Let the games begin!

Major league baseball is back in Bradenton, and it has never looked better.
This is John Lembo, blogging live from McKechnie Field, which is looking sharp following a $10 million facelift.
Today is the Pirates' Black and Gold Game, an intrasquad affair that will last 5 1/2 innings.
Here are the lineups:

BLACK
Alex Presley, cf
Chase d'Arnaud, ss
Jerry Sands, rf
Clint Robinson, 1b
Brandon Inge, dh
Jared Goedert, 3b
Josh Harrison, 2b
Michael McKenry, c
Felix Pie, lf
Jameson Taillon, p

GOLD
Starling Marte,lf
Jose Tabata, rf
Matt Hague, 3b
Gaby Sanchez, 1b
Brad Hawpe, dh
Jordy Mercer, ss
Tony Sanchez, c
Iva De Jesus, jr., 2b
Darren Ford, cf
Gerrit Cole, p

Pirates announce Clint Hurdle's contract extension

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Tuesday they have given a contract extension to manager Clint Hurdle, exercising the club option for 2014 and adding another club option for 2015.
News of the extension was originally reported Monday by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Hurdle, 55, is 151-173 in two seasons with the Pirates. Pittsburgh has started out strong under Hurdle but is a combined 36-76 in August and September.
"From the first day I took the job, (my goal) was to reconnect and rebond the city with its baseball team. We've taken some steps and appropriate steps in that direction," Hurdle said Monday, "but there's still unfinished business.
"I think we have re-ignited the fan base to some degree. We have gotten our team mentality and our environment in place where it needs to be, but again, you're always working to fulfill a dream, and the dream of every man out here right now is to be part of a championship team and a championship organization."

SCF leads Orioles through five innings

The State College of Florida Manatees lead the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 after five innings.

However, the Orioles are using their own pitchers against their hitters.

They've also used catcher Ronny Paulino in multiple spots in SCF's batting order, and the fifth also featured starter Tsuyoshi Wada recording five outs in what looked like an effort to stretch his pitch count out.

The Manatees plated two runs in the fourth inning after three hits, a groundout and wild pitch.

State College of Florida at Baltimore Orioles

This is Jason Dill, blogging from Ed Smith Stadium as the State College of Florida Manatees square off against the Baltimore Orioles in the O's final game of the 2012 spring season in Sarasota.

SCF isn't using any pitchers after winning a 12-inning Suncoast Conference game last night against Polk State, having another conference game on Wednesday and with six players injured.

SCF

1. Danny Bodziak CF
2. Ronny Paulino C (catching for Baltimore pitchers)
3. Orlando Rivera 2B
4. Tyler Rocklein RF
5. Conner Hale 3B
6. Andrew McNett LF
7. Devon Raftery DH
8. Kory Britton 1B
9. Dalton Busby SS

LHP Tsuyoshi Wada

Baltimore

1. Robert Andino 2B
2. J.J. Hardy SS
3. Nick Johnson 1B
4. Adam Jones CF
5. Matt Wieters C
6. Mark Reynolds DH
7. Nolan Reimold LF
8. Wilson Betemit 3B
9. Endy Chavez RF

RHP Jason Hammel

Goodbye, Pirates

Alex Presley homered and Garrett Jones drove in a pair of runs as the Pirates and Baltimore Orioles played to a 6-6, nine-inning tie during the final Grapefruit League of the spring at McKechnie Field.
The split-squad Pirates also lost 15-3 to the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, running their record to 8-18-2.
Rod Barajas had two hits for the Pirates in a game that included a 46-minute rain delay.
The Pirates drew 82,390 fans this spring, the third-largest total in McKechnie Field history, for an average of 5,492, falling just short of the mark set last year (5,500).
Saturday's attendance was 3,720.

STAR OF THE GAME: Minor-league free agent Jose Diaz tossed a scoreless inning Saturday, giving him 4 1/3 shutout innings this spring. Opponents went 1-for-14 this spring against Diaz, who spent all spring in minor-league camp.
PROSPECT OF THE GAME: Former Bradenton Marauder Aaron Baker, who was traded to the Orioles last year in exchange for Derrek Lee, hit his first home run of the spring. Baker hit 15 home runs and drove in 73 runs with the Marauders last year prior to the July trade.
QUOTE OF THE GAME: "I'm trying to get out of the way, and I bunted. How you do that, I don't know." - Pirates starter Erik Bedard, who bunted in a run Saturday.
UP NEXT: The Pirates play their final exhibition game in Florida today when they head to Dunedin to face the Toronto Blue Jays. Jeff Karstens will pitch for Pittsburgh against Toronto's Brandon Morrow. The Pirates play exhibition games Monday and Tuesday in Philadelphia against the Phillies, who come to PNC Park on Thursday for each team's regular-season opener.

Game on!

(photo by John Lembo)

- It appears McKechnie Field's first rain delay of the spring is over. The tarp is being lifted, the sky has brightened somewhat and both teams are back in their dugouts, so it appears baseball is back. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle and Orioles skipper Buck Showalter are talking to the umpires, but it appears they are going to try and finish the game, which the Pirates lead 6-5 after six innings.

- Today's attendance was 3,720, bringing McKechnie's total this spring to 82,390, third highest all-time behind 2011 (88,003) and '09 (87,206). Average attendance this spring was 5,492, just missing last year's record mark of 5,500. There were six sellouts this spring, one shy of the record set in 2008 and '07.

No swinging in the rain...

(photo by John Lembo) - After a spring full of sunshine, it is starting to pour here during the final Grapefruit League of the season at McKechnie Field, where the Pirates lead the Orioles 6-5 after six innings. So we have our first rain delay!
- Interesting play in the fourth. Runners at the corners and Pirates pitcher Erik Bedard laid down a bunt. Rod Barajas, who was on third, waiting for Orioles catcher Ronny Paulino to throw to first, and then darted down the line, just beating the throw. Clint Barmes, the runner at first, decided to try third. Paulino spun and made an errant throw that wound up in left field, allowing two runs to score on a ball that left Bedard's bat and traveled about six feet.
God, I love baseball.
- Garrett Jones has two RBIs and Alex Presley has a home run for the Pirates.