Matusz makes early exit, Jones homers

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

March 23, 2011, 4:09pm

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FORT MYERS, Fla. - It was hardly worth the drive over here. Left-hander Brian Matusz recorded only four outs tonight and was charged with four runs and five hits, with three walks and no strikeouts. The Twins lead, 4-1, in the third inning. Manager Buck Showalter summoned left-hander Alberto Castillo after Joe Mauer's two-run single, which came on Matusz's 56th pitch. The ball slammed off the left-center field fence, but Tsuyoshi Nishioka inexplicably stopped at second base. Matusz went to five full counts, and only 31 of his pitches were strikes. Eight of the 12 batters he faced reached base. Projected to be the No. 2 starter, Matusz hasn't completed five innings this spring. He's currently throwing in the bullpen to tack on extra pitches tonight. On the plus side, Adam Jones just hit his fourth home run, and it was beyond impressive. The ball crashed into the batter's eye in center field, about three-fourths of the way up. People are still talking about it in the press box. Derrek Lee walked in his second at-bat. All nine outs recorded by Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano have come via strikeouts.