The Minnesota Twins fell 3-2 to the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Eric Wagaman's 1-for-3 with an RBI effort at the plate, the Twins could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Mick Abel turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of scoreless ball with two strikeouts. The Orioles out-hit the Twins 7-5 on the day. The Twins will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Eric Wagaman was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. He put together quality at-bats throughout the game. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Twins offense.
James Outman also contributed, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, Brooks Lee chipped in, going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, and David Bañuelos added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with a double. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Heston Kjerstad led the Orioles offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Coby Mayo also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Brayden Smith added a 1-for-1 effort as well. The Orioles offense proved to be too much for the Twins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Mick Abel got the start, pitching effectively, working 4.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 2 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 41 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 3.3 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out five. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Zane Barnhart recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Connor Prielipp stood out with 1.2 innings of 3-run work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
The Twins struck first, pushing across a run in the first inning. Orioles struck back with two runs in the sixth. The Twins answered with a run in the seventh. Orioles responded with a run in the seventh. Orioles out-hit the Twins 7-5, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 6,197 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Twins will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.