3/7 Recap | Pirates Homer Three Times | Blue Jays 8 Pirates 6

For the fourth straight games, the Pirates had a very nice showing at the plate. They collected 12 hits including home runs from Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones, and Starling Marte. Alvarez also smashed a single up the middle in his third at bat and sandwiched a strikeout between those two hits. Those two hits could end up being huge for Alvarez as his spring progresses. Marte also has 7 straight hits this spring and is hitting a ridiculous .727 (8/11) in five games.

Josh Harrison also had a nice day at the plate with two doubles, he has been crushing the ball this week. The other hits were had by Nate McLouth, Anderson Hernandez, Clint Barmes, Jose Tabata, and Alex Presley.

It wasn't such a nice day on the pitching mound for the Pirates, as they gave up 15 hits to the Blue Jays. Jeff Karstens looked good cruising through three scoreless innings, but Brad Lincoln got into a bunch of trouble in his outing. He got out of a jam in the fourth by leaving the bases loaded, but couldn't get an out in the fifth before giving up four earned runs. Jose Diaz bailed him out of giving up another run with a quick three outs.

Jeff Locke also had a rough day on the rubber, giving up three runs and five hits in his two innings of work. Evan Meek gave up a solo home run but struck out two in the eighth, and Jason Grilli had a one-two-three ninth to finish the day off.

The Pirates did lose this game but I think this was the most encouraging display of the spring so far, just because of Alvarez. If he gets going, we could get in for an exciting 2012 season.