Long balls lift Bucs past Twins

03/06/2006
Pirates at the plate: Jose Castillo gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead in the first inning with a three-run home run to left field. Jeromy Burnitz went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a home run. Burnitz's first long ball of the spring was a towering shot that cleared the palm trees behind the right-field fence. Ray Sadler put the Pirates ahead to stay with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth.
Twins at the plate: Terry Tiffee paced the Twins offense with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Nick Punto went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and Mike Cuddyer pitched in with two base hits, including an RBI single in the third inning on a hit-and-run play.
Pirates on the mound: Victor Santos kept the Twins off the board in the first two innings before getting into trouble in the third. After Cuddyer's RBI single cut Pittsburgh's lead to 3-1, Matt Capps came on to get the final two outs of the third. Ryan Vogelsong, who is competing with Santos, among others, for the Pirates' two open rotation spots, allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in three innings.
Twins on the mound: Starter Glen Perkins struggled through a long first inning. The southpaw walked three, hit a batter and allowed two hits, including Castillo's three-run homer. J.D. Durbin tossed two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit.
Grapefruit League records: Pirates 4-1; Twins 3-3.
Up next: Southpaw Zach Duke will make his second start of the spring on Tuesday when the Bucs host the Atlanta Braves. Right-hander Brad Radke will take the mound for the Twins on Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., against the New York Yankees.

Source: http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/