CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) _ Omar Daal made manager Larry Bowa's decision to choose him as Philadelphia opening-day pitcher look good, working into the seventh inning of the Phillies' 6-5 victory Friday night over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In his next-to-last start of the spring, Daal gave up three runs in the first inning then allowed just two more hits before leaving the game with two outs in the seventh at Jack Russell Stadium.

He allowed five hits in 6 2-3 innings, walked one and struck out six.

Pirates' reliever Rich Loiselle started the eighth inning but was taken out of the game after he threw his second pitch behind Phillies hitter Brian R. Hunter. He was relieved by Dave Pavlis, and the team said after the game that Loiselle felt tingling in the fingers of his right hand and could not grip the ball.

Down 6-3 entering the ninth inning, the Pirates rallied against Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier. Thomas Howard and Warren Morris doubled and John Wehner and Abraham Nunez singled before Cormier was taken out. He gave up two runs, got one out and left with men on first and second.

Clint Sodowsky came in and struck out Reggie Jefferson and Emil Brown to end the game.

The first three Pirates to face Daal reached base, Jason Kendall's single scoring Brown with the first run. A sacrifice fly by Enrique Wilson and a single by John Vander Wal scored two more runs.

The Phillies tied it in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs with two outs. Pirates pitcher Joe Beimel, fighting to be Pittsburgh's fifth starter, walked Bobby Abreu and Scott Rolen. Pat Burrell scored both of them with a double and Travis Lee singled home Burrell.

The Phillies took the lead in the fourth on a double by Jimmy Rollins and an RBI single by Rolen. They scored twice more in the fifth, on a double by Abreu and a single by Burrell.

Travis Lee continued his recent hot streak, going 2-for-2 with a walk for the Phillies. He is now 11 for his 23 (.478) and has raised his overall spring average to .300.