Pirates Rally Past Phillies, 6-5

So the Phillies keep losing this Spring Training. No worries. None at all.

Ryan Howard smashed his fifth Grapefruit League home run, but the Pirates scored three runs in the ninth inning off Blaine Neal to win, 6-5. Howard also walked in the game; he is hitting .286 on the spring.

Joe Blanton had 4.2 innings of work, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out two. He was backed mainly by Ryan Madson, who gassed up all three of the outs he recorded, and Scott Nestor, who cruised through his own inning.

Jason Donald went 2-for-5 with a triple for the Phils, who will next play at the Houston Astros’ facility in Kissimmee, Fla. Carlos Carrasco will start with Andrew Carpenter waiting in the wings.