Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings of work in his season debut for Pittsburgh on Monday. Morton added three strikeouts and no walks in Pittsburgh's 4-2 win over the Marlins on Monday.
Morton had just two blemishes on his day. In the first, after allowing a leadoff single to Dee Gordon, he stole second and later scored on a Giancarlo Stanton single. Then in the third, Stanton blasted a solo home run.
"That was the best I've felt in a while," Morton said to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "My timing's better. My direction's a bit better. Everything's just better overall. I think my sinker was working pretty well. I kept it down a little bit and got a lot of ground balls."
Morton, now 1-0, begins his year with a 2.57 ERA. He will look to keep things rolling on Saturday against the Padres.