Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam and the Miami Marlins erased an early four-run deficit to beat the Colorado Rockies, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game series.
Troy Perkins was in fine form all night as he helped the Portland Timbers sustain some late pressure to a earn a point in the club's 0-0 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday.
The Rockies got no more than an infield hit off Pirates starter James McDonald, but still walked away with a win Wednesday in the opener of a doubleheader.
The Steelers began the necessary process of getting younger this offseason by bidding adieu to such old standbys as Hines Ward, James Farrior and Aaron Smith, but there's still more work to be done to a roster where age remains a concern. Fortunately, the 10 picks Pittsburgh...more possesses presents an opportunity to bring in some desired new blood, particularly to a defense that has seven current starters 30 or over. Finding an eventual replacement for longtime nose tackle Casey Hampton, who's most effective in a timeshare role at this stage of his career, will be among general manager Kevin Colbert's top priorities, and the team could probably do better than the modestly-talented tandem of Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster at guard. Veteran Larry Foote is a capable substitute for Farrior at one inside linebacker slot, but the 31-year-old is merely a stopgap option and depth is thin behind the regulars. With top rusher Rashard Mendenhall's status for 2012 in question due to a torn
Fresh off last weekend's victory, Phil Mickelson kept rolling Thursday by firing a five-under 66 to take the lead at the suspended Northern Trust Open.