Final: Pirates 6, Yankees 5

Tony Sanchez hit his second home run in as many days the Pirates opened Grapefruit League play with a 6-5 win over the New York Yankees at McKechnie Field,

The attendance of 6,870 was a record for an Opening Day crowd at McKechnie.

Sanchez, who homered during Tuesday's intrasquad game, hit a three-run shot in the seventh to tie the game at 5. 

Chris McGuiness, who played the final four innings at first base, drove in the go-ahead run and had two hits.

Jacoby Ellsbury scored twice and Yangervis Solarte and three RBIs and a home run for the Yankees.

STAR OF THE GAME: Sanchez, who went 2-for-2 with the home run. Though Tuesday's intrasquad stats do not count toward spring training records, Sanchez has two home runs and a double in four at-bats this spring.

UP NEXT: The Pirates and Yankees meet again Thursday, this time at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Charlie Morton is expected to start for Pittsburgh against the Yankees' David Phelps. Game time is 1:05 p.m. and it will be broadcast onpirates.com.

Liriano happy with first outing

This time last year, Francisco Liriano was recovering from a freak offseason accident he suffered to his non-pitching arm. He didn't make a single spring training appearance, going to straight to rehab before landing in Pittsburgh.
So he wasn't too upset with his outing Wednesday, when he allowed two runs and three hits in one inning against the New York Yankees during each team's Grapefruit League opener.
"Physically, I feel 100 percent. My arm feels great," Liriano said. "Didn't throw any four-seamers today - just two-seam...I'll mix it up in the next couple of games."
Liriano said he doesn't plan on deviating much from last year's preparation, which sounds like a good move: Liriano won 16 games, beat Cincinnati in a Wild Card playoff game and was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year.
He's also been named the Opening Day starter, but he doesn't plan on handling or carrying himself differently than in the past.
"I'm just trying to focus on the things I have to work on," Liriano said. "I'm just going to go out there and get ready for the season...We've got a pretty good starting rotation. Like I said, I'm just worried about getting myself ready for Opening Day."

Slicing open the Grapefruit...League

Don't expect McKechnie Field to stay empty for long - the New York Yankees are in town for the Pirates' Grapefruit League opener.

Here are the lineups:
YANKEES
Jacoby Ellsbury, cf
Eduardo Nunez, ss
Carlos Beltran, rf
Brian McCann, c
Ramon Flores, lf
Zelous Wheeler, 3b
Dean Anna, 2b
Corban Joseph, 1b
John Ryan Murphy, dh
Ivan Nova, p

PIRATES
Starling Marte, lf
Russell Martin, c
Andrew McCutchen, cf
Pedro Alvarez, 3b
Neil Walker, 2b
Gaby Sanchez, 1b
Andrew Lambo, dh
Jose Tabata, rf
Jordy Mercer, ss
Francisco Liriano, p

Black and Gold game

Good to be back at McKechnie Field, site of the today's Black and Gold Game, the unofficial start to the Grapefruit League season.
(The official start is Wednesday when the New York Yankees come to Bradenton).

Here are the lineups for today's seven-inning game, which is set for a noon start:

GOLD
Jose Tabata, rf
Jaff Decker, cf
Andrew Lambo, 1b
Tony Sanchez, c
Josh Harrison, 3b
Robert Andino, ss
Gift Ngoepe, 2b
Carlos Paulino, dh
Mel Rojas Jr., lf
Joely Rodriguez, P

BLACK
Alen Hanson, ss
Gregory Polanco, cf
Chris Dickerson, lf
Matt Hague, 3b
Travis Ishikawa, rf
Nevin Ashley, c
Chris McGuiness, 1b
Michael Martinez, 2b
Omir Santos, dh
Stolmy Pimentel, p

Black and Gold game information

The Pittsburgh Pirates open McKechnie Field noon Tuesday with the seven-inning intrasquad Black & Gold Game.

All tickets are $8 and benefit the Manatee Education Foundation.

Among those in the starting lineups Tuesday is outfielder Gregory Polanco, considered baseball’s 13^th-best prospect by MLB.com, and shortstop Alen Hanson, considered one of the Pirates’ 10 best prospects. They will be on the Black Team.

Andrew Lambo, named the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2013, will play first base for the Gold Team, and Tony Sanchez, the team’s top pick in 2009 who made his big-league debut last year, will do the catching.

Here are the lineups:

GOLD

Jose Tabata, rf

Jaff Decker, cf

Andrew Lambo, 1b

Tony Sanchez, c

Josh Harrison, 3b

Robert Andino, ss

Carlos Paulino, dh

Mej Rojas Jr., lf

Joely Rodriguez, p

BLACK

Alen Hanson, ss

Gregory Polanco, cf

Chris Dickerson, lf

Matt Hague, 3b

Nevin Ashley, c

Chris McGuiness, 1b

Michael Martinez, 2b

Omir Santos, dh

Stolmy Pimentel, p

The Pirates open the Grapefruit League season at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday against the New York Yankees.