masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgFORT MYERS, Fla. – Dylan Bundy stranded three inherited runners today and shut out the Twins in the sixth inning in his latest impressive outing for the Orioles, who lost 5-1 at Hammond Stadium.
Bundy walked one and struck out one in the sixth. He’s allowed one unearned run and one hit in his last four appearances covering 5 1/3 innings.
“I thought Bundy pitched well again. We’re really happy with where Dylan is. It’s good to see,” said manager Buck Showalter.
“I’ll tell you, the last…

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Dylan Bundy stranded three inherited runners today and shut out the Twins in the sixth inning in his latest impressive outing for the Orioles, who lost 5-1 at Hammond Stadium.

Bundy walked one and struck out one in the sixth. He’s allowed one unearned run and one hit in his last four appearances covering 5 1/3 innings.

“I thought Bundy pitched well again. We’re really happy with where Dylan is. It’s good to see,” said manager Buck Showalter.

bundy-throwing-sidebar.jpg“I’ll tell you, the last four or five times out he’s looked like a major league pitcher.”

Showalter brought in Bundy after Odrisamer Despaigne loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. He wanted Bundy to get back up a second time.

“I was hoping we’d have to do it with Mike (Wright), but that was another threshold where he gets up and comes in and then pitches another inning,” Showalter said. “That was good to see.”

Wright didn’t get past the fourth inning with his pitch count at 76. Wright was charged with three runs, two coming on Joe Mauer’s home run in the first.

“Mike was good,” Showalter said. “Gave up one run. I’m not even counting the routine fly ball to left field which blew out. Had a walk there before that you don’t like to see, but he really only gave up one run today. The conditions elevated his pitch count a little bit. We were trying to get him to five or six and 80, but the extra pitches after the fly ball to left field …”

Dariel Alvarez doubled and scored in the third and walked in the fifth. He’s drawn three walks this spring, showing patience that the Orioles have been preaching.

“Dariel Alvarez very quietly has had a good spring, especially the last couple weeks,” Showalter said. “He’s been solid. The game’s starting to slow down for him.

“He knows he can’t go through a season walking single digits, but you also don’t want to take away the things he’s good at. Early on, it seemed like he was taking everything. He was trying to please you when you talk about things, but you also want him to turn it loose on balls that he can do some damage. I think the last four, five games, he’s found the happy median. We’ll see if he can continue.”

Nolan Reimold went 0-for-3 to lower his average to .162, but he lined to center field in his final at-bat.

“We’re pretty familiar with Nolan,” Showalter said. “Seems to be healthy. That’s always a good thing. He’s got some track record in the big leagues when healthy. He hit a ball hard today and he’s playing again tomorrow. As you see, we’re giving him a lot of reps, making sure where he is physically, and that’s not something he’s thinking about anymore.

“I think he’s just getting ready to play, so that’s good. Physically, he seems to be in pretty good form, which usually means a pretty good player.”

Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard had an RBI double in the second inning. He also lined out, grounded into a double play and grounded to second.

“Joey continues to play well,” Showalter said.

Ubaldo Jimenez tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a Triple-A game at Twin Lakes Park. He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out eight.

Jimenez threw 86 pitches, 53 for strikes.