Pirates announce full spring training schedule

BRADENTON -- In less than four months, baseball will be back at McKechnie Field as the Pittsburgh Pirates announced their spring training schedule Tuesday, starting with the Black and Gold intrasquad game Feb. 29.

The highlight of this year's schedule, though, is the addition of a second night game at McKechnie. In previous years, Pittsburgh has made the lone night contest in Bradenton into an event. This year, the Pirates' will host back-to-back 6:05 p.m. games at McKechnie, first against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 26 and then against the Baltimore Orioles on March 27. Last year's night game against the Tigers on March 18 drew a season-high 9,018 fans.

Pittsburgh's actual Grapefruit League slate begins March 1 in Lakeland against Detroit. The next day, the Tigers travel to Bradenton for the Pirates' home opener at 1:05 p.m. Five of Pittsburgh's first seven Grapefruit games will be played at McKechnie Field.

Last spring, the Pirates set a club record with a total of 106,038 fans in 15 home games. That mark shattered the previous record of 93,433 set in 2013 after McKechnie underwent a $10-million renovation.

Pittsburgh went 98-64 last season, finishing second in the National League Central before losing to the division-rival Cubs in the Wild Card Game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates' full-home slate includes 15 home games and concludes March 30 against Red Sox:

Feb. 29 Black and Gold noon

March 2 Tigers 1:05 p.m.

March 3 Blue Jays 1:05 p.m.

March 4 Twins 1:05 p.m.

March 6 Astros (SS) 1:05 p.m.

March 7 Phillies 1:05 p.m.

March 9 Red Sox 1:05 p.m.

March 11 Rays 1:05 p.m.

March 13 Tigers 1:05 p.m.

March 17 Yankees 1:05 p.m.

March 19 Twins 1:05 p.m.

March 23 Orioles 1:05 p.m.

March 26 Rays 6:05 p.m.

March 27 Orioles 6:05 p.m.

March 28 Twins 1:05 p.m.

March 30 Red Sox 1:05 p.m.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Pirates announce full spring training schedule ."