Twins top Pirates 2-1 in Grapefruit League opener

Devin Smeltzer logged two scoreless innings and earned the win as the Minnesota Twins defeated Pittsburgh 2-1 in the Grapefruit League opener on Saturday afternoon.

Willians Astudillo and Jake Cave knocked in one run apiece in the third inning on RBI singles to give the Twins a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Pirates catcher Andrew Susac brought in Jason Delay on a single to the right side of the infield. But that was all the offense Pittsburgh would manage.

It was an impressive afternoon for a few of the Twins’ young pitchers. Smeltzer fanned one hitter over two innings. Sean Poppen whiffed two and didn’t allow a hit in his two innings of work. And Cody Stashak mowed down all three Pittsburgh batters he faced in the sixth inning.

The Twins return to the field Sunday afternoon for a matchup with Toronto at 12 p.m. from CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Fla. The game will be televised on FOX Sports North.