Holliday hustles and homers, Cowser and Norby add to prospect showcase in 13-8 win

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Jackson Holliday keeps pushing to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster.

Two more hits today, including his second home run, and a walk were the latest arguments for it. He can’t be ignored. He won’t let up.

Blue Jays veteran Chad Green served up the homer with two outs in the fifth inning, with Holliday driving a curveball to the bar area beyond the right-center field fence. The average increased to .326 with a .998 OPS.

There must be something about TD Ballpark. Holliday hit a grand slam here in a March 10 split-squad game.

“I do like hitting here,” he said. “Usually the wind blows out, so it’s pretty favorable.”

His at-bats today impressed before the homer.

Holliday ran the count full against Chris Bassitt to lead off the first inning after falling behind 0-2, and he lined a one-hopper over the mound and directly at shortstop Bo Bichette, clocked at 91.9 mph off the bat. Bichette fielded the ball, tapped it once in his glove and fired to first base – all of it appearing routine.

Holliday crossed the bag and spread out his arms to signal that he was safe. First base umpire James Hoye made the same call.

Bichette also held out his arms, but with palms turned up and a look of disbelief on his face after Holliday’s hustle single. Replays indicated that Holliday probably was out, but just making it that close had to impress manager Brandon Hyde.

The 2022 first-overall draft pick scored with two outs on Tyler Nevin’s single into left field. Holliday had moved up on Adley Rutschman’s walk, but Bassitt retired the next two batters.

Holliday ran the count full again in the second inning after being down 0-2 and drew his third spring walk. He saw 13 pitches in two at-bats. He battled like a seasoned professional.

“Definitely happy with my at-bats today,” he said.

“Any time I put the ball on the ground up the middle or to the left side, I feel like I have a chance. I’ve talked to my dad (Matt) a lot about that. If you hit a rollover to second, your odds go way down compared to if you hit it to short. Just put my head down and run. It worked a few times in the minor leagues, try to catch a guy off guard a little bit. Just hit it and take off running.

“Hey, it’s a hit, so happy with hit.”

Hyde sees how much Holliday is progressing with his approach.

“For me, pressing a little bit early, which his super natural,” Hyde said after a 13-8 win over the Blue Jays. “Overswinging at times. Now the at-bats are more under control, I think he’s seeing the ball a little bit better. He took some good at-bats today, took good at-bats against (Spencer) Strider last game. Just kind of seeing him relaxed and a little more comfortable in the batter’s box.”

With Bichette up in the third, Holliday backhanded a ground ball, turned his body and made a leaping throw to first base for the out. Playing second base seems more natural to him as the camp days melt away.

“Jackson’s Jackson,” said outfielder Colton Cowser. “He goes about his business the right way, he sticks to his routine really well, he’s been playing great defense and he’s been hitting the ball really well.”

Has Holliday done everything necessary to prove that he’s ready for the majors?

“Yeah, I think the last few games have been good,” he said. “I know that I’ve probably been striking out a little bit more than I’d like, but I know that takes time. Past few games have been good, had some really good at-bats against some really good pitching. And I feel really good at second base right now. So, yeah, feel pretty good with where my game’s at. Whatever they decide, they decide, right?”

“He isn’t in control of his fate at the moment,” Cowser said, “but I think he’s doing a great job going out there and showcasing what he’s capable of.”

The team isn’t offering any hints.

“Just come out there and playing and trying to win each and every at-bat and each and every play on defense,” Holliday said. “Just taking that attitude versus thinking too far in the future. Just trying to be present and enjoy the game and control what I can control.”

Asked whether Holliday looks like a major leaguer, Hyde said, “It’s hard to say he doesn’t.”

“He’s so young and how he’s playing, he’s playing with a ton of energy,” Hyde said. “I like the defense that he’s playing, too. That’s improved. He’s taking really good at-bats.”

* Cole Irvin got a called third strike today on the Blue Jays’ Isiah Kiner-Falefa and got the hook, and only eight batters into his start.

The sailing in Dunedin wouldn’t be smooth.

Irvin returned for the third inning because it’s spring training and the rules are bendable. He totaled 3 2/3 innings and allowed four runs and three hits, with the change coming after he threw 75 pitches and only 44 for strikes.

The walks are mounting – five this afternoon and nine in the last two starts over 7 1/3 innings. Irvin’s ERA is 7.30 in 12 1/3.

“Shoot, today was a lot better than the other day,” Irvin said. “The walks, two of those were long ABs. My pitch count got up a little bit early and maybe it was a little fatigue or something, but I’d rather do that right now and make the adjustments, and then going into the season we’re good.”

George Springer lined a two-run single into center field off Kade Strowd with two outs in the second, sticking Irvin with three runs on his line to go with two hits and three walks. He threw 47 pitches, only 27 for strikes, before reemerging from the dugout.

The Jays scored again in the third when Justin Turner walked with one out and Alejandro Kirk followed Daulton Varsho’s strikeout with an RBI double into right-center field. The Orioles got Irvin’s pitch count up to 62.

The fourth inning bumped it to 75, when Irvin issued his fifth walk but got a 4-6-3 double play on Springer’s sharp ground ball that lost momentum after hitting the mound.

Holliday played the bounce flawlessly.

“I made actually a really good adjustment there in the third and started cruising a little bit," Irvin said. “Today, I just wanted to pitch, I wanted to get back to pitching, get back to working in and out and up and down, and felt like I did that for the most part. I’m frustrated about the walks. It’s not part of my game.”

“I think the stuff is there,” Hyde said. “Now it’s getting confident to challenge hitters a little bit more. But he got through four innings. It’s a good lineup, it’s a tough place to pitch, obviously. Is there a better hitters’ ballpark in America than this? I don’t know if there is. And it’s a tough lineup to go against.”

* Jordan Westburg exited the game after being drilled on the left elbow by Anders Tolhurst’s 93 mph fastball in the fourth inning. Westburg dropped the bat and jogged to first base, trailed by athletic trainer Alan Rail, but Errol Robinson replaced him at shortstop in the bottom half of the inning.

Hyde said afterward that Westburg is fine.

* Connor Norby hit a game-tying, two-run homer off Bassitt in the fourth inning. He began the day batting .300 (6-for-20) with two doubles, no home runs and one RBI.

Norby drove a sinker over the left field fence after Heston Kjerstad’s second single of the day.

Nevin singled twice and homered, giving him 16 hits in 47 at-bats (.340). Nevin’s homer came directly after Cowser’s 463-foot left-on-left shot at 110.4 mph in the seventh, after the outfielder struck out in his first three at-bats.

Cowser has five spring homers and is batting .351 with a 1.251 OPS.

“I think that was taking some frustration out after his first few at-bats,” Hyde said. “Colton’s got big-time power and he’s got a lot of tools.”

What was Cowser’s plan before hitting the home run?

“To be honest, put it in play,” he replied. “The first three at-bats, I was a little too big today. Tried to just simplify that last one with the lefty in, tried to get a good pitch to drive. Got to 3-2 and got a good pitch to hit.”

Today’s blast wasn’t the longest for Cowser. He topped it last spring in Fort Myers.

“That one felt the best, though,” he said. “I’ll say that.”

The prospects really brought their A games today.

“It’s unbelievable,” Holliday said. “To see what Cowser can do. I’m sure he hit the ball like 500 feet, so it’s pretty ridiculous how much talent we have in this organization. And it’s really exciting to be a part of.

“Any time I get to go out on the field with these guys, it’s a blast. Shoot, Norby’s hitting ninth. He’s dangerous every single at-bat and every time he comes to the plate. It’s really fun to be a part of.”

“It’s been awesome,” Cowser said. “I think it shows you how deep this organization is, how talented everyone is. It feels like everyone came into spring kind of on a mission.”

Now the question is spun to Cowser. Has he done enough to make the Opening Day roster?

“Yeah,” he said. “Listen, we have a really talented, deep organization. A lot of great guys in the outfield. It’s not really in my control. I’m just trying to go out there and control what I can control out on the field and whatever decision they ultimately make, I’m going to trust it and stay ready no matter what.”

* Kyle Stowers followed Sunday’s three-homer game by going 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

Nick Vespi replaced Irvin in the fifth and surrendered a two-out, two-run homer to Varsho. He also was charged with a run in the sixth after Alex Pham inherited a runner.

Pham tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Errol Robinson had a tie-breaking, two-run triple in the eighth and he scored on Reed Trimble’s double. A three-run ninth include Shayne Fontana’s triple and Angel Tejada’s RBI single, John Rhodes’ RBI single and Anthony Servideo’s sacrifice fly.