LAKELAND, Fla. — Charlie Morton allowed one hit in three scoreless innings, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.

Morton did not strike out a batter, but he kept Detroit off the bases during his short stint, aside from Don Kelly’s second-inning double.

“I made some decent pitches and got lucky a few times,” Morton said. “They put some really good swings on the ball and I was fortunate it went right at somebody.”

Kelly had two hits for the Tigers, and Austin Jackson hit a two-run homer in the fourth for Detroit’s runs.

Pittsburgh scored three times in the third off Rick Porcello. Jaff Decker brought a run home with a bunt single, Gregory Polanco hit an RBI double and Pedro Alvarez added a run-scoring groundout.

Morton went 7-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 20 starts last year, and he’s hoping to build on that in 2014. He hasn’t allowed a run this spring, and the first four Detroit outs Tuesday came on groundballs.

Morton said it’s still too early for him to worry much about the game situation when he’s pitching.

“I threw a couple more offspeed pitches for strikes than last time,” Morton said. “I think in a start or two, it will be, `All right, now who’s up there? What are they trying to do? What am I trying to do against them?”’

Porcello allowed three runs and five hits in three innings. Pittsburgh did most of the damage in the third after Josh Harrison led off the inning with a double.

Detroit’s Hernan Perez was thrown out at home on a close play in the fifth. Catcher Chris Stewart took the throw from Decker, the right fielder, and applied the tag.

“I’m never one to block the plate,” Stewart said. “Fortunately the new rule didn’t really have an effect on me.”