Morneau, Colabello double Twins to first win

Four RBIs from first basemen help Minnesota top Pirates, 5-4

February 26, 2013 at 5:45AM
Twins pitcher Vance Worley
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Vance Worley throws a pitch in the first inning of an exhibition spring training baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, Fort Myers, Fla. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Justin Morneau drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double on Monday, and Morneau's backup at first base, Chris Colabello, broke an eighth-inning tie with a double of his own, leading the Twins to their first victory of the spring, 5-4 over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Hammond Stadium.

Morneau, after lining into a double play in his first at-bat, walloped a pitch from Jeanmar Gomez to the wall in left-center in the fourth inning, driving home Jamey Carroll, who had singled, and Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham, who had walked. Morneau then scored when Brian Dozier laced a single up the middle off Brooks Brown.

But the Pirates tied the score in the seventh inning when outfielder Jose Tabata launched an Esmerling Vazquez pitch beyond the left-field wall.

That set up Colabello's heroics, for the second straight day. The reserve first baseman, whose ninth-inning single tied Sunday's game against Tampa Bay, sliced a double into right-center, driving home Brandon Boggs from first with the tie-breaking run.

Vance Worley started and pitched two scoreless innings in his spring debut, and Pedro Hernandez earned the save. Hernandez was aided by a sparkling 5-4-3 double play started on a slick play by third-base prospect Mark Sobolewski.

The Twins, now 1-2 in Grapefruit League play, travel to Dunedin on Tuesday to face Toronto.

about the writer

about the writer

Phil Miller

Reporter

Phil Miller has covered the Twins for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2013. Previously, he covered the University of Minnesota football team, and from 2007-09, he covered the Twins for the Pioneer Press.

See More

More from Twins

card image

Attention Marc Lore, Alex Rodriguez and whoever might be the next Twins owners. Pay attention what a dozen former pro athletes have to say about what makes a good team owner.