Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
MLB Scores Matchups Teams Standings
 
 · Regular Season
Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Recap: Pirates , Twins
 •  BT Movements
Game: 1
Venue: Hammond Stadium
Date: March 15, 2012 1:05 PM EDT
  

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Andrew McCutchen was more than glad to share Thursday.

McCutchen doubled and scored three times, and the Pittsburgh Pirates used 10-run barrage in the first inning to batter the Minnesota Twins 17-6.

Garrett Jones and Alex Presley each homered, doubled and singled. The Pirates finished with 19 hits, 10 for extra bases.

Advertisement

``We brought the lumber today. That was pretty much it,' McCutchen said. ``We swung it. That's about all that went into it. People start hitting, and next thing you know, it's just a domino effect.'

Matt Hague homered and had three hits for the Pirates. Jones drove in four runs.

``I think a lot of guys have matured as hitters and learned from last year, made improvements and adjustments to make us better,' Jones said. ``We have the talent to hit well and to be a great team. It's just a matter of putting it all together and doing it during the games.'

The numbers were more than encouraging for a lineup expected to start a handful of players with fewer than three years of major league experience. The Pirates ranked in the bottom three in the NL in runs and slugging percentage last year.

Pittsburgh came into the game fourth in batting average among NL clubs this spring.

``Our offense, we needed to get some things done in more consistent fashion,' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. ``That was our weakest link last year. It all comes down to better ownership of bats, better maintenance of bats, two-strike hits, putting more balls in play and we've been able to do that this spring, so we have some optimism moving forward.'

Twins starter Terry Doyle, who split last year between Double-A and Class A, allowed eight runs and seven hits while getting only two outs.

Doyle, a long shot to break into the Twins' rotation, is also vying for a bullpen spot. A Rule 5 draft pick from the White Sox in December, he has given up 10 runs and 15 hits through less than six innings this spring.

``I just couldn't locate a fastball,' Doyle said. ``I'm not sure what it was, but I was trying to throw out and throwing in, and trying to throw in and throwing out. I left things up in the zone, and a bunch of bad stuff happened.'

Minnesota outfielder Denard Span had two hits, scored twice, drove in a run and stole a base. He kept up his strong play this spring after missing much of last year with concussion and migraine symptoms.

NOTES: Joe Mauer added a single and two RBIs for the Twins. ... Jo-Jo Reyes got the start for Pittsburgh, giving up five hits, three walks and three earned runs in 2 1-3 innings.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Pirates at Twins
Thu, Mar 15 Final 17 to 6
 Recaps
GAME 2
Pirates at Twins
Sun, Mar 18 Final 0 to 10
 Recaps

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 PIT  n/a   n/a   n/a 
 MIN  n/a   n/a   n/a 
BT MOVEMENTS

 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: Mar 31 - June 02

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.