Dunedin
Brian Serven hit a three-run homer and drove in five runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 Monday for their first win of spring training.
Serven's two-out homer in the sixth inning came with Garrett Spain and Spencer Horwitz on base and put the Blue Jays up 6-0.
He put Toronto up 8-3 with a two-run double in the eighth that scored Horwitz and John Kasevich.
Serven came into the game as a pinch runner after Justin Turner doubled in the fifth inning.
Toronto (1-2) scored its first run in the first inning when Turner grounded into a double play but scored Bo Bichette from third.
Cam Eden scored Nathan Lukes on a sacrifice fly in the third, and Kasevich brought home Davis Schneider on an RBI single in the sixth.
Termarr Johnson homered twice and Sergio Alcantara had an RBI single for Pittsburgh (0-3).
Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi picked up the win, giving up one hit and striking out three over two innings.
Roansy Contreras took the loss for Pittsburgh. Toronto did most of its damage against Sean Sullivan, tagging the right-hander for four runs over 2/3 of an inning in the sixth.
Toronto next faces Detroit on Tuesday at Lakeland, Fla.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2024
Banner image via The Canadian Press
