Pirates Spot 2 Late Runs as Astros Break Open Game in Middle Innings

The the Pittsburgh Pirates left this spring matchup at LECOM Park with a 16-9 record after a 10-2 result against the the Houston Astros, who moved to 11-10 in preseason play at 1:05 PM EDT.

First inning

The Pirates opened with 1 hit in the inning, while the Astros struck for 1 run on 2 hits.

Second inning

The Pirates were held without a hit in the frame, and the Astros also posted 0 runs with 0 hits.

Third inning

The Pirates got on the board with 1 run on 2 hits, and Joey Bart’s previous-game line included a 1.000 average with 1 hit and 1 run.

Fourth inning

The Pirates went hitless in the inning, and the Astros also recorded 0 runs with 0 hits.

Fifth inning

The Pirates managed 1 hit but scored 0 runs, and the Astros produced 4 runs on 3 hits to widen the margin.

Sixth inning

The Pirates added 1 hit with 0 runs, while the Astros finished the inning with 0 runs and 0 hits.

Seventh inning

The Pirates were held to 0 runs and 0 hits, and the Astros matched that line with 0 runs and 0 hits.

Eighth inning

The Pirates recorded 0 runs and 0 hits, and the Astros pushed across 2 runs on 1 hit to bring their total to 8 hits.

Ninth inning

The Pirates scored 1 run on 1 hit, finishing with 6 hits, 4 walks, and 2 runs batted in, and Pirates post-match stats also showed 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position and 2 hits in those chances.

The Pirates stay at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida for a 6:05 PM EDT first pitch on 2026-03-18 against the the Tigers, and fans can watch on the Pirates broadcast.