Pirates drop exhibition opener
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) – Jim Thome wasted no time in making an impact with the Philadelphia Phillies. The slugging first baseman, signed to a six-year, $85-million contract as a free agent in November, homered in his first at bat Thursday as the Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 in the exhibition opener for both teams.
Thome, who set the Cleveland Indians’ single-season record with 52 home runs last year, hit an opposite-field shot to left in the first inning on an 0-1 change-up from starting pitcher Jeff D’Amico.
“I’m not going to get too excited about this,” Thome said. “I’ve always been told that they don’t put the stats from spring training on the back of your baseball card. I have to admit, though, that it was pretty cool to hit a homer the first time up with my new team.”
Thome grounded out in his only other at bat in the third inning before being removed from the game along with most of the other Phillies starters.
“It probably took some heat off of him a little bit to homer that first time up,” Philadelphia manager Larry Bowa said. “The fans are expected a lot from him. I’m sure if he went 0-for-1 there, there would be some people in Philly getting panicky.”
D’Amico was surprised to see Thome to hit the ball out of the park.
“It was actually a pretty good pitch,” D’Amico said. “I was surprised he would be able to stay back on the pitch so well and muscle it out to left field. That just shows you how good of a hitter he is.”
Dave Hollins’ RBI single capped a three-run seventh inning for Philadelphia as the Phillies rallied from a 3-1 deficit for the win.
Chase Utley led off with a single against losing pitcher Mike Holtz then took second on winning pitcher Hector Mercado’s sacrifice with one out. Jason Michaels doubled Utley home then scored the tying run on Marlon Byrd’s single.
Byrd advanced to third when Holtz made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt and scored on Hollins’ hit.
Michaels hit a two-run home run off Al Reyes in the ninth to push Philadelphia’s lead to 6-3. Michaels had two hits and three RBIs while Ricky Ledee also had two hits for the Phillies.
Mike Gulan hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning off Mercado give the Pirates a 3-1 lead.
Eric Junge pitched 2 1/3 scoreless inning for the save.
Randy Wolf started for Philadelphia and worked one perfect inning. D’Amico allowed one run on two hits in two innings with no walks and one strikeouts.