Gausman allows single run vs. Twins (updated)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gausman made his exhibition debut today against the Twins, following up on his start exactly one week ago in the second intrasquad game.

The extended rest didn't seem to bother him.

Gausman retired six of the seven batters he faced over two innings, with a fly ball down the left field line from Eddie Rosario producing a one-out triple in the second. Rosario scored on a sacrifice fly by former Oriole Drew Stubbs.

Gausman struck out Byron Buxton leading off the first inning and Kennys Vargas leading off the second.

The Twins were retired in order on only 10 pitches in the first inning, with Gausman getting a strikeout and two ground balls. The first three batters in the second each saw six pitches, three for strikes.

I had Gausman at 29 pitches, 17 for strikes. The Orioles announced 30 pitches, 16 strikes. To quote former manager Davey Johnson, "I always bet on me."

The Orioles needed Gausman to take "the next step" last season and they expect more length in his stride in 2017.

"The thing that is a comfort for all of us for any player, and Kevin fits right in there, is that he's going to be as good as he is capable of being," said manager Buck Showalter. "He has installed that confidence from us to him. This is important to him. He doesn't just want to be a competitive pitcher. He wants to be a guy his teammates count on every fifth day to really give us a good chance to win."

Gausman kept doing it last season, but his teammates didn't score many runs for him. He won nine games with a 3.61 ERA in 30 starts.

"Last year, some luck," Showalter said. "There were a lot of games he pitched really well in and didn't have anything to show for it. So I've said many times, one of the last things they have control of, if they consistently pitch well they're going to get their Ws. I think just the help, obviously.

"I think Kevin's positioned to be as good as he's capable of being. Everything that he's supposed to be exposed to is behind him now to go to that next level.

"If you told me before the year started that he was going to do exactly what he did last year, a lot of people would take that, but I don't think Kevin's satisfied with that."

The Orioles offered their support in the first inning today, with back-to-back two-out doubles by Manny Machado and Chris Davis supplying a 1-0 lead against Twins starter Phil Hughes.

Gausman and Dylan Bundy forever will be linked due to their draft statuses, first-round picks with ace potential who will allow the Orioles to compete against teams with unlimited funds for pitching. They're both healthy and in the rotation. They're both learning about the art of pitching and understanding that what worked at the lower levels, against overmatched hitters, won't suffice in the majors.

"There are a lot of guys who have good numbers in high school and college - the Tanner Scotts, (Cody) Sedlock, (Keegan) Aiken, Hunter Harvey. What are they going to do when they throw their best pitch and it gets turned around? Because it happens to everybody," Showalter said.

"There's a moment when Chris Sale, David Price, they realize how important the pitching aspect of it is, and secondary pitches. A lot of times, when you talk to them about developing a secondary pitch in the minor leagues, the competition doesn't back up what you're trying to understand. I think he and Dylan both know now with what they've been exposed to how important the other stuff is."

The Twins broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning with three runs off Jason Garcia. The first four batters reached on a hit batter, single, walk and Jorge Polanco's three-run double.

Update: Polanco greeted left-hander Donnie Hart with a leadoff home run in the fifth inning to give the Twins a 5-1 lead.