Thursday, February 20, 2025, 5:29PM |  20°
MENU
Advertisement
Pirates manager Derek Shelton gets his photo taken with Bill Mazeroski, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva and Manny Sanguillen on Saturday at LECOM Park.
14
MORE

Pirates spring training: Derek Shelton’s first game ends in loss

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Pirates spring training: Derek Shelton’s first game ends in loss

BRADENTON, Fla. — It’s a good thing Opening Day will be Derek Shelton’s first real game as Pirates manager, as this one was kind of a dud.

The Pirates managed just four hits, struck out 11 times and dropped a 2-1 decision to the Minnesota Twins in their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday at LECOM Park.

Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled, while Mitch Keller, Clay Holmes and Blake Cederlind all shined on the mound.

Advertisement

Oh, and Shelton received a special visit from Twins legends Tony Oliva and Rod Carew, who made the drive from Fort Myers to see the Pirates’ new manager.

Pirates pitcher Clay Holmes pitches against the Twins on Saturday at LECOM Park.
Jason Mackey
There’s no such thing as thinking too much for Clay Holmes

“Any time you get two guys of that stature that do that, then to be able to get a picture with those two guys and Manny [Sanguillen] and [Bill Mazeroski], that’s definitely be something that will go up on my wall at home,” Shelton said.

On the mound

It was an encouraging first start for Keller, who gave up two hits in a pair of scoreless innings. Keller threw 16 of his 28 pitches for strikes and got outs despite bouncing a couple breaking balls.

Advertisement

Keller said he wanted to impress Shelton and new pitching coach Oscar Marin.

“My main focus was just going out there and competing,” Keller said. “It’s the first time Oscar and Shelty have seen us throw. Just going out there and showing them what I got.”

Holmes worked the fifth and mowed through the Twins on seven pitches, six of them strikes. The big righty-hander mixed his sinker and curveball well.

Cederlind hit 99 mph while working a scoreless and should’ve enjoyed a 1-2-3 inning; a missed call with two strikes extended the inning.

They meet again

This was a matchup of good friends, Shelton and Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who brought the sign from last Sunday’s Grapefruit League Media Day — inscribed with a few hand-written jabs.

Shelton said he was prepared for a little ribbing and actually played some Phish [Baldelli’s favorite band] during batting practice as a gesture of goodwill.

“I’m a little concerned when we go to Fort Myers what he’ll actually do,” Shelton said. “I definitely wasn’t going to mess with him.”

At the plate

Hayes’ doubled off the right-field wall, an encouraging sign for a guy the Pirates want to produce more offensively. Cole Tucker had the Pirates’ first hit — a single in the fifth inning.

Phillip Evans, Socrates Brito and Will Craig all struck out twice, while Jason Delay scored the lone run when led off the seventh with a walk and scored via Hayes’ double.

Up next

Game: (SS) Pirates vs. Tigers, LECOM Park, Bradenton, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Pitchers: LHP Derek Holland vs. RHP Zach Godley

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Game: (SS) at Phillies, Spectrum Field, Clearwater, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Pitchers: RHP Trevor Williams vs. RHP Aaron Nola

Radio: 93.7 The Fan

Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.

First Published: February 22, 2020, 9:44 p.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Penguins hall of fame broadcaster Mike Lange works the play-by-play during the Alumni game at Heinz Field on Dec. 31, 2010.
1
sports
Mike Lange, longtime Penguins broadcaster, dies at 76
Mike Lange be­gan an­nounc­ing for the Penguns in 1974.
2
sports
How the hockey world is reacting to the death of Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange
Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange during a press conference at Consol Energy Center.
3
sports
Jason Mackey: What Mike Lange meant to me, and why we must carry on his incredible legacy
Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah helped writers of "The Pitt" with her perspective working in emergency medicine.
4
a&e
'It's very real,' says the Pittsburgh ER doctor who consulted on 'The Pitt' TV show
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, GM Kevin Colbert and president Art Rooney II watch afternoon practice Friday, July 27, 2018, at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
5
sports
Brian Batko’s Steelers mailbag: Should there have been a better long-term plan at quarterback?
Pirates manager Derek Shelton gets his photo taken with Bill Mazeroski, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva and Manny Sanguillen on Saturday at LECOM Park.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitcher Clay Holmes pitches against the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Former Pirates Bill Mazeroski and Manny Sanguillen talk with infielder Oneil Cruz before the team takes on the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitchers warm up in honor of the flowing locks of teammate Blake Cederlind before they take on the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitchers Blake Cederlind and Steven Brault talk during batting practice before they take on the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli enters the field with a sign to welcome new Pirates manager Derek Shelton before his first spring game Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates third baseman Phillip Evans tags out Twins shortstop Royce Lewis at third base Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller tags out Twins left fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. in a rundown Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates left fielder Jared Oliva pulls in a fly ball against the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller pitches against the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller pitches against the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitcher Blake Cederlind pitches against the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates pitcher Blake Cederlind pitches against the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Pirates first baseman Josh Bell talks with manager Derek Shelton before they take on the Twins Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story