Blue Jays’ Kikuchi continues impressive spring with three no-hit innings
LAKELAND, Fla. — Toronto pitcher Yusei Kikuchi continued his spectacular spring with three no-hit innings earlier than the Blue Jays fell 7-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in spring coaching baseball motion Tuesday.
Kikuchi has been making a powerful bid to hitch ace Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and newcomer Chris Bassitt within the Blue Jays’ beginning rotation for the upcoming season.
He has but to give up a run and has struck out 9 over seven innings in three pre-season appearances.
On Tuesday, Kikuchi struck out two, walked two and threw 30 of his 51 pitches for strikes.
Ricky Tiedemann changed Kikuchi within the fourth and gave up a two-run homer to Carlos Santana because the Pirates took a 2-0 lead.
Toronto tied it within the fifth, when Kevin Kiermaier scored on a triple by Rob Brantley, who was then pushed residence by a Whit Merrifield single.
Nick Gonzales scored in a throwing error by centre-fielder Wynton Bernard to offer Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead within the seventh.
The Pirates broke the sport open with a four-run eighth inning. Lolo Sanchez hit a solo residence run off Hagen Danner, Zach Britton’s throwing error with runners on second and third allowed two extra runs and Gonzalez capped the scoring with an RBI single.
Carmen Mlodzinski pitched a scoreless seventh inning to select up the win for Pittsburgh.
Adrian Hernandez pitched the seventh for Toronto regardless of not giving up successful or an earned run in his one inning of labor.
Toronto (6-4) will face Minnesota on Wednesday at their spring coaching floor in Dunedin, Fla.
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