Tag: Chase d'Arnaud

Andy Marte is congratulated on his home run in the 5th







Columbus Clippers  7,  Indianapolis Indians  5
(box score) 

A pair of home runs and 11 hits were not enough for the Indians to overcome the Clippers and escape the sweep at Victory Field on Sunday afternoon.  Like in the three previous games, the Indians had a runner on base in the bottom of the 9th, but could not keep the inning going long enough to bring him in.  

With the scheduled starter, Daniel McCutchen, called up to the Pirates, Brad Lincoln (photo) made the start for the Tribe.  Lincoln has been on the Pirates' 15-day Disabled List due to a forearm bruise, which happened when he was hit by a come-backer in a game at the end of spring training.  Lincoln was originally due to start for the Bradenton Marauders today, but the roster shuffling saw Lincoln traveling to Indiana instead.  Before the game, manager Dean Treanor said that he was hoping to see at least 4 innings from Lincoln, who had not really had enough time to get completely stretched out in his shortened spring training.


Lincoln looked great on the mound, and even looked like he may have lost some weight since he was here last year.  He buzzed through the first three innings, allowing only a double to the Clippers' 9-hole hitter RF Bubba Bell in the 3rd.  Eight of the first nine outs were groundouts, with Lincoln also getting one strikeout.  Clippers' 2B Cord Phelps led off the top of the 4th with a solo homer to straight away center field, which landed in the ground cover in front of the pine trees.  Lincoln hit the next batter, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, with a pitch, but C Dusty Brown cut Chisenhall down as he tried to steal second base.  Two more quick outs finished the 4th inning.


Lincoln did come back out to begin the 5th.  He got SS Luis Valbuena to line out right to 2B Pedro Ciriaco (photo)for the first out.  (Ciriaco just had to stick out his glove, and didn't even take a step.)  Then he hit LF Jared Head with a pitch, and got a fly out.  That was all for Lincoln for the day.  He had thrown 72 pitches (42 strikes), a very reasonable count for where he is in his "spring".  Lincoln was responsible for 2 runs on 2 hits, with 2 strikeouts in 4.2 innings.  


Cesar Valdez came in from the bullpen to relieve Lincoln, but he struggled in his 0.2 innings.  With two outs and a runner on first when he entered the game, Valdez gave up an RBI double to Bell (Bell's second hit of the game).  That scored the runner from first, and Bell advanced to third on the throw.  CF Ezequiel Carrera walked on a full count, then Phelps blasted his second home run in two innings, this one sailing so high over the right field wall, that RF Andrew Lambo merely turned in his tracks and watched it go.  That gave the Clippers 4 runs in the inning, one charged to Lincoln and three to Valdez, for a 5-0 lead.  Chisenhall reached base next, on a grounder to first that popped out of 1B Matt Hague's glove and over his shoulder for an error.  It turned out to not matter, as Valdez finally got a strikeout to end the inning.  

Pitching coach Tom Filer, catcher Wyatt Toregas, and pitcher Justin Wilson









Columbus Clippers  8,  Indianapolis Indians  7
(box score)

For the third night in a row, the Indians were down by one run in the bottom of the last inning with at least one runner on base -- and couldn't capitalize.  In addition, it was Pedro Ciriaco who was the last man to bat in each game.  That's not to place the blame for the losses on Ciriaco -- other players had also had opportunities to drive in runs and were not able too.  It's just an odd coincidence that Ciriaco ended the three games with a grounder into a double play, a ground out, and tonight a pop out.  

Like in the first two games, the Clippers were first onto the scoreboard.  Indians' starter Justin Wilson (photo) retired the first 8 batters he faced, including 5 strikeouts, with 4 of those in a row.  He struck out the side in the 2nd inning, then struck out the first batter of the 3rd inning.  Like the first two games, this game featured a diving catch of a low line drive by the Indians' shortstop.  In the first two games, that shortstop was Ciriaco; tonight it was Chase d'Arnaud, who recorded the second out in the 3rd inning.  The Clipper's ninth batter, RF Jerad Head, then rocketed Wilson's 2-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field for a solo homer.  Wilson then walked the next batter, CF Ezequiel Carrera, who promptly stole second base on the first pitch to the SS Cord Phelps.  Phelps slipped a grounder up the middle, just out of reach of d'Arnaud, and Carrera came around to score from second.  A walk to 3B Lonnie Chisenhall prompted a visit by pitching coach Tom Filer (photo above).  After catching his breath, Wilson got a fly out to end the inning.
 
Wilson also had to work around base runners in the 4th inning.  After another strikeout, Wilson gave up an infield single to 1B Jordan Brown.  Brown grounded back to the mound, and the ball tipped off Wilson's glove and over towards short.  SS d'Arnaud had to change his direction, but he got to the ball and made a rushed throw to first.  The throw pulled 1B Matt Hague off base, though it appeared that Brown might have beat the ball to the bag anyway.  DH Wes Hodges also tapped back to the mound, where Wilson whirled and threw to second, forcing out Brown.  But 2B Brian Friday's throw on to first went wide, and Hodges was safe.  C Paul Phillip walked, but then Head grounded to short, and the inning ended on the force out at second base.  

Columbus Clippers  3,  Indianapolis Indians  2

For the second night in a row, a late-inning rally by the Indians fell through, as the Tribe lost to the Clippers at Victory Field tonight.  

This time, the Indians went into the bottom of the 9th trailing the Clippers by one run, and Jensen Lewis on the mound for Columbus.  1B Matt Hague (photo) began the action by taking Lewis' first pitch on a line into left field for a single.  3B Brian Friday followed with another line drive into left field.  Clippers' LF Jordan Brown had the ball back to the infield quickly, so Hague was able to advance only to second base.  Hague was replaced by pinch-runner Josh Harrison.  CF Corey Wimberly dropped down a nearly perfect sacrifice bunt, moving both base runners into scoring position.  Pinch-hitter Andrew Lambo came to the plate in place of C Dusty Brown, and was intentionally walked to load the bases.  But Lewis bore down and struck out LF Gorkys Hernandez, then got SS Pedro Ciriaco to ground out to third base, ending the game with all three runners still in place.  

The Tribe had been able to put at least one runner on base in all but one of Columbus starter Jeanmar Gomez's six innings.  Gomez retired the side in order in the 1st.  Hague picked up the first of his three singles in the 2nd inning, with a liner into center field.  Friday walked, but the two were left on base when a pop out ended the inning.  Brown and Hernandez opened the 3rd inning with back-to-back singles, but when Ciriaco tried to put down a sacrifice bunt, the ball landed too close to the plate.  Former Indy Indian and now the Columbus catcher Luke Carlin pounced on the ball and fired to third base, forcing out Brown.  RF Alex Presley popped up for the second out, but the Indians still had a chance, with runners on first and second.   But Hernandez must have been daydreaming as he led off second base, and Gomez was able to catch him standing well off the base, and a quick run-down (1-4-5) had Hernandez picked off.  

2B Chase d'Arnaud (photo) walked with one out in the 4th inning, stole second, and kept going to third when Carlin's wide throw to second skittered into right-center field.  He was left standing just 90 feet from scoring when a pop up and a ground out ended the inning.  Wimberly led off the 5th with a little bloop that fell in amid three Clippers' fielders.  Wimberly raced to first, but he hesitated ever so slightly as he rounded the bag, and despite his speed, he was not able to beat the throw to second base when SS Cord Phelps picked up the ball in short left field.  

The Tribe finally got to Jeanmar Gomez in the 6th inning.  With one out, Presley beat out a infield single on a ball to deep short, and he stole second base.  After a fly out, d'Arnaud crushed a line drive to the wall in right field for a triple.  Presley scored easily with the first Indians' run.  Hague followed with a shorter liner into right field, and d'Arnaud came home, as Gomez headed for the showers.  Former Indy Indian (2010) Joe Martinez came on in relief, and ended the 6th with a strikeout.  Martinez went on to retire the Tribe in order in the 7th.  

Yankees  4,  Pirates  2
Reliever Mike Crotta, who had not given up a run up 'til today, surrendered his first spring training run this afternoon in Tampa.  Crotta came on to pitch the final inning, with the Yankees already ahead 3-2.  He gave up a single, a sacrifice bunt, and another single, for the Yankees' final run of the game.  Crotta is still in the running for a bullpen spot with the Pirates.  
The Yankees got onto the scoreboard first, with a 2-run homer by Alex Rodriguez in the bottom of the 1st inning off starter Kevin Correia.  Correia sailed through the next two innings, then gave up another run in the 4th on a walk and two singles.  He gave up only one more hit in the next two innings, finishing his afternoon with 6 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts.  Jose Veras pitched a scoreless 7th inning. 
The Pirates scored one run in the 2nd inning, when 3B Pedro Alvarez led off with a walk and C Jason Jaramillo doubled him in.  LF Jose Tabata smacked a triple in the 5th inning, and scored on 2B Neil Walker's sacrifice fly, for the Pirates' second run.  The Pirates posted 10 hits in the game, but did not score again  -- 8 runners were left on base.  Manager Clint Hurdle indicated that today's lineup is what he expects to be his regular starting lineup, and today most of those position players were in for the entire game.  SS Ronny Cedeno came out of the game in a double-switch in the bottom of the 8th, and Josh Rodriguez entered the game.  Rodriguez lined a single in the top of the 9th, but was left on base.  

The Pirates have two more games in Florida (at McKechnie Field against the Rays on Sunday, and in Ft. Myers against the Twins on Monday.  Then they will play two games in Philadelphia on Tuesday and Wednesday, before heading to Chicago to begin the regular season next Friday.  


The Pirates reassigned four more players to minor league camp this morning:  P Brian Burres,  C Dusty Brown, INF Andy Marte, and INF Corey Wimberly.   Moving Marte to minor league camp is encouraging for Steve Pearce, who is now nearly assured a bench spot on the major league team.  


S/W-B Yankees  6,  Indy Indians  5
The Indians faced New York Yankees' pitcher CC Sabathia this afternoon in a AAA spring training game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in Tampa this afternoon.  They hit 5 singles off Sabathia in three innings, but could not bring any of those base runners around to score.  James McDonald came from the Pirates' big league camp to make a start for the Indians.  He gave up one run on 4 hits in his 3 innings.  The Indians scored a run in the 6th inning on Alex Presley's sacrifice fly.  Josh Fields, who went 2-for-3 in the game, doubled in a run in the 7th, then Jim Negrych followed with a 2-run homer.  The Indians were leading 5-2 going into the bottom of the 8th.  The Yankees tied the score in the bottom of the frame with 3 runs on a pair of doubles.  Then in the bottom of the 9th, the Yankees scored with a 2-out single to take the win.

Sketchy reports from two other games:
On Thursday, the Indians lost to the Las Vegas 51's by a score of 5-3, despite home runs by Chase d'Arnaud and Alex Presley.
On Friday, the Indians and the S/W-B Yankees played to a 1-1 tie.  Rudy Owens pitched 4 innings for the Indians, and struck out 6 batters.  

Orioles  13,  Pirates  3
Indianapolis area native C Jake Fox beat up on the Pirates' pitching this afternoon in Bradenton, with two booming home runs and 4 RBI.  The first homer capped a 6-run 3rd inning, when Pirates' starter Ross Ohlendorf gave up four singles and a double before the homer.  Fox struck again in the 7th -- Scott Olsen gave up a double to DH Matt Wieters, followed by Fox's second homer.  Olsen surrendered a single and a walk after the homer, and he was relieved by Mike Dubee.  Dubee struck out the first batter he faced, then gave up an RBI single, before ending the inning with a fly out.  The Orioles added 3 runs in the 8th off Joe Beimel.  A double, a walk, and a single loaded the bases, then a single and two ground outs drove in the runs.  Former Indy Indian C Michel Hernandez singled for the Orioles in the top of the 9th, and scored on an RBI triple off reliever Sean Gallagher.  Daniel McCutchen pitched 2 scoreless innings for the Pirates, allowing 3 hits.  

While the Orioles were busy posting 20 hits, the Pirates managed 8.  Two of those were by 3B Pedro Alvarez, who also had the Pirates' only extra base hit, a double in the 7th, which was ruled a ground-rule double.  That made a difference, because 2B Neil Walker had opened the inning with a walk.  He raced around and crossed the plate on Alvarez's double, but then was called back to third base when the umpires ruled it a ground-rule.  Walker was left standing on third base, when a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning.  

The Pirates did score one run in the 2nd inning.  1B Lyle Overbay began the rally with a single lined into right field.  RF Matt Diaz grounded to short, forcing Overbay out at second, but Orioles' shortstop (and another former Indy Indian) JJ Hardy made a throwing error on his relay to first, allowing Diaz to reach second base.  Diaz advanced to second on a fly out, and scored on C Jason Jaramillo's RBI single.  LF Jose Tabata led off the 5th inning with a walk, and moved to second base on Walker's ground out.  CF Andrew McCutchen plated Tabata with a single up the middle.  Overbay reached base on a catcher's interference call, then Diaz brought in McCutchen with a line drive single into right field.  

Also getting into the game:  LF John Bowker, 3B Andy Marte, Corey Wimberly in center field, RF Miles Durham, RF Steve Pearce, 2B Josh Harrison, pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco, 1B Garrett Atkins, C Dusty Brown, and SS Josh Rodriguez.  Durham entered the game to play right field in the top of the 8th.  In the top of the 9th, he crashed into the wall trying to catch the ball that turned out to be a triple.  Durham was down for a few moments, but was able to get up and walk off the field under his own power.  Pearce took over for Durham in right field, then singled in the bottom of the inning.  Josh Rodriguez also singled in the 8th inning, and Josh Harrison worked a walk in the 9th.  

The rest of the Pirates' middle infielders.... So much of what is going to happen with these players is going to depend on what the Pirates elect to do about their back-up infield roster spots.  Ciriaco?  Rodriguez? Wimberley?

Brian Friday  --  R/R,  5' 11",  180 lb

Friday was the Pirates' 3rd round draft pick in 2007.  He reached AA Altoona in 2009 and was their regular shortstop, but did not have as good a season as he' hoped, committing 25 errors in 102 games and hitting .265 with 7 homers and 46 RBI.  Friday was promoted to Indianapolis to begin 2010.  He began the season hitting a solid .270 with 6 RBI in April.  That slid to .242 in May, but he homered twice and had 11 RBI.  Friday got hot in early June, going 10-for-26 (.385) in the first 9 days, which raised his overall average to .277.  But then Friday was clipped by a base runner sliding into second base.  The ankle sprain he suffered kept him on the Disabled List in the middle part of the season.   When he returned, his hitting had suffered, and Friday hit just .233 over the rest of the season.  Friday struck out 69 times over the season, but those were about evenly distributed between before-the-ankle-injury (36 times in 50 games) and after-the-ankle-injury (33 times in 43 games).  Friday played most of his games at second base for the Indians, though he also got in a bit of time at shortstop.  The 25-year-old Friday was invited to the major league camp for Spring Training, but he was reassigned to the minor league camp on Monday.  The Pirates have indicated that they will want Friday to be the regular second baseman at AAA Indianapolis in 2011.

 

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The minor league spring training games began today, with the Indy Indians facing off against the Las Vegas 51's in Dunedin.  Info about the minor league games tends to be sketchy at best, and often non-existent, but this evening we got some info:
51's  5,  Indians  2  --   Rudy Owens got the start in the Indians' first game.  He pitched 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, no walks, with 3 strikeouts.  The runs came in the 3rd, with former Indy Indian (2005-06) Craig Stansberry contributing to the rally.  The Indians scored one of their runs in the top of the 1st, on three consecutive hits by CF Gorkys Hernandez, SS Chase d'Arnaud, and 1B Matt Hague (RBI).  Stansberry picked up another RBI in Las Vegas' 3-run 7th inning.  


Meanwhile, back to the middle infielders:

Brock Holt --  Bats L / Throws R;  5' 10",  165 lbsHolt was the Pirates' 9th round pick in the 2009 draft.  He can play both second base and shortstop, and did both at State College in 2009, though more at short.  He also hit well for the Spikes, with a .299 average, 6 homers, and 33 RBI in 66 games.  The Pirates thought well enough of him to have him begin 2010 at A+ Bradenton (skipping A level West Virginia).  It was a good move, at least offensively, as Holt got off to a roaring start -- he hit .383 in April, .310 in May, and was 9-for-18 in June.  His defense was a little shaky.  Holt made 14 errors in 47 games at shortstop.  Then in early June, Holt collided with teammate Adenson Chourio during a game and tore the median collateral ligament in his knee.  It was a "compound" tear, so it took longer than the average time to heal, and Holt missed the entire rest of the season.  He has said that his rehab time went well, and he was ready to go when spring training began.  Holt could begin the 2011 season back with Bradenton if the Pirates feel he needs more work on defense at that level, but his hitting in 2010 seems to indicate that he'd be ready for AA Altoona.  The 23-year-old Holt has said that he's equally comfortable at second base and shortstop and that he has no particular preference for either one.

Catching up after being away for a few days...

On Saturday, the Pirates sent four pitchers to minor league camp:
RHP Bryan Morris and RHP Kyle McPherson, both on the 40-man roster, were optioned down, with Morris going to AAA Indianapolis and McPherson going to A+ Bradenton.   
Two lefties, Rudy Owens and Justin Wilson, were also sent to the minor league camp, and though their exact level is still not official, both should begin the season with the Indy Indians.  

More moves were made today:
From the 40-man roster--
LHP Jeff Locke, LHP Aaron Thompson, and RHP Ramon Aguero were optioned to AA Altoona 
LHP Daniel Moskos and LHP Tony Watson were optioned to Indianapolis
Outfielders Gorkys Hernandez and Alex Presley were optioned to Indianapolis
Moskos and Presley both spent part of 2010 with Indianapolis, while Watson and Hernandez will make their debut at the AAA level.  Locke, Aguero, and Thompson all spent part of 2010 with Altoona.

Not on the 40-man yet --
Infielders Chase d'Arnaud and Brian Friday and outfielder Andrew Lambo were reassigned to minor league camp.  Friday played in Indianapolis for most of 2010 and should return there.  D'Arnaud and Lambo were in Altoona for 2010;  Lambo is ready for AAA, though d'Arnaud may be asked to go back to Altoona for part of 2011.  

Blue Jays  5,  Pirates  0
 
The Pirates were held to just 4 hits in this afternoon's game against the Blue Jays at McKechnie Field.  3B Pedro Alvarez had two of the hits --  a two-out single up the middle in the 1st inning, and a single on a pop up in the 6th.  The single in the 1st moved CF Andrew McCutchen, who had walked, to third base, and the single in the 6th followed a line drive double by 2B Pedro Ciriaco and moved Ciriaco to third base.  Both times, however, the innings ended without the Pirates being able to get the run in.  The only other hit in the game was by 2B Brian Friday, who led off the top of the 9th by beating out a grounder to third.  After a strikeout, 1B Andy Marte walked, putting two runners on base.  But pinch-hitter Gift Ngoepe struck out and C Jason Jaramillo grounded out to end the game.  

James McDonald made the start and was responsible for 4 of the Jays' runs.  He gave up a double, two singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly for 2 runs in the top of the 1st.  He retired the side in order in the 2nd, but got into trouble again in the 3rd.  A double and a throwing error by SS Corey Wimberly gave the Jays a run in the 3rd.  With two outs and a runner on second base, McDonald had reached his pitch limit (about 50 pitches), and he was relieved by Justin Thomas.  Thomas gave up an RBI single and a walk, then ended the inning with a strikeout.  Chris Resop surrendered the remaining Toronto run in the 5th.  Back-to-back doubles by former Pirate Jose Bautista (who went 3-for-3) and Travis Snyder brought in that run.  Resop struck out the next two batters, and ended the inning with a ground out.  Joel Hanrahan, Aaron Thompson, Daniel McCutchen, Justin Wilson, and Jeff Locke each pitched one scoreless inning for the Pirates.  McCutchen gave up two hits and Locke gave up one.  Wilson walked one batter and struck out the other three he faced.  

Also in the game:  SS Chase d'Arnaud, LF Gorkys Hernandez, CF Alex Presley, RF Andrew Lambo, 3B Garrett Atkins. 

Pirates  4,  Phillies  3
 
A 2-run homer by 2B Neil Walker in the top of the 6th gave the Pirates the go-ahead run and one more for insurance, as the Pirates beat the Phillies in Clearwater, FL.   A solo homer by Phillies' DH Ben Francisco off Pirates' starter Paul Maholm put the first run on the board in the bottom of the 2nd.  It was the only run Maholm allowed in his 3 innings of work.  He did not walk any batters and struck out two.  Jeff Karstens took over for Maholm to begin the 4th.  He also gave up a run, when Francisco and 2B Delwyn Young both doubled.  Karstens retired the side in order in the 5th inning.  

1B Lyle Overbay had 3 hits for the Pirates, beginning with a lead-off single in the 2nd inning.  That time, he was forced out at second on a subsequent play.  Overbay led off the 4th with a double into left field.  He moved to 3rd base on Neil Walker's ground out, then scored on DJ Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly.  RF John Bowker tied the score in the top of the 5th, when he doubled into left field, then scored on ground outs by SS Chase d'Arnaud and CF Andrew McCutchen.  Overbay's third hit of the game was a line drive single in the top of the 6th, and Walker followed that with his blast over the right field wall to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead.  

Tony Watson came on to pitch the 6th inning.  He had two runners get on base, with a walk and a throwing error by d'Arnaud.  But d'Arnaud redeemed himself moments later, when he took the throw from Watson on a bouncer back to the mound, and turned the inning-ending double play.  Watson gave up a run in the 7th on a pair of singles, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single.  That inning also ended on a double play, when Watson struck out former Pirate Brandon Moss, then C Dusty Brown threw out the runner from first as he tried to steal second base.   Sean Gallagher buzzed through three batters, retiring all on a total of 5 pitches in the 8th inning.  Chris Leroux took the top of the 9th, and he also got out of a jam with a spectacular double play.  A walk, a sacrifice bunt, and another walk put two runners on base with one out.  SS Freddy Galvis lifted a long fly ball to left center field, but LF Alex Presley tracked it down with a long running catch, then whirled and fired in to the infield.  A relay by SS Brian Friday, then to 1B Garrett Atkins, and the runner from first base was doubled off, ending the game.  Leroux was credited with the Save, and Karstens got the win.

Also in the game:  2B Pedro Ciriaco singled in the 8th and stole second base.  CF Corey Wimberly, 3B Josh Fields, PH/DH Andrew Lambo, an PH/RF Steve Pearce all got into the game.   

Phillies  7,   Pirates  4

A  3-run rally in the 7th inning was enough to push the Phillies over the Pirates at McKechnie Field this afternoon.  
Starter Kevin Correia had a shaky top of the 1st inning.  The first four batters he faced all singled, bringing in 2 runs.  Then with runners on the corners, Correia buckled down, getting a foul pop out then two strikeouts to end the inning.  The Pirates got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, SS Pedro Ciriaco doubled into left field, and 2B Neil Walker moved him to third base with a line drive single into right.  1B Lyle Overbay also lined into right field, to drive in Ciriaco, though Walker was out when he tried to get from first to third.  DH Matt Diaz also singled, but he and Overbay were left on base at the end of the inning.  
Correia worked around a single in the 2nd inning, then retired the side in order in the 3rd inning.  The Pirates also went down in order in both the 2nd and 3rd.  Diaz tied the score in the 4th, with a walk and a stolen base, then a single by 3B Andy Marte.   
Brian Burres pitched the 4th and 5th innings, allowing only a double.   Fernando Nieve took the mound next.  The first batter he faced was Ryan Howard, who blasted a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead.  Nieve gave up a walk and a single after the homer, but left them on base.  The bottom of the inning began with a walk by Walker.  Pinch-hitter Tony Sanchez bounced a ground-rule double over the left field wall, moving Walker to third.  RF Garrett Jones ground out to first, which let Walker score to tie it up again.  Marte hit the next ground rule double, driving in Sanchez with the go-ahead run.  
Nieve came back out for the top of the 7th, and that's when he got into even more trouble.  Two singles (one to former Pirate Brandon Moss) and a double tied the score again, at 4-4.  Nieve was relieved by Mike Dubee (whose dad is Phillies' pitching coach Rich Dubee).  Dubee gave up a ground out to second, which allowed Moss to score from third base.  A single brought in the third run of the inning, then Dubee got a strikeout to end the inning.  Bryan Morris pitched the 8th inning, and gave up the final Phillies' run with a double, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly.  Daniel Moskos pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 9th to wrap things up.
The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the 7th.  Singles by CF Alex Presley and LF John Bowker and a walk by 2B Corey Wimberly loaded the bases with one out.   All three were left standing there when both 1B Josh Fields and Tony Sanchez struck out.  

C Wyatt Toregas also singled for the Pirates.  SS Chase d'Arnaud, RF Andrew Lambo, and CF Gorkys Hernandez all got into the game as well.   

Twins  4,  Pirates  2
The Pirates fell to a 3-3 record in Grapefruit League play this afternoon at McKechnie field.  Both teams posted 9 hits, but the Twins did a better job of pushing runs across.  Ross Ohlendorf made the start and was charged with the loss, but the only run he gave up was unearned, and 4 of the 5 outs he recorded were strikeouts.  The run came in the top of the 1st, on a walk, a passed ball, and an RBI double.  Ohlendorf got the first two outs in the top of the 2nd, then gave up a single, and by then he had reached his pitch limit.  Mike Dubee, up from minor league camp, finished the inning for Ohlendorf, blowing three pitches past Jason Repko for a strikeout.  Tony Watson pitched the 3rd inning, and gave up a run on a walk and an RBI double.  

The Pirates got one run back in the bottom of the 5th.  RF Andrew Lambo started the rally with a ground rule double down the left field line, and then he scored on LF Jose Tabata's single up the middle.  Mike Crotta pitched 2 scoreless innings, working around a hit in each (4th and 5th).   Joel Hanrahan took over for the 6th.  The first batter he faced, 2B Luke Hughes, drove a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall to give the Twins a 3-1 lead.  After the homer, Hanrahan got two outs, then loaded the bases with a walk and two singles.  Hanrahan was relieved by another minor league pitcher, Tom Boleska, who needed just one pitch to end the inning with a fly out, leaving all three runners stranded.  

Jose Veras pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 8th for the Pirates.  Justin Thomas gave up another unearned run in the top of the 8th.  With one out, a fly ball to center field should have been either an out or a harmless single, but CF Gorkys Hernandez had trouble with the windy conditions.  He dropped the ball, then when he tried to pick it up off the ground, he dropped it twice more.  That allowed the runner to reach third base (3-base error).  An RBI single brought him in from third base.  Chris Leroux finished things up by retiring the side in the top of the 9th.  The Pirates rallied again in the bottom of the 9th.  With one out, DH Steve Pearce lifted a double into center field.  C Dusty Brown lined a single into right field, plating Pearce from second base.  Pedro Ciriaco pinch-ran for Brown, and he reached second base on RF Starling Marte's ground out, but another ground out by LF Alex Presley ended the game.  Marte had singled in the 7th inning, but was out at second on a force play.

Also getting into the game:  SS Corey Wimberly, SS Chase d'Arnaud, 3B Garrett Atkins,  2B Brian Friday, and 1B Josh Fields.