SARASOTA, Fla. – The Twins' makeshift lineup didn't hit much against Orioles starter Mike Wright and four relievers Thursday night, absorbing a 4-1 loss, but they did make an encouraging number of plays on defense.

Max Kepler sprinted to shallow center field and dived to prevent a leadoff hit in the first inning, then ended the inning by running down a fly ball at the fence.

And Miguel Sano, who spends most mornings learning his new position with extra workouts, scrambled back to catch a slicing line drive by Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph in the sixth inning.

"He hasn't had a lot of action in the games he's played," manager Paul Molitor said of Sano, a converted infielder whom the Twins intend to make their right fielder this season. "The ball that Kepler caught might have been a little big of an education about a righthanded ball is going to come back toward you. Being out there, the balls you don't necessarily think you have a chance at, you have to go after it [like you will]."

Nobody could catch the balls that Adam Jones hit, however. Jones pounded a home run far beyond the left-field bleachers, then doubled home another run two innings later.

Taylor Rogers, a bullpen candidate making his first start for the Twins, allowed two hits over two scoreless innings.

Brian Stensaas — Star Tribune, Star Tribune
Taylor Rogers.

"Taylor seems to have improved every outing," Molitor said of the lefthander. "He did a really nice job keeping the ball down today. He was facing some good hitters, and handled them aggressively with his fastball, so that was really good to see."

But the Twins couldn't score against Wright during his five-inning stint, managing only four hits and putting a runner in scoring position only twice. The Twins' lone run came in the eighth inning, when shortstop Wilfredo Tovar singled, stole second, and scored on Buck Britton's single.

PHIL MILLER