The Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Minnesota Twins a 6-4 loss at LECOM Park on Thursday in spring training play. Despite Josh Bell's 1-for-2 with an RBI effort at the plate, the Twins could not pull even when it mattered. Simeon Woods Richardson worked 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits. Both clubs finished with 11 hits apiece in a closely contested battle. The loss is a minor bump as the Twins continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Josh Bell was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI. His consistent contact set the tone for the lineup. The Twins will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Kyler Fedko also contributed, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, Alan Roden chipped in, going 3-for-4, and Orlando Arcia added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. The Twins showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Shawn Ross led the Pirates offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI day. Spencer Horwitz also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Oneil Cruz added a 2-for-2 with a double effort as well. The Pirates offense proved to be too much for the Twins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Simeon Woods Richardson got the start, running into trouble, working 2.0 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits with one strikeout. He threw 37 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.6 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out four. The Twins continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Joe La Sorsa recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Zebby Matthews stood out with 2.1 innings of 1-run work, striking out three. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Pirates got on the board first with three runs in the first inning. The Twins struck back with three runs in the second. Pirates answered with a run in the fourth. The Twins responded with a run in the seventh. Pirates countered with two runs in the eighth. The Pirates were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Both teams finished with 11 hits apiece, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 3,905 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Twins will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.