Pirates Notes 3/6

By JOHN LEMBO
jlembo@bradenton.com
BRADENTON – Virgil Vasquez, who is recovering from biceps tendonitis, made his spring debut during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday at McKechnie Field.
Vasquez allowed three hits and two runs in two innings, but pitched well in the third, when he struck out two and made a nifty bare-handed grab of a combacker.
“I thought he threw the ball OK,” said Pirates manager John Russell. “He looks like he has an idea of what he’s doing. He looks like he likes to compete…It was a nice, good first look.”
Claimied off waivers from the San Diego Padres in January, Vasquez appeared in five games for the Detriot Tigers in 2007.
WALKER’S BIG DAY: Third baseman Neil Walker may have struck out to end the game, but he went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored, pushing his spring average up to .278.
BIG BLAST: Andrew McCutchen homered off the scoreboard in the fifth inning. It was his first of the spring.
Though he’s batting just .143 this spring, McCutchen is beginning to show signs of snapping free of his funk.
“He’s starting to feel more comfortable at the plate,” Russell said. “He’s been hitting the ball pretty well the last few games.
“He’s making progress, and we like the way he’s going about it.”
MEEK MOWING ‘EM DOWN: Evan Meek pitched a perfect eighth inning Friday, and hasn’t been scored upon in five innings this spring.
Meek has allowed one hit and has struck out five thus far this spring.
BREAKING THE STREAK: Reliever Jesse Chavez didn’t allow a run for the first time this spring, striking out the side in the seventh.
Prior to Friday’s performance, Chavez had allowed at least one run in each of his first three games, including two Feb. 28 against the Houston Astros.