Eickhoff takes step toward regular season

Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff repeatedly found himself digging out of holes of his own making on Friday afternoon. Eickhoff ended up with the loss, allowing four earned runs on five hits in a 5-4 win by Pittsburgh on an unseasonably cold day at Spectrum Field. He struck out three and walked none in his 3 1/3 innings of his work. The Phillies’ current No. 2 starter allowed the leadoff man to get aboard in three of the four innings he started against the visiting Pirates. Each time it cost him at least one run.