Pirates 7, Twins 4

Pirates 7, Twins 4
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Hours after learning he'd won a spot in Pittsburgh's rotation, Ryan Vogelsong capped a solid spring with four strong innings in the Pirates' 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.
The right-hander gave up one run and struck out seven in the final four innings for the win. He finished spring training with a 2.05 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 26 1-3 innings.
"He was probably our best starter in spring training and he deserved an opportunity to start," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He kept up his end of the bargain, so we kept up ours."
McClendon said he was leaning toward starting Vogelsong on Thursday against Philadelphia.
Twins starter Carlos Silva allowed three runs and four hits in four innings.
Despite the loss, Minnesota wrapped up one of its best Grapefruit League seasons. The Twins finished spring training 20-11. The only other time they won 20 games was 1991, when the team won its last World Series championship.
"Our goal was to get out of here without getting anyone hurt," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We did that for the most part."
Twins minor league third baseman Mike Sandoval was hurt Saturday when he was hit in the face by a foul ball in the eighth inning. The ball shattered Sandoval's sunglasses and he remained on the ground for several minutes before leaving the field with a trainer and two doctors.
Gardenhire said Sandoval was fine.
For the Pirates, it's a spring they would like to forget. They finished 12-20-1, their worst showing since going 6-18 in 1985. It also was their most losses since moving to Bradenton in 1969.
Pirates left-hander Sean Burnett, one of the team's top pitching prospects, was optioned to Triple-A Nashville, and right-hander Rick Reed was reassigned to minor league camp.
The final two spots in the rotation went to Vogelsong and struggling left-hander Oliver Perez.
Reed, 39, missed about two weeks because of back problems and was 1-0 with a 5.73 ERA in four starts. He had to leave his start Friday after two innings when he took a line drive off his upper left thigh. The Pirates have asked Reed to go to Nashville and build up innings, but it was not known whether he will accept the assignment.
"We still feel he can pitch, he knows how to pitch and can be an asset to this club," McClendon said. "At the same time, I have a responsibility to take the guys north that are ready to perform. He's just not ready to do that."
Had Reed been added to the roster, he would have earned $675,000 with a chance to make an additional $325,000 in incentives. He declined to talk about his future Saturday.
Burnett, 21, was 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA in four games this spring, but he was slowed by tightness in his left shoulder. He has never pitched above Double-A Altoona, but the Pirates don't think he is far from cracking their rotation.
"I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be in the big leagues at some point this season," McClendon said.
Burnett was disappointed with the decision but understood the rationale behind it.
"To make it to the last day and know there is a flight in a few hours to Pittsburgh is rough," Burnett said. "There's nothing I can do about it, but go down and pitch well."
The Pirates will go with two rookie left-handers in the bullpen, John Grabow and Mike Johnston.
After not having a rookie on last year's opening day roster, the Pirates will have five this season. That includes Johnston, who will be the second major league player known to have Tourette's syndrome.
Jim Eisenreich, who played with the Phillies and four other teams from 1982-98, is the other.
Because of his condition, Johnston dropped out of high school at 15 and worked as a stocker at the Philadelphia airport. He was noticed by a scout at an American Legion All-Star game, given a scholarship to Garrett (Md.) Community College and taken by the Pirates in the 20th round of the 1998 draft.
"This is the highlight of my life," Johnston said. "Nothing is bigger than this. This is the biggest thing that has ever happened to me and probably will be. This is the happiest I've ever been. With all the setbacks I've had, to be in this situation is unreal. It's like living a dream."