TAMPA - Well, this worked out pretty well for the Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez had a solid outing. The middle of their order combined for eight RBIs. The Orioles hammed the Yankees 11-2 in their home park.
Gonzalez, who entered with an ERA of 22.24, gave up just four hits and two runs over four innings. It was his longest spring outing and probably his best as well.
"Better, better," manager Buck Showalter said. "Command was a lot better. Thought he had a good idea where he was throwing the ball tonight. Split (finger fastball) was better. Actually throwing it more. Hadn't been throwing it a whole lot. I was encouraged by the command of the split.
"Dylan (Bundy) was good again. That was with one day off and the first time we'd done that. (Odrisamer) Despaigne was pretty good.
"Despaigne got three innings in tonight. That was one of our goals. If they would allow him to. He's a guy that has a lot of different pitches and arm angles. He's been as advertised. He's competing for a spot on our roster and he's got a chance."
The Orioles offense produced a spring-high 11 runs with 14 hits. Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo combined to go 5-for-8 with a double, homer and eight RBIs. Each player drove in four. Trumbo hit a three-run homer to left in the first and added an RBI single to right in the fourth.
Xavier Avery missed the game with a hip flexor and could be out at least a few more days. The Orioles will probably know more tomorrow and will add outfielder Julio Borbon for Saturday's game with Tampa Bay. The Orioles lineup for that game could include a few regular players, Showalter said.
The Orioles are starting to play better, going 5-2-1 the last eight games.
"It's that time," Showalter said. "We've still got two weeks here, let's not get ahead of ourselves."
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