masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – The plan called for Orioles starter Bud Norris to work two innings today, but the Red Sox wouldn’t allow it.
Norris threw 30 pitches, only 15 for strikes, in the first inning and departed with a 4-0 deficit. Chaz Roe replaced him in the top of the second and turned in two scoreless innings.
Norris was down 1-0 just two batters into the game after Milton Bradley Jr. led off with a single and former Oriole Jemile Weeks tripled into right-center field. After a walk, wild pitch…

SARASOTA, Fla. – The plan called for Orioles starter Bud Norris to work two innings today, but the Red Sox wouldn’t allow it.

Norris threw 30 pitches, only 15 for strikes, in the first inning and departed with a 4-0 deficit. Chaz Roe replaced him in the top of the second and turned in two scoreless innings.

norris-hands-on-head-gray-sidebar.jpgNorris was down 1-0 just two batters into the game after Milton Bradley Jr. led off with a single and former Oriole Jemile Weeks tripled into right-center field. After a walk, wild pitch and strikeout, catcher Blake Swihart homered to right field to increase the lead to 4-0.

Garin Cecchini lined a single up the middle, the ball whistling past Norris, but Bryce Brentz struck out and Travis Shaw flied to center.

Norris was facing Boston’s split-squad lineup.

Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright allowed an unearned run over two innings. Alejandro De Aza reached on an error in the first and scored on Chris Davis’ two-out single.

De Aza struck out in the third inning on a 96 mph fastball from former Orioles farmhand Eduardo Rodriguez, who was traded to the Red Sox last summer for reliever Andrew Miller. De Aza is 1-for-11 with a home run this spring.

Rodriguez also retired J.J. Hardy on a fly ball and Adam Jones on a grounder. A very impressive showing.

Left-hander Wesley Wright will pitch the fourth inning for the Orioles, who continue to trail 4-1.

Instant update: Brentz homered off Wright with one out to increase Boston’s lead to 5-1.

Update II: Rodriguez retired all nine batters he faced, striking out three. A very, very impressive showing.

Wesley Wright worked two innings and allowed one run. Dylan Bundy is pitching in the sixth with the Orioles down 5-1.