Battled more than the Pirates on Saturday

Yeah, Jake Odorizzi was dominant yesterday against the Pirates’ A-list team with near perfect command of his fastball.

But Odorizzi spoke after his one-run, 6 1/3-inning outing about a different kind of challenge.

The humid afternoon swelter in Bradenton was more mid-summer than March. Foreign to FruitDome pitchers, Odorizzi said successfully battling his sweaty hands yesterday will help him later, per RaysBaseball.com.

“In the first inning or two, I was trying to wipe off the sweat, just so I could get a better feel for the ball,” Odorizzi said. “It’s good for those July games — for New York, Baltimore and Texas. You can’t really simulate them at the Trop.”

More strong signs for the Rays’ rotation. Odorizzi overcame the sweat and didn’t allow his line run until a seventh-inning homer.

Yeah, it’s just spring, but four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings for lefty Dana Eveland, this year’s early candidate for bullpen miracle, made it a near perfect afternoon for pitching-obsessed Rays fans.