Pirates Rally Past Orioles 9-5 in Spring Training Triumph

On March 6, 2025, the Pittsburgh Pirates secured a 9-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. The Pirates’ offense came alive with key hits, including a home run from Liover Peguero and a bases-clearing single by Jason Delay, overcoming an early deficit to extend their spring success against the Orioles in this Grapefruit League matchup.

The game began with Pittsburgh taking an early lead against Orioles starter Zach Eflin. In the first inning, Andrew McCutchen walked and scored on an Endy Rodríguez single, giving the Pirates a 1-0 edge. Rodríguez, who finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, was a standout, showcasing his potential as a key piece of Pittsburgh’s future. McCutchen, the veteran leader, went 1-for-2 with a walk, contributing to the early momentum.

Baltimore responded in a big way in the fourth, erupting for four runs to seize a 4-1 lead. The Orioles’ starting lineup, featuring probable regulars, sustained one of their first extended rallies of the spring, tagging Pirates starter Paul Skenes and reliever Kyle Haynes. Skenes, in his second spring outing, threw 63 pitches over three-plus innings, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. His fastball touched 100 mph, but he struggled with command as Baltimore capitalized with hits from Coby Mayo and others.

The Pirates fought back in the fifth, sparked by Peguero’s first home run of the spring—a solo shot off reliever Tucker Davidson that tied the game at 4-4. Peguero’s blast shifted momentum, and Pittsburgh’s offense continued to build. In the sixth, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who went 2-for-3, and Nick Yorke, who doubled, helped push the Pirates ahead 5-4, chasing Davidson from the game.

Eflin, making his second start for Baltimore, lasted 2.2 innings, surrendering three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. His exit left the Orioles’ bullpen vulnerable, and Pittsburgh exploited it late. The game’s decisive blow came in the ninth, when Jason Delay delivered a bases-clearing single off reliever Luis González, plating three runs to extend the lead to 9-5. Delay’s clutch hit sealed the victory, delighting Pirates fans tracking the action.

Baltimore mounted a late push in the bottom of the ninth, scoring a run on a bases-loaded walk to make it 9-5, but Pirates reliever Sean Sullivan quelled the threat, striking out two to end the game. The Orioles’ rally fell short, hampered by earlier missed opportunities and the absence of Tyler O’Neill, scratched with rib cage soreness.
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For Pittsburgh, Rodríguez, Peguero, Delay, and Kiner-Falefa led the charge, while Skenes showed flashes of brilliance despite the runs allowed. The Pirates’ 9-5 win improved their spring record to 8-5, continuing their strong Grapefruit League campaign. Baltimore, now 5-5, leaned on contributions from Mayo and Adley Rutschman (2-for-3), but their pitching couldn’t contain Pittsburgh’s late surge.