineup, as well. Polanco had a double in four at bats and scored a run.
Drew Hutchinson took the loss for the Pirates (16-8), allowing six runs, all earned, in 4 1/3 innings.
Reliever Jared Hughes’ struggles this spring also continued. He gave up three runs, two earned, in 1/3 of an inning.
Hughes, a key part of the Pirates’ bullpen, saw his ERA raise to 14.73 in 7 1/3 innings.
Dustin Pedroia had three hits for the Red Sox (13-12).
Meanwhile, general manager Neal Huntington said Thursday third baseman Jung Ho Kang is still waiting on his work visa in South Korea. Huntington acknowledged that it is unrealistic to expect Kang to be ready fo the start of the regular season April 3.
Kang received a suspended eight-month sentence for a DUI arrest in the offseason, his third in South Korea since 2009.
He is reportedly appealing the sentence in an attempt to more quickly secure his visa.
“We remain optimistic we’re going to get him here hopefully sooner than later,” said Huntington. “Now the challenge is, if we don’t, if it takes some time. We’ve built this club and feel good about the guys we have here.”
With Kang’s status up in the air, David Freese is expected to see the bulk of the time at third base.