The St. Louis Cardinals fell 6-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Yohel Pozo's 1-for-3 effort at the plate, the Cardinals could not overcome a sizable deficit. Kyle Leahy worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits. The Pirates out-hit the Cardinals 8-1 on the day. The Cardinals will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Yohel Pozo was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-3. He put together quality at-bats throughout the game. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Cardinals offense.
On the other side of the diamond, Konnor Griffin led the Pirates offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Jhostynxon Garcia also contributed, going 2-for-2 with a home run and an RBI. Jared Triolo added a 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI effort as well. The Pirates offense proved to be too much for the Cardinals pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Kyle Leahy took the loss after having a rough go of it, working 2.2 innings while allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits with one strikeout. He threw 54 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 5.4 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out nine. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations.
Among the relievers, Brycen Mautz stood out with 2.1 innings of 1-run work, striking out three. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Pirates got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. Pirates pushed across two runs in the second. Pirates plated a run in the fourth. The Cardinals answered with a run in the fifth. Pirates responded with a run in the seventh. The Pirates were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Pirates out-hit the Cardinals 8-1, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 4,754 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.
