Bucs release 2016 Spring Training schedule
Slate includes exhibition game at Pirates' Triple-A ballpark
PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates on Tuesday released their Spring Training schedule, featuring an exhibition game against the Reds at Victory Field, home of Pittsburgh's Triple-A Indianapolis affiliate.
The Bucs' spring slate begins at noon ET on Feb. 29 with their annual "Black and Gold" intrasquad game. They will kick off their Grapefruit League schedule on March 1 against the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.
Pittsburgh's Grapefruit League home opener will take place on March 2 against the Tigers at McKechnie Field, the Pirates' home park in Florida since 1969. The Pirates' 31-game spring slate features 16 games at McKechnie Field, including five of their first seven Spring Training contests.
The Pirates will play two night games at McKechnie Field this spring: March 26 against the Rays and March 27 against the Orioles. Both games will begin at 6:05 p.m. ET.
The Bucs are also scheduled to play two road games under the lights: against the Red Sox in Fort Myers on March 25 and against the Yankees in Tampa on March 29. The rest of the Bucs' Grapefruit League games are scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m. ET.
After leaving Florida, the Pirates will head to Victory Field in Indianapolis, the home ballpark of the Pirates' Triple-A club, to play an exhibition game against the Reds at 1:35 p.m. ET on April 2. The Pirates will open the regular season against the Cardinals at PNC Park on April 4.
Last spring, the Pirates set a club attendance record, drawing 106,038 fans to their 15 Spring Training games at McKechnie Field.
Pirates Spring Training season tickets and a five-game "Weekend Package" go on sale Dec. 14. Single-game tickets will be available on Jan. 23 at the McKechnie Field box office and online at pirates.com/springtraining.