Ishikawa starts at first base in home opener
PITTSBURGH — Clint Hurdle had a surprise when he wrote out the Pirates’ opening day lineup.
The manager decided to start journeyman Travis Ishikawa at first base rather than Gaby Sanchez on Monday in a game the Pirates won, 1-0 over the Chicago Cubs in 10 innings at PNC Park.
Though Sanchez is a right-handed hitter and Ishikawa is a lefty, Hurdle had said during the final days of spring training that Sanchez would get the bulk of playing time at first and the duo would not form a strict platoon.
However, Hurdle said Monday he felt more comfortable with another left-handed hitter in the lineup against Cubs right-hander Jeff Samardzija. The move paid off as Ishikawa went 2-for-3 and was the only Pirates player with multiple hits.
“I do believe there’s better matchup opportunities for Gaby than this particular one, based on the spring he had this year,” Hurdle said. “Based on the spring Travis has had this year, I do try and read something into spring training swings to get some momentum, to get some traction with the lineup.”
The Pirates had hoped rookie left-handed hitter Andrew Lambo would platoon with Sanchez. However, Lambo was optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis after going 4-for-42 (.095) with no extra-base hits during the exhibition season.
Meanwhile, Ishikawa went 9-for-31 (.290) with three home runs and made the team after signing a minor-league contract with the Pirates in December as a free agent.
Ishikawa, 30, was once considered a prospect of note with the San Francisco Giants and made his major-league debut with them in 2006. However, he played for three teams in the previous two seasons — the Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees — and also had a stint with the Chicago White Sox’s Class AAA Charlotte farm club last year.
Ishikawa entered the season with a .260 career batting average and 19 home runs in 382 games.
“The thing that kept impressing us throughout the spring is that he gives you a good professional at-bat every time he comes to the plate,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.
Ishikawa could get another start tonight when the Pirates return to action at 7:05 in the middle game of the three-game series after having Tuesday off. The Cubs are scheduled to start right-hander Edwin Jackson (8-18, 4.98 last season) against Charlie Morton (7-4, 3.26).