Top of the 9th

Damaso Marte will try to lock down that elusive sixth win of the spring for the Pirates, who are looking to make their four-run seventh inning stand up.

McKechnie has thinned out a bit, but only in the bleachers. The folks in reserve seats have stayed put, for the most part.

Today's attendance is 5,775, a sellout. It's McKechnie's second of the spring and first since March 2, when the Pirates and Rays packed the place.


Marte isn't making this easy, allowing a pair of singles to open the inning. The "Let's Go Red Sox" is back, but Marte quells it by fanning George Kotteras for the first out, and then strikes out Jeff Natale.

Jed Lowrie flies out, and the Pirates win.

I am going home to inhale some vitamin C and NyQuil.

This John Lembo, signing off.