Pineda sharp in Twins’ 6-5 loss to Pirates

Michael Pineda pitched five scoreless innings, but the Minnesota Twins fell 6-5 following a Pittsburgh Pirates rally in the eighth and ninth innings Wednesday in Fort Myers, Florida.

Pineda struck out five while allowing just two hits and one walk in five innings for the Twins.

Willians Astudillo and Byron Buxton got the Twins on the board early.

Astudillo drove in Marwin Gonzalez with a single in the second inning, then drove in C.J. Cron with another single in the fourth.

Buxton also singled in the fourth, driving in Jonathan Schoop.

Schoop pushed the Twins’ lead to 5-0 with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, but Pittsburgh stormed back, scoring three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to take the lead.

Tim Collins, Trevor May, Blake Parker, Fernando Romero, Kevin Comer and Mike Morin also pitched for the Twins.