Brach says right leg is fine (O's lead 2-1)

MINNEAPOLIS - Today's game is expected to start on time. That's the good news.

A storm is expected to arrive around 2 p.m. CT and the Orioles have been warned about the likelihood of at least one delay. Could be lots of first-pitch swinging.

"We might be here a while, I'm told," said manager Buck Showalter.

Brad Brach said his right leg is fine after being hit by a line drive last night in the bottom of the seventh inning. Danny Santana reached on an infield hit and Brach stayed in the game after a few warmup tosses.

Brach has a bruise on the back of his leg, but he's available if needed.

"It's good," he said. "Just a little tender to the touch, but it feels like a bruise, so that's pretty much what it is.

"It caught me in the back of the leg, the hamstring area. It was one of those things where you see it hit and next thing you know, it's on you. Didn't have a chance to get my glove up there. Thankfully, it hit me in the muscle and not the bone."

Brach struck out Joe Mauer and Eduardo Nunez to complete another scoreless inning. He's allowed two runs in 18 innings this season.

"Obviously, I don't want to let anybody on base, especially with Mauer and the top of their lineup coming up," he said. "I was able to get the next two guys and keep them from scoring."

Brach threw 17 pitches, the leg feels good today and he's ready to take the ball.

"I should be fine," he said.

Nolan Reimold is in right field today and Pedro Alvarez is on the bench. Reimold is 3-for-8 with a home run against Phil Hughes.

Showalter had another reason for starting Reimold based on the upcoming starters that his club will be facing.

"We're facing like seven or eight straight right-handers and I really don't want Nolan to sit too long. He's in a good place," Showalter said.

"Petey's swinging the bat well. He'll be back in there tomorrow. He gives us a weapon off the bench. And Hughes over his career, not this year as much, but has shown he's a reverse-splits guys. Right-handers do as well as left-handers. When he's right, it's going to be tough for everybody."

Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter while Reimold plays right.

"Makes us maybe a little bit better defensively, because Tyler (Wilson) isn't a guy who strikes a lot of guys out. But the big thing is keeping Nolan in the mix. Want to get (Hyun Soo) Kim in there shortly.

"I don't think we see a left-hander for a week, so I want to make sure I keep Nolan in the flow."

Left-hander T.J. McFarland, who threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings yesterday for Triple-A Norfolk, is eligible to return to the Orioles on May 17 if they want him. He can only come back sooner if replacing an injured player.

And finally, Manny Machado was running on his own last night with Ryan Flaherty on third base, two outs and Chris Davis at the plate. However, it wasn't a straight steal.

Flaherty broke late for home and Machado was tagged out while retreating to first base before the run scored. It's a designed play, but Showalter didn't call for it.

Update: Trumbo hit a two-run homer in the second to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Estimated distance was 431 feet.

Chris Davis led off with a single and Trumbo followed with a shot off the facing of the second deck in left field. He's tied with Machado for the team lead with 10 homers and he ranks first with 26 RBIs.

Update II: Miguel Sano led off the bottom of the second with a 416-foot home run to left field to reduce the lead to 2-1.