Mike Wright Jr. on today's outing (O's win 7-2, more quotes)

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Danny Valencia has an RBI double today off Rays left-hander Anthony Banda and a two-run double off right-hander Yonny Chirinos. He's trying to demonstrate that he's an equal opportunity masher and not just a platoon player.

Valencia is 4-for-9 with three doubles, a home run and four RBIs since signing a minor league deal with the Orioles and vowing to make the major league club.

The Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth and took a 7-2 lead. Tim Beckham had a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and Anthony Santander delivered a two-run single to raise his average to .333.

Mike Wright Jr. allowed one run and two hits over three innings, with one walk, three strikeouts and a wild pitch. Willy Adames homered off him leading off the third.

Wright threw 54 pitches, 33 for strikes. He's surrendered two runs and four hits in seven innings over his three appearances while vying for the fifth spot in the rotation.

"So far, I've felt pretty good," he said. "Obviously, there is some competition. I'm very happy with where I'm at right now."

Wright said he feels "a similar vibe" to 2016 spring training when he headed north with the club.

"I've put a lot of work in," Wright said. "I'm sure that offseason was the hardest offseason I've worked and this one was even harder. I came into camp feeling good and so far the results are pretty solid and that's what I'm going to continue to try to do."

The Rays used a single, walk and wild pitch to put Wright on the ropes in the first inning, but he struck out C.J. Cron and Jesus Sucre - the former on a 94 mph fastball - to get back into the dugout unscathed. He retired the side in order in the second.

"Obviously, I'd rather have a clean inning, but to be honest I think it's actually positive for me for Buck (Showalter) to see that I can get in those situations and get outs by any means," Wright said.

"Am I trying to get into those situations? No. I think it's a good thing that I got in it and I got out clean, so that's the difference between giving up that one run. And if I gave up two in the first, that's not a good look. Yeah, I'm happy with how the first inning went."

Wright retired eight of the last nine batters, striking out Denard Span to end the third. The home run barely made him flinch.

"It was a bad fastball, inner half," he said. "I just left it out over the plate."

Two of Wright's three outings have come against the Rays. Showalter has been shielding his starters from division opponents and the Twins. Wright would like to earn the same consideration as a sign that his status is climbing.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said. "It would be nice to be in the talks for opening day. Right now, I'm trying to make the roster, so opening day roster is what I'm looking for. And whoever I have to pitch against, I'm fine with that."

Rule 5 pick José Mesa Jr. allowed another run today in the fourth inning on Micah Johnson's two-out triple and Christian Arroyo's single, but he retired three straight after hitting Daniel Robertson to lead off the fifth. Perci Garner tossed a scoreless sixth despite issuing a pair of two-out walks.

Update: James Teague retired the side in order in the ninth with a strikeout and a diving catch by center fielder Cedric Mullins to seal a 7-2 win over the Rays.

Donnie Hart tossed a scoreless eighth after a leadoff single, getting a double play and strikeout.

The Orioles were expected to make another roster cut following the game, but they're apparently going to wait until Thursday.

Here's a sampling of Showalter:

On Wright: "OK, OK. Command was not where it's been, but OK. Mike's presented himself well here."

On Wright saying important to show he can escape jam: "Yeah, that's fine. I agree. It's the same thing we talked about with Hunter (Harvey) yesterday. He gave up the home run and next pitch was a well-located fastball and he got the next guy out. That's the type of thing you look for because that's been some of the challenges for Mike. He's got so much want-to that he just kind of lets the emotions get to him. He's really been a real under control guy, really focused."

On Austin Hays, who had an RBI single in the fourth: "Today he had a good day. Yesterday, I thought for the first day back he was a little stiff. He's done a lot of work this offseason. I think some of this he's just trying to get all of his flexibility back, but today he had a good day. That was encouraging, so hopefully (the outfield) is in the near future."

On whether Hays is behind in competition: "I don't think so. Not yet. If he can get back on the field in the next few days, he should be able to move with that."

On Valencia, who doubled twice and drove in three runs: "He's showing he has a track record of doing things. He's more than just a guy against left-handers and he gives you some options around the infield and the outfield. He's a veteran proven hitter."

On Mullins' diving catch: "That's about the fourth catch like that, it seems like, that Mullins has ... He's got great closing speed. He seems to always find a way to impact the game."