Bailey Ober impressive, Jorge Polanco homers as Twins beat Rays 7-1

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Moments after finishing his round of batting practice before Thursday's game, Jorge Polanco stood in the Twins' dugout and took another several dozen left-handed swings as Luis Arraez and international scouting director Fred Guerrero offered suggestions.

"I've been working on moving into the ready position to hit. I was feeling I haven't been doing that," Polanco said. "That's what I was doing in the dugout, trying to get my stride just right. And I did today."

Did he ever. With Byron Buxton on second base in the first inning, Polanco turned on a 2-2 fastball from Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen and deposited it six rows deep into the raised seats in right-center.

Bailey Ober pitched three shutout innings, Arraez and Alex Kirilloff each drove in a run and Tim Beckham added a home run against the team that drafted him, earning the Twins their second straight Grapefruit League victory, 7-1 at Hammond Stadium.

For Polanco, who hit 33 home runs last season, the first-inning blast was a hopeful sign that his swing — both of them, for the switch hitter — will be ironed out before Opening Day in two weeks. "I'm starting to feel better at the plate," said Polanco, who was hitless in 10 plate appearances this spring before Thursday. "I've been working with the hitting coaches, trying to get more in time with the pitchers. I'm getting a lot of fastballs up, that's what we've been working on. And it feels a lot better."

Ober, who struck out four Rays after recording none in his first start, was equally upbeat about his short-spring preparation. But the righthander also nitpicked about walking former minor league teammate Luke Raley, even though he was quickly erased by a double-play ball. "Two walks in five innings" this spring, Ober groused. "That's too many."

BOXSCORE: Twins 7, Tampa Bay 1