Tyler Wilson on today's outing (O's lose 11-9)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Red Sox 11, Orioles 9

Recap: Tyler Wilson stated his case for heading north as a long reliever by allowing one run and three hits over four innings. Steve Selsky homered off him in the third. ... Logan Verrett hurt his case by lasting only two-thirds of an inning and being charged with five runs and four hits, including Sandy León's leadoff home run. He also walked a batter. ... Brian Moran let both inherited runners score and was charged with four of his own in Boston's nine-run fifth. ...Trey Mancini had a single, two-run double and ground-rule double in three at-bats. He scored in the sixth on Craig Gentry's triple and raised his average to .357. ... Cedric Mullins hit a two-run home run of Craig Kimbrel in the eighth and Johnny Giavotella hit a homer off Heath Hembree to lead off the ninth.

Need to know: The Red Sox sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth. León had two home runs, including a grand slam off Moran. ... Mark Trumbo, batting .171 before today, doubled twice and singled in four at-bats. ... Gentry raced home from second base to tie the score in the third after shortstop Xander Bogaerts made a wide throw to first base on J.J. Hardy's grounder. Mitch Moreland's throw beat Gentry, but catcher León couldn't hold onto the ball ... Aneury Tavárez threw out a runner at the plate to end the eighth after Vidal Nuño allowed an unearned run on Paul Janish's throwing error and an RBI single by Carlos Quentin.

On deck: Tuesday at Braves in Lake Buena Vista, 1:05 p.m.

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SARASOTA, Fla. - Single-A outfielder Cedric Mullins hit an opposite-field two-run homer off Craig Kimbrel in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Orioles trail the Red Sox 11-8 at Ed Smith Stadium.

Nice camp for Mullins, especially when you consider he's not really a part of it.

Trey Mancini has three more hits today, including two doubles and two RBIs, to raise his spring average to .357 and continue to make it harder for the Orioles to send him down.

Mark Trumbo is 3-for-4 to lift his average from .171 to .222.

Scott McGough restored order with two scoreless innings, but the Red Sox pushed across an unearned run off Vidal Nuño in the eighth after Paul Janish's throwing error on a rundown and Carlos Quentin's RBI single.

Tyler Wilson may have taken the lead in the competition for right-handed long reliever after allowing one run over four innings. Steve Selsky led off the third with a home run.

"Felt good," he said. "You guys know my plan going into every game is just to kind of really challenge the zone, force contact. Early on in the game I fell behind 2-0 to the first two guys, and that's not exactly part of the plan, but Weli (Welington Castillo) did a good job of getting me in the zone and staying down and forcing contact and getting some ground balls and letting the guys play.

"There are some good things and some bad things, just like every day, but I felt like I commanded the zone pretty well after I settled in. The last inning, really started executing some off-speed pitches. It took a couple innings to get into that, but at the end of it, I felt better than at the beginning."

Wilson has settled down over his last three appearances, allowing two runs in nine innings.

"I think that the last couple outings I just found my rhythm a little bit more, found my timing in my delivery and I just executed pitches more consistently, and that's really the name of the game, right?" he said.

"It took me a little bit longer this year to find that timing and find the tempo with every pitch, but more importantly it starts with the base of your delivery and mechanics and stuff like that. Last couple outings I felt good, I felt strong and felt like I commanded the ball pretty well and gave the guys a chance to play behind me."

Is it enough for Wilson to head north?

"Everything's always out of my hands and that's kind of the way I approached the game especially, but life, too," he said.

"I tell you guys all the time, control the controllables and really focus on the things I can. Whether I make the team or I don't, or whether I'm a starter or reliever, it doesn't impact my approach. I might alter my workload in between outings and such, but mentally I'm just focused on what I can and trying to get better every day and really committed to being my best me in whatever role it is."

The role is always changing.

Wilson was competing for the fifth starter's job, but now seems to be thrust in the bullpen mix.

"I can't keep up with where they see me and what they want me to do, and I mean that in a good way. I don't mean any disrespect by that," he said.

"Like I said, that's out of my hands. I started spring starting and then threw some in relief, but that's really how the last couple seasons have gone, as well. So I'm in a sense grateful for that experience, to start a few games, then come in in relief. I understand that's going to be my role for the team, very undefined, and I'm OK with that. It's outside of my control.

"I trust everything about the organization. They've never put me in any compromising position and I just want to do whatever I can to help the team win."