The Braves and Pirates played to a 3-3 standstill on Tuesday afternoon, proving that ties in baseball really are a thing. The box score is actually a bit eerie for this one: both teams scored two runs in the fourth and a single run in the seventh, and that was all.
Mike Foltynewicz got the start in his first bit of Spring Training action this year and worked a 1-2-3 first before yielding back-to-back walks in the second. Happily, Folty was able to get a grounder from Eric Wood that Johan Camargo transformed into an around-the-horn double play, and then retired former Brave Todd Cunningham on a flyout to end the threat.
Chase Whitley allowed a double and a walk in the third but kept the game scoreless, but fared much worse in the fourth. He hit the leadoff batter with a pitch, allowed a double to the next man, and then Wood tagged him for a two-run ground rule double. Whitley was able to strike out Cunningham, but was lifted for Sam Freeman, who stranded the runner at second with two outs in the air. The Braves then got those two runs back against Jack Leathersich, courtesy of a Charlie Culberson two-out double following a Kurt Suzuki single and Nick Markakis walk.
Freeman and Jose Ramirez shut out the Pirates for the net two innings, before Jason Hursh allowed back-to-back two-out doubles in the seventh to give up the lead. Fortunately, Johan Camargo greeted Pirates reliever Brett McKinney in the bottom of the seventh with a longball to knot the game once again.
Dan Winkler worked around two walks by striking out two consecutive batters in the eighth, and Josh Graham worked a scoreless ninth. The Braves had a chance to walk it off in the ninth after Austin Riley drew a two-out walk, but Sean Kazmar popped out to short to end the game in a draw.
Culberson’s double and Camargo’s homer were the only extra-base hits for the Braves. Chris Stewart, who started the game at DH, was the only Brave to reach base twice. Alex Jackson went hitless in two tries after reliving Suzuki’s duties at catcher. Lane Adams went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and is still looking for his first base knock of the spring.
The Mets are next on the schedule for Wednesday afternoon, with Matt Harvey and Brandon McCarthy set to get the first few innings of work at Champion Stadium.