Wright turns into groundball machine (Orioles win 3-2)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 3, Phillies 2

Recap: Mike Wright allowed one run and two hits in three innings, with three strikeouts and a hit batter. ... Jayson Aquino surrendered his first run this spring in seven innings on Cameron Rupp's solo home run. ... Paul Janish collected his first spring hit with a double in the third and he tied the game in the seventh with a sacrifice fly. ... Logan Schafer broke the tie in the seventh with a fielder's choice grounder up the middle. ... Darren O'Day struck out two while retiring the side in order in the seventh.

Need to know: Wright had two scoreless innings before a hit batter, single on a ball that deflected off second base and Chris Coghlan's liner into left field gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. ... Mark Trumbo was 0-for-11 this spring before his double in the fourth. ... Seth Smith is hitless this spring, but he reached on an error and two walks as the leadoff hitter.

On deck: Monday at Tigers in Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.

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SARASOTA, Fla. - Mike Wright kept the ball on the ground today in his three innings against the Phillies, which mostly worked in his favor.

Wright didn't surrender a hit until César Hernández's grounder up the middle with one out in the third inning deflected off the bag and allowed Aaron Altheer, who was hit by a pitch, to race to third base. Chris Coghlan followed with a liner into left field to break a scoreless tie.

It didn't ruin Wright's day. He turned in a solid outing, with his two-seamer making it impossible for the Phillies to get any lift.

"It's been a good pitch for me so far and I might start implementing that a little more and get more ground balls," he said.

"I think it all depends on the team and the day and how each pitch is feeling, but it's been a good pitch so far and it's been a pitch that I've been working really hard on. It's always good to keep the ball on the ground."

Wright also faced the Phillies in his first outing in Clearwater and served up a two-run homer to Tommy Joseph in the second inning. One of his runs was unearned and he threw 26 of his 33 pitches for strikes.

Another strong first inning followed today, with Wright retiring the side on three ground balls. And his second inning was vastly improved with three ground balls and a strikeout. Ryan Flaherty's two-out throwing error kept Wright on the mound for two more pitches.

Ten of Wright's 12 pitches in the second inning were strikes.

Wright struck out two batters and induced another grounder in the third, but he fell behind because of the hit batter and two singles. He threw 13 pitches, 10 for strikes.

Wright finished with 40 pitches, 29 for strikes. Jayson Aquino replaced him in the top of the fourth.

There wasn't much velocity coming from Wright. One pitch was clocked at 94 mph on the stadium radar gun, but he was 90-91 mph.

"I felt pretty good," he said. "I only missed bad on one pitch and that was the pitch that gave up the run, but other than that I felt like I executed pretty well and I really let my defense work today."

Asked if this spring training feels any different, Wright said, "It's still spring training, I'm still fighting for a spot. That's no different. That hasn't changed the last couple of years. It still feels similar, but it's a different atmosphere as far as, we've got some new coaches and new things. And there are so many guys who have been together for so long, the core has been together so long that I think we're really starting to itch for that World Series chase. So it's a different atmosphere, but it's a winning atmosphere and it's awesome."

The Orioles tied the game in the fourth on doubles by Mark Trumbo - his first hit in 11 spring at-bats - and Welington Castillo, but Cameron Rupp hit a solo home run off Aquino in the sixth. Aquino has allowed only one run in seven spring innings.

Paul Janish lifted a sacrifice fly in the seventh to tie the score 2-2 after Castillo walked and pinch-hitter Chris Johnson followed with a double.

The Orioles wasted Chris Davis' leadoff single in the second and a one-out double by Janish in the third. Seth Smith reached on an error as Janish took third, but Adam Jones and Manny Machado flied out.

The wind robbed Jones of a home run to left field in the fifth.

Darren O'Day retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the seventh.

Machado, Jones and Castillo came out of the game and are headed to the World Baseball Classic. Machado and Castillo leave today and Jones is gone Monday.