Pirates-Twins, top of fifth

Doug Mientkiewicz leads off, and while the majority of Pirates are ultra-cooperatie with the media, Mientkiewicz deserves credit -- yea, admiration -- for allowing himself to be interviewed.
Questions abound whether his bat can make a difference, even in a bench role.
Chris Gomez singles to right. This is an encouraging outing for Liriano, who needs to be productive for the Twins to have any chance of challenging the Indians and Tigers in the tough American League Central.
Nyjer Morgan puts a charge in one, but Carlos Gomez catches up to it on the warning trck. So the Pirates lead 1-0 on that Bautista homer in the second.