Whether they were swinging the bat or drawing walks, the new acquisitions played a big role for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Jhostynxon Garcia, Jake Mangum and Tyler Callihan combined for four hits, four runs and four RBIs as the Pirates earned a 7-5 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night in a Grapefruit League game before 6,122 at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.
Garcia, acquired from Boston, went 2 for 4 with a two-run home run. The 23-year-old outfielder has now hit safely in eight consecutive games and is batting .556 (10 for 18) with three extra-base hits and four RBIs during that stretch.
Mangum, acquired from Tampa Bay, went 1 for 2 with two walks, a run scored and an RBI. Over his past nine games, Mangum is batting .375 (9 for 24) with a .964 OPS. Callihan, acquired from Cincinnati, went 1 for 3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
The Pirates took advantage of Casey Mize’s command issues, drawing four walks as the Tigers starter allowed six runs on six hits with two strikeouts in three innings.
After Rafael Flores drew a walk, Garcia singled to right and Alika Williams walked, Mangum drew a bases-loaded walk for a 1-0 lead. Colin Fields replaced Mize, only to walk Callihan to score Garcia for a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Endy Rodriguez (2 for 4) singled and Garcia hit a 1-0 slider off Mize for a 313-foot shot to left for a 4-0 lead in the third. The Pirates increased their lead to 6-0 in the fourth when Mangum and Callihan singled, with Joey Bart driving in one run and Rodriguez the other.
Mike Clevinger got the win for the Pirates, allowing two runs on one hit and four walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Parker Meadows put the Tigers on the scoreboard when he drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the fifth.
Detroit scored three runs in the seventh against Jaden Woods, who allowed one run to score on a wild pitch and two more on a throwing error that cut it to 6-5. Axiel Plaz provided cushion with an RBI single to drive in Javier Rivas in the ninth.
Pirates reliever Chris Devenski was removed from the game after being struck on the side of the head by a batted ball. Devenski, who was alert, was treated and evaluated by the Pirates’ medical staff, per the team.
Note: Carmen Mlodzinski is scheduled to start against Trevor Rogers and the Baltimore Orioles at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at LECOM Park in Bradenton. The game will be televised on SportsNet Pittsburgh.