Andrew McCutchen continues to check boxes in his return from an Achilles injury that ended his 2023 season early last September.

The 37-year-old designated hitter belted his first home run of the spring 418 feet to center in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday in helping the Pirates to a 6-3 win over the Twins at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.

Batting leadoff, McCutchen went 1 for 3. On Tuesday, he singled in his first game of the spring.

Ke’Bryan Hayes gave the Bucs a 1-0 lead when he smacked a solo homer — his third of the spring — to left in the bottom of the fourth inning. It had an exit velocity of 108.4 mph and traveled nearly 400 feet. Hayes is 7 for 17 this spring with seven RBIs.

Catcher Jason Delay, center fielder Matt Fraizer and Jake Lamb also knocked in runs.

Lefty Martin Perez had a solid start, allowing one hit — a Trevor Larnach solo homer — with two strikeouts and two walks over four innings. He threw 37 of his 55 pitches for strikes.

Righty Roansy Contreras was tagged for three runs on four hits, including a homer, in 2 1/3 innings of relief. He threw 22 of 35 pitches for strikes. Chase Anderson earned the win after tossing two no-hit innings of relief with one strikeout.

Plum native Alex Kirilloff was 1 for 3 for the Twins and is batting .250 this spring.

The Pirates also played the Braves in a split-squad game and tied 6-6 in North Port, Fla.

DH Canaan Smith-Njigba hit a two-run homer, and first baseman Billy McKinney had two hits and three RBIs for the Pirates.

The Pirates will next visit the Tigers in Lakeland at 1:05 p.m. Saturday. Luis Ortiz will start against Detroit’s Matt Manning.

• After the games, the Pirates announced they optioned right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to the minor leagues. Pitchers Connor Sadzeck and Sean Sullivan also were reassigned to minor-league camp, leaving 58 players in big league camp.

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