Orioles reassign Aquino (O's win 7-4, Castro quotes)

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have reassigned left-hander Jayson Aquino to minor league camp before today's game against the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium.

The camp roster is down to 44 players, including 21 pitchers. Closer Zach Britton is on the list, but he's also on the 60-day disabled list.

Aquino made three appearances this spring and allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits in five innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. The Orioles tabbed him as the starter on Saturday after Gabriel Ynoa had to be scratched with shin splints, and he surrendered two runs and three hits in two innings against the Pirates in Sarasota.

The Orioles probably will insert Aquino into Triple-A Norfolk's rotation, though he never had a shot at breaking camp as a starter.

Aquino re-signed as a minor league free agent in December after going 1-2 with a 7.43 ERA and 1.575 WHIP in four games last summer, including two starts. His last major league appearance was a July 5 start in Milwaukee.

In 21 starts at Triple-A Norfolk, Aquino was 3-10 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.448 WHIP over 114 2/3 innings. He competed for a rotation spot with the Orioles in spring training, but disappointed after being sent down.

The Orioles aren't expected to make any cuts over the next two days while they're in Jupiter and Port St. Lucie.

Meanwhile, Trey Mancini is taking his turn batting first today against Yankees right-hander Chance Adams. He remains in the mix as manager Buck Showalter takes the unconventional path again toward finding a leadoff hitter.

"Just another look," he said. "It's three of our better hitters hitting one, two, three, you know? Is it Jon (Schoop), is it Manny (Machado) or Adam (Jones). You could see any of those."

Mancini went 5-for-13 with two home runs last season from the leadoff spot.

Update: Jonathan Schoop singled off Yankees prospect Chance Adams with one out in the first inning and Adam Jones homered off the batter's eye in center field to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Colby Rasmus doubled before Mark Trumbo struck out looking in his return to the lineup.

Update II: Miguel Castro walked three batters in the second inning and ran his pitch count to 46. Shane Robinson produced a two-run single to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

The Yankees loaded the bases with no outs and Brandon Drury scored after Mancini made a diving stop near the line and stepped on the bag to retire Ronald Torreyes.

Update III: Mancini tied the game in the second with an RBI single after Tim Beckham singled and Anthony Santander doubled, and Schoop homered again to give the Orioles a 5-3 lead. Schoop has four homers this spring.

Update IV: Rasmus doubled again in the third and scored on Beckham's single, but Erik Kratz homered off Castro in the fourth to reduce the lead to 6-4. Castro is charged with four runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings, with three walks, two strikeouts and a home run. Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes Jr. is pitching.

Cortes has allowed one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.

Here's a sampling from Castro via Ramón Martinez:

On what he struggled with today: "I was trying to locate my fastball early, get it down, and I made a couple mistakes and that was one of the things that I wasn't doing today."

On whether wind was a factor: "A couple of mistakes on my high pitches (were hit) out. It could be an easy fly ball in probably most situations, but I gave it a try and I just fought to compete."

On throwing 69 pitches: "It was a lot of pitches I threw today. I know I was a little disappointed because of the way it went, but I'm going to keep working on it and let's see what happens."

Update V: Ruben Tejada led off the seventh inning with a double, took third on Engelb Vielma's single and scored on Alex Presley's sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 7-4. Cortes tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Update VI: Joely Rodriguez strands two in the ninth, as the Orioles beat the Yankees 7-4. They have won six in a row and are now 12-8-1 in Grapefruit League play.