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Spring Training 2016: Adam Jones Lifts Orioles Over Twins

By Robert Jonathan
Published on: 04:01 PST, Mar 18, 2016

In a Spring Training matchup on St. Patrick’s Day evening, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins by a score of 4-1 in front of 6,872 fans at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida.

In what was a pitcher’s duel through the first four innings, center fielder Adam Jones led the Orioles, with a solo home run in the fourth (his third jack in Spring Training) and a double in the seventh, which scored another run.

This was a split-squad game, as the Orioles had visited the Red Sox in an afternoon encounter, where they fell to Boston 9-5.

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the home Orioles wore green caps and had green lettering on their uniforms. Many fans also showed up to the game in green apparel, giving it a festive atmosphere.

The Twins scored one run in the top of the eighth.

Starting right-hander Mike Wright got the win, while righty Ryan Pressly took the loss after taking over for starter Taylor Rogers, a lefty, after two scoreless innings.

“Wright became the first Orioles starter to pitch five innings. He didn’t allow a run and gave up four hits, striking out two and walking none,” AP explained.

Jones, Chris Davis, and star third baseman Manny Machado (who was the leadoff hitter, a Spring Training-only slot) played most of the game, which is somewhat unusual for the typically incremental Spring Training workload.

Birthday boy Davis, the newly re-signed slugging first baseman, went 0-4 against the Twins. In January, Davis and the Orioles agreed to a seven-year, $161 million deal.

Davis blasted 47 home runs during the 2015 MLB season.

Twins first baseman and franchise icon Joe Mauer, among others, did not make the trip from the CenturyLink Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, however, as is often the case, since established MLB players are often not required to make road trips.

MLB requires a minimum number of front-line players to appear in each Spring Training game, however.

Twins Orioles lineup on March 17 2016 Spring Training

Earlier this month, the Orioles signed former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Pedro Alvarez to a one-year $5.75 million deal (plus incentives). Inserted in the lineup as the DH, Alvarez did not impress, striking out four times. As the Inquisitr previously reported, after missing out on the likes of Yoenis Cespedes, Dexter Fowler, and others, the Orioles will apparently look to Alvarez to provide a power boost. Fellow off-season acquisition Mark Trumbo — who will likely see time in the outfield against left-handed pitchers — figures to platoon at DH with Alvarez.

Right fielder Trumbo went 1-3 in last night’s game.

Going into today’s action, Baltimore has a 4-12-3 Spring Training record (ties are allowed), but “Since starting Grapefruit League play 0-10-2, Baltimore has gone 4-2-1,” the Orioles official website noted.

“As we get closer to the bell, there’s a time you get engaged in the preparation and then you get engaged in the competition,” observed manager Buck Showalter about his team’s results so far.

Twins vs. Orioles on St. Patrick's Day night 2016

The Twins record so far in Grapefruit League action is 8-7 (5-3 away).

The Baltimore Orioles finished in third place last year in the regular season, with a 81-81 record, missing a Wild Card berth by 6-1/2 games, after winning the American League East in 2014.

In 2015, the Twins finished second in the AL Central, with a won-loss record of 83-79, and were in the running for the Wild Card until the final weekend of the regular season.

Judging by Spring Training 2016 so far, and with the regular season just around the corner, how do you think the Baltimore Orioles and the Minnesota Twins will fare once regular season play unfolds?

[Photos by Robert Jonathan]

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