The Baltimore Orioles traveled north to Bradenton this evening to take on Pittsburgh in their final spring training road game. Good effort all around by the guys in the game, beginning with starter Tyler Wells, who gave the O’s a great starting outing. Wells’ line: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K.
The teams played to a scoreless tie through the first three innings. Pittsburgh put a run across on Wells in the last of the fourth on a sac fly-RBI by Hayes. Jordan Westburg tacked on a sac fly of his own in the fifth, tying the game at one. Wells exited the game not in line for the win only because the game was tied.
The O’s busted the game open in the seventh. With two runners on base, Jordan Westburg’s two-RBI double gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead. Westburg would score when Anthony Bemboom smacked a two-run homer, extending the lead to 5-1. Ryan O’Hearn would add a solo homer in the eighth, and the Birds took a 6-1 lead into the end of the game in Bradenton.
Almost predictably, Pittsburgh made a run. They played three runs in the last of the eighth, but never got closer to 6-4. And the Orioles headed back to Sarasota with a victory in their final road tuneup this spring.
The Orioles will close out the Grapefruit League schedule at home in Sarasota. Philadelphia comes in tomorrow, and St. Louis on Monday afternoon. The Birds will then formally break camp, and be in Boston on Thursday for Opening Day at Fenway Park.
The aforementioned game against Philadelphia is tomorrow at Ed Smith Stadium. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Philadelphia’s Matt Strahm. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Birdland Crush 