Benson struggles as Pirates lose to Twins
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Jacque Jones hit his third home run of the spring and Chris Gomez went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and a two-run double to lead the Minnesota Twins over the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1 Tuesday. Brad Radke gave up just one hit in four innings in his third start. Radke threw 43 pitches in his third outing this spring.
“I felt good, about the same as my first two starts,” Radke said. “I had good command of my pitches, kept the ball down, and they were swinging early. The guys behind me made some great plays defensively.”
Pirates right-hander Kris Benson struggled in his return to Hammond Stadium, the place where he blew out his right elbow exactly two years earlier. Benson gave up five runs – four earned – and hit Torii Hunter with a pitch that bounced off Hunter and hit catcher Jason Kendall.
Kendall was OK, but the Pirates were scared initially when his forearm swelled up fast. The swelling subsided just as quickly, and Kendall remained in the game until the seventh inning.
“When he came out of the game, it was almost back to normal,” Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. “I didn’t take him out because of his forearm. I took him out because of the pitches he was calling.”
Benson gave up the home run to Gomez – battling rookie Jose Morban for a backup spot in the Twins infield – in a five-run third inning. Benson threw a curveball that stayed up in the strike zone.
“I just need to be a little more aggressive in the count,” Benson said. “Other than that I’m just glad I got out of here without hurting my arm again.”
Benson actually didn’t undergo surgery on the elbow until two months after that 2001 game against the Twins, believing it was more of a sprain than a tear of the ligament.
He said he was a little nervous while warming up but didn’t think about the injury during the game.
Minnesota’s Bobby Kielty went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in his first appearance since the spring opener against Boston on Feb. 27 after missing almost two weeks with a pulled abdominal muscle.
NOTES: Pirates third base coach John Russell received warm greetings from the Twins. He managed Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate in Edmonton to the Pacific Coast League championship last season. Russell spent eight years in the Twins organization and managed at every level. … Jones is batting .440 (11-for-25) this spring with six RBIs in seven games. … Todd Sears is hitting .367 (11-for-30) with a double, a triple, five homers and 11 RBIs in 11 games.