Drew Smyly perfect in first outing as Rays top Orioles' split squad
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- Drew Smyly retired all six batters he faced, Curt Casali was 3 for 3 with three RBIs and the Tampa Bay Rays beat a Baltimore Orioles split-squad 10-6 on Saturday night.
Smyly missed most of last season with a torn labrum but finished 2015 strong. In this one, he struck out Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters in the second inning.
Kevin Kiermaier also had three hits for Tampa Bay.
The Rays scored six runs in the fifth and Baltimore answered with four in their half of the inning.
Kevin Gausman started for the Orioles and allowed one hit in two innings. Gausman struck out three and faced the minimum six batters.
Baltimore is 0-5-1 this spring, including two losses on Saturday -- another split-squad fell to Minnesota 13-2.
Four of the Orioles' first six games have been on the road, and manager Buck Showalter has played few of his regulars. This lineup did feature Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Davis, Trumbo, Wieters, J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop, though, and Showalter says losing still bothers him.
"Believe me, I don't ever like walking off the field when somebody scored more runs than us," Showalter said.
STARTING TIME:
Rays: Smyly was relieved to do well against a familiar opponent.
"That was more or less their opening day lineup," Smyly said. "Every pitcher goes into spring, first game, maybe a little anxious or nervous. `How's my arm going to feel? How's my stuff going to be? How are the hitters going to see it?' Just going here just kind of reassures you you're good."
Orioles: For the first time since he came to the major leagues in 2013, Gausman knows he has a starting job, and that's made a difference.
"Normally, during spring training, I'm just kind of cruising along and don't really know," Gausman said. "I'm just getting innings where I can, so it will be nice to know what I'm doing, know I'm pitching every fifth day, that I'll be starting the game and getting in my routine. I think that helps, so definitely looking forward to that."
TRAINER'S ROOM:
Rays: OF Steven Souza has yet to play because of an intercostal muscle strain but hopes to appear in a game next week.
Orioles: LHP Brian Matusz is out with a strain in his lower back. Matusz thinks he'll be out a week or two.
"Obviously, we're going to be cautious, and obviously the goal is to be ready for the start of the season but also be careful and make sure that it's 100 percent healed," Matusz said.
OF Nolan Reimold, who hadn't played the field yet this spring, started in right field.
KNUCKLING UNDER
The Rays say that pending a physical, they are signing former major league 1B Dan Johnson to a minor league contract. The 36-year-old Johnson played for six teams, including Tampa Bay, in a 10-year career and is trying to re-invent himself as a knuckleballer.
"The Rays are not afraid to do things outside the box," Johnson said.
UP NEXT:
Rays: Host the Minnesota Twins. Tampa Bay has RHP Jake Odorizzi facing Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson.
Orioles: Visit Fort Myers to play the Boston Red Sox. Mike Wright faces Clay Buchholz in a battle of right-handers.
