The Pirates’ opponents in Sunday’s season opener provided a reminder of last year’s dichotomy: How great they were, yet how much they had left to do. The first game provided a microcosm of how they hope to get there.
Manager Clint Hurdle threw out an innovative lineup, with Andrew McCutchen batting second and former catcher John Jaso leading off. Hurdle pitched lefty Tony Watson, usually a setup man, in the seventh inning against three lefties. Twice, the Pirates successfully executed three hit-and-runs, part of their attempt to score with on-base percentage and movement on the bases after they lost a lot of their power.