Blue Jays 4, Pirates 1

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) -- A.J. Burnett pitched four solid innings and Vernon Wells homered, helping the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Wednesday.

Burnett allowed one run and four hits while striking out four and walking one. He threw 36 of his 52 pitches for strikes.

The right-hander hasn't been able to throw his curveball this spring because of a broken nail on his index finger.

"He has a power change and he can live on two pitches," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "That changeup is dropping now, plus he threw a couple of sliders in there, too."

Burnett's outing was encouraging for the Blue Jays, who lost right-hander Casey Janssen for the season Wednesday because of a torn labrum in his shoulder. Janssen went 2-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 70 relief appearances last season. He had been competing with Jesse Litsch this spring for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Also on Wednesday, Toronto optioned oft-injured lefty Gustavo Chacin to Triple-A Syracuse.

Wells' homer broke a 1-all tie and came off Zach Duke, who gave up two runs and five hits with one strikeout over four innings. He threw 44 of his 66 pitches for strikes.

"I'm where I should be," Duke said. "It's a good sign my sinker is moving late and down."

Toronto's Aaron Hill went 2-for-2 with a walk, raising his batting average to .550 this spring.

Nate McLouth was 3-for-3 for Pittsburgh with two doubles and an RBI.

Masumi Kuwata, trying to make the Pirates as a reliever, had a shaky inning but didn't allow a run thanks to a double play.

Josh Banks got the save with a perfect ninth.

Game notes
The Blue Jays returned INF-OF Travis Snider to minor league camp. ... Pirates 1B Adam LaRoche likes making the bus trip to play the Blue Jays in Dunedin. His father, Dave, a former major league pitcher, is Toronto's pitching coach at Double-A New Hampshire. "It's very special getting him over here," Adam LaRoche said. "I look forward to it every year. The only thing better than being on the field in uniform with my pop would be being out there with my little brother." His younger brother, Andy, is a third base prospect with the Los Angeles Dodgers.