masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Matt Wieters is hitless in two at-bats this afternoon, making him 0-for-22 in Grapefruit League games, and still hasn’t been tested by a would-be basestealer.
The Twins don’t need to run. They’ve brought their power game to Ed Smith Stadum.
Trevor Plouffe led off the top of the second with a home run off Bud Norris, making his third start this spring. Eduardo Nunez hit a two-run shot with two outs in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie, and Kennys Vargas drilled a three-run shot…

SARASOTA, Fla. – Matt Wieters is hitless in two at-bats this afternoon, making him 0-for-22 in Grapefruit League games, and still hasn’t been tested by a would-be basestealer.

The Twins don’t need to run. They’ve brought their power game to Ed Smith Stadum.

Trevor Plouffe led off the top of the second with a home run off Bud Norris, making his third start this spring. Eduardo Nunez hit a two-run shot with two outs in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie, and Kennys Vargas drilled a three-run shot off Tommy Hunter with two outs in the fifth to give Minnesota a 6-1 lead.

norris-with-glove-pitching-white-sidebar.jpgNorris was charged with three runs and five hits in four innings, with one walk, one strikeout and two home runs. It was his longest outing of the spring.

Norris, who threw 39 of 55 pitches for strikes, has allowed 10 runs and 13 hits in 7 2/3 innings over three starts. He’s walked five and struck out four.

Norris issued a leadoff walk in the first and allowed a two-out double to Brian Dozier, but Ryan Flaherty ranged far to his left to field Vargas’ grounder and record the out.

Josmil Pinto reached on an infield hit with two outs in the second. Wieters fielded the slow roller, but his throw pulled Davis off the bag. Norris retired the side in the third and got the first two outs in the fourth before Eddie Rosario tripled and Nunez lifted a fly ball into the wind that carried over the fence in left-center field.

Hunter got the first two outs in the fifth on ground balls, but Eduardo Escobar singled, Dozier doubled and Vargas unloaded. Hunter hadn’t allowed a run or hit in his first four appearances covering five innings – including two frames against the Puerto Rico Development Program.

T.J. McFarland will work the top of the sixth inning.

Chris Davis homered on his 29th birthday, and once again he drove the ball to the opposite field.

Davis cleared the left field fence for the second time in two days, giving the Orioles a brief 1-0 lead over the Twins in the bottom of the first inning.

Davis has three home runs and 10 RBIs this spring. Half of his spring hits have been homers.