SARASOTA, Fla. - Jason Hammel's first spring start of 2013 resulted in two scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hammel gave up one hit, a double to Chase d'Arnaud in the first inning. The ball cleared Adam Jones' head in center field and hopped the fence. He struck out two batters, and his fastball was mostly 91-92 mph.
Hammel threw 39 pitches, 27 for strikes. He got ahead 0-2 on five of the seven batters he faced.
Brian Roberts led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to right field off Pirates' starter James McDonald. Roberts didn't homer in 66 at-bats last season.
The Orioles weren't done.
Nolan Reimold, who didn't play after April last season, cleared the picnic area in left field with a two-run shot that followed Nate McLouth's single. Wilson Betemit stepped to the plate and launched a ball off a storage shed beyond the right-center field fence.
Orioles 4, Pirates 0.
Reimold exited the game after his home run, with Jason Pridie replacing him in left field. A curious move, considering it's only the top of the third inning.
Mike Wright has replaced Hammel on the mound. That was expected.
Update: Reimold is still sitting in the dugout. At one point, he was tilting his head from side to side.
A team spokesman said manager Buck Showalter would have to provide any updates following the game. We don't know whether the decision to remove Reimold was heath-related. Perhaps it was done as a precaution after he experienced some stiffness in his neck. It's just speculation at this point.
It's probably a good sign that Reimold, who homered for his first hit of the spring, is in the dugout instead of the trainers room.
Wright gave up a run in the third inning and Gaby Sanchez homered off him in the fourth. Orioles 4, Pirates 2.
Roberts is 2-for-2. Jones threw out a runner at third base.
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/