Orioles take lead, Wright on Wright (O's fall 5-4)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Blue Jays 5, Orioles 4

Recap: Steve Johnson, making his spring debut, committed a throwing error on Devon Travis' comebacker in the eighth inning that let the go-ahead run score. A walk and single ignited the rally. Mike Wright waited through a 1 hour, 40 minute rain delay to make his spring debut and allowed a two-run homer to Chris Colabello in the second. He gave up four hits and struck out two. Tim Berry allowed a run in the third on a single, two walks and a hit batter. The Orioles didn't collect their first hit until Ryan Flaherty's RBI single off Liam Hendriks with two outs in the fifth. Alejandro De Aza followed with a two-run homer to right that tied the game 3-3. Henry Urrutia gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, but Ryan Goins' RBI triple off Logan Verrett in the bottom half tied the score. Verrett tossed a scoreless seventh.

Need to know: Verrett struck out the side in the sixth inning. Catcher J.P. Arencibia was charged with a passed ball with Tim Berry on the mound in the third. Everth Cabrera ranged behind second base in fifth inning to backhand deflected ball off Dioner Navarro's bat and threw across his body for the out. Travis Snider followed with a lunging catch of Kevin Pillar's sinking liner in left field, and Ryan Webb had a 1-2-3 inning. Jimmy Paredes singled and is 3-for-7 this spring. However, he pulled up on Dwight Smith Jr.'s fly ball to left in the eighth that fell for a single, and Johnson followed with the throwing error.

On deck: Saturday, vs. Red Sox in Sarasota, 1:05 p.m.
___________________________________________________

DUNEDIN, Fla. - The Orioles were hitless today with two outs in the top of the fifth inning before Ryan Flaherty lined a single into right field that scored David Lough.

The flood gates were open.

Alejandro De Aza followed with a two-run homer off Liam Hendriks to tie the game 3-3, and Henry Urrutia's sacrifice fly in the sixth gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead.

Lough walked with one out in the fifth before Jayson Nix flied out and Flaherty broke up the Blue Jays' combined no-hitter. Chris Parmelee and Travis Snider singled in the sixth before Urrutia lifted a fly ball to center field.

Marcel Prado tossed a scoreless fourth inning and Ryan Webb had a 1-2-3 fifth after outstanding plays by Everth Cabrera at second base and Snider in left field.

Mike Wright talked to the media after allowing two runs and four hits in two innings.

What did he get out of today's start?

"It was good to get out there," he said. "My second inning, I started to find the command of my two-seam. It was good to go out there and pitch and then sit down and go out there for another inning. It's definitely something I have to work on, to find it a little quicker."

Was he nervous making his first spring start?

"No, it's just another game, pitching against the same players I've pitched against the last two years here," he said. "I wasn't nervous. I felt pretty good."

How does he feel compared to last spring training?

"I feel like I'm in a better spot," he said. "I feel a lot better than I did last year. I definitely came in a lot more confident and I'm still very confident. Like I said, I lost control of one pitch and it opened up one side of the plate and the effects were what they were."

Did the rain delay bother him?

"Oh, no, not at all," he replied. "That's going to happen during the season. It's happened a lot during my career, but it's not like I went out and warmed up. I still stayed in my routine. I warmed up the same way."

Has manager Buck Showalter told him whether he's getting another start?

"He hasn't talked to me at all," Wright said. "I'm sure they'll start working in guys they know are veterans. They need their starts. I'll be happy to start again, but I'm going to do whatever they tell me."

Update: Logan Verrett struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth, but he also gave up the tying run on Ryan Goins' RBI triple.

An infield hit started the rally.

Verrett is back out for the seventh inning.