FORT MYERS, FLA. – Joe Mauer homered Tuesday, and so did Trevor Plouffe, but those players need no help in earning a job with the Twins.
Mauer connects on first home run, Twins beat Baltimore 5-1
Joe Mauer's first home run of the spring came in the first inning to get things started.
March 23, 2016 at 5:55AM
But Darin Mastroianni singled twice and stole a base, Carlos Quentin and Oswaldo Escobar each doubled and produced a run.
Then four bullpen candidates combined to limit the Orioles to one run and four hits, earning the split-squad Twins a 5-1 victory at Hammond Stadium.
"As we get later in the spring, you like to see guys rise to the occasion," bench coach Joe Vavra, who managed the Twins in Paul Molitor's absence, said of contributions by players scrambling for spots. "Pressure mounts a little bit more, so let's see what everybody's made of."
Mauer's first home run of the spring came in the first inning off Orioles starter Mike Wright, Plouffe's second homer came in the fifth and Mastroianni was on for both. "He did a nice job today of getting on base," Vavra said of the veteran outfielder, a long shot to make the team.
Logan Darnell retired all six batters he faced in his first "start" of the spring, and so did Michael Tonkin. Brandon Kintzler allowed three straight hits in the third inning, including an RBI double by Joe Rickard, but had a clean fourth, and Buddy Boshers pitched two scoreless innings.
All four await pending decisions about the Twins' bullpen.
Armando Alvarez played first base and third base in 16 games for Oakland. He ranged further in the minor leagues, where he hit .315 in Class AAA last season.
