FORT MYERS, FLA. — In a game that featured Opening Day starter, Pablo López, and closer, Jhoan Duran, Twins pitchers were blistered for 17 hits in a 12-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday at Hammond Stadium.
López, who struck out two and gave up three hits in two innings, surrendered a two-run homer to Ramón Urías.
“I followed a plan of trying to work on the things I wanted to work on,” López said. “I had to resist the temptation to go with what I know or what I do best on the mound, because I’m trying to work on things.”
Duran, who threw more splitters than fastballs, retired only two of the six batters he faced. After giving up back-to-back RBI singles to Urías and Jordan Westburg, Twins minor league reliever Michael Boyle yielded a three-run homer to Colton Cowser.
“He threw some pretty good pitches to one of those hitters and we didn’t end up getting him out,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I think he was fine. We weren’t going to let him throw too many pitches past 20. He got the work that we needed him to get and overall I think it was fine.”
Jordan Balazovic gave up four hits and three runs in his lone inning out of the bullpen, and Justin Topa permitted three consecutive soft singles that turned into one run.
Edouard Julien helped the Twins to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a leadoff double that dropped out of sliding left fielder Austin Hays’ glove. Julien scored on a sacrifice fly. Minor leaguer Jake Rucker added a solo homer in the seventh inning.
