In a somewhat unusual scheduling quirk, the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays played each other in home and home split squad games; the norm has been for one team to have their split squads play two different teams.
The Orioles tied the Blue Jays 6-6 in Sarasota and defeated the Blue Jays 11-6 in Dunedin. A combined 12,922 fans witnessed the games in the two locations.
The excitement started in the first inning in Sarasota when Toronto’s Ernie Clement singled to left field and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double by Austin Hays (0 for 3). Adley Rutschman (2 for 3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI) led off the home half of the first with a homerun to right field.
Clement redeemed himself, however, with a three-run homerun off Baltimore starter Corbin Burnes in the third inning. Burnes finished with a line of 3.0 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 2 HR, 1 BB, 2 K, WP and utilized the Spring Training re-entry rule, leaving the mound with two outs in the third and re-entering in the fourth. His day was done following a two out, two-run homerun by Toronto’s Brian Serven.
Homeruns by Colton Cowser (1 for 2, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB) in the third, James McCann (1 for 3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI) in the fourth and Ramon Urias (1 for 3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI) in the sixth put four total runs on the board.
Baltimore tied the game at 6 in the seventh inning on the strength of Enrique Bradfield Jr (0 for 1, 1 R, SB) and his speed. Bradfield pinch ran for Cowser, who had walked, stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by Blue Jay catcher Max McDowell. Bradfield scored on a TT Bowens (0 for 1, 1 RBI) fielder’s choice.
Ryan Mountcastle and Kolten Wong each went 1 for 3.
Dillon Tate (1.0 IP, 1 H) and Andrew Suarez (1.0 IP, 1 H) remain unscored upon this Spring.
Lightning struck in Dunedin in the first inning with an Anthony Santander (2 for 4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI) one out homerun and a Jackson Holliday (1 for 4, HR, 1 R, 4 RBI) grand-slam homerun. Santander added a three-run tater in the fourth inning.
Michael Perez (1 for 3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI) and Ryan McKenna (2 for 3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI) also homered in the game.
Gunnar Henderson went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a walk and Heston Kjerstad (2 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB) did the same.
Connor Norby went 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a walk.
Coby Mayo went 1 for 4.
Albert Suarez (1-0) was the starter and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits (1 HR), struck out 4, hit a batter and earned the win.
Nick Vespi allowed 1 run on 1 hit and walked 1 in 1.0 inning.
Chayce McDermott was solid, allowing 2 hits, walking 1 and striking out 6 in 3.0 innings of work.