‘Excellent’ Sugano extends scoreless streak, offense clicks in 10-0 Orioles’ win over Twins

SARASOTA-What’s happening? Zach Eflin was named the Orioles’ Opening Day starter when they play the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on March 27^th.

“It’s just a special day,” Elfin said. “There just a buzz around the stadium that day. There’s a buzz in spring training leading up to Opening Day. To be able to take the ball that day and lead the team into battle, a 162-game battle. It’s an honor. It’s a blessing. Very humbled to be able to do it for the second time. I don’t take that lightly. Just very, very appreciative.”

Manager Brandon Hyde said that Grayson Rodriguez hasn’t resumed throwing. He is out because of right elbow discomfort.

“We’re giving him these seven to 10 days, seeing how he feels after,” Hyde said. “Then he starts a throwing progression. It’s a restart, so it’s going to take a while.”

Thaddeus Ward will start for the Orioles when they play the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. Ward has allowed five runs on five hits in five innings in two games, one start. He allowed three home runs, walked three and struck out five.

Carmen Mlodzinski will start for Pittsburgh.

Brett Hollander and Ben Wagner will have the call on WBAL/98 Rock.

On Saturday night, the Orioles’ prospects will play the prospects of the New York Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium at 6:05. Chris Madera, who manages the Orioles’ Dominican Summer League team, will manage the Orioles prospects.

Keeler Morfe, the Orioles’ eighth-ranked prospect will start. The 18-year-old Morfe is 5 feet 8 and was 0-1 with an 0.82 ERA in seven starts fro the DSL Orioles and 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four games for Single-A Delmarva last season.

Among the prospects scheduled to play are catcher Samuel Basallo, outfielders Enrique Bradfield, Dylan Beavers, Vance Honeycutt, infielder Griff O’Ferrall, left-handed pitcher Luis De León and right-handers Nestor German and Patrick Reilly.

Basallo is the Orioles’ top-rated prospect. Bradfield is rated third, Honeycutt fifth, Beavers sixth, O’Ferrall seventh, Reilly 10^th, German 11^th and De Léon 14^th.

Melanie Newman and Jim Callis will be on the broadcast for MLB Network.

On Sunday, the Orioles will play split-squad games. Eflin will start for the Orioles against Philadelphia’s Jesús Luzardo in Sarasota while Albert Suárez will start against Detroit’s Jack Flaherty in Lakeland. Roansy Contreras will start for the Orioles when they play Boston in Fort Myers on Monday.

What’s happened? Tomoyuki Sugano recorded his fourth straight scoreless start and Colton Cowser, Ryan Mountcastle and Adley Rutschman homered in the Orioles’ 10-0 win over a Minnesota Twins split squad before 7,034 at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday night.

The 35-year-old Sugano allowed one hit in 3 1/3 innings, walked one and struck out four, throwing 64 pitches. In four starts, The former Japanese standout has given up three hits in 10 1/3 shutout innings with three walks and 11 strikeouts.

“I feel like I’m handling the ball much better as I progress,” Sugano said through a translator. “I’m not particularly surprised. This was my second outing against Minnesota. I changed things up, and things were working well. I’m happy with it. “

Sugano was relieved with one out and one on in the fourth, his longest outing.

“I was able to go [longer] if needed. It’s the team’s decision, so I followed what they asked me to do.”

Sugano probably has just one start remaining this spring.

“My health comes first, making sure that I’m healthy. That’s my main focus now,” he said. “I do feel a lot more confident, but more so better communication with the catchers. That’s what’s working.”

Hyde was pleased with Sugano.

“Excellent. Excellent. I thought he had everything working,” he said. “I loved his tempo and his command. If he falls behind in the count how he gets back in. Really quality pitches throughout. I thought his fastball had a lot of life to it tonight, and once again a really good split finger.

“You saw the command on video, and pro scouts saw a guy who had a lot of success in Japan and this is what the scouting reports said. ‘This is a guy who’s going to have really great command and good put away pitch.’ He just knows how to pitch.”

Félix Bautista pitched a spotless inning, striking out two in the fifth. He threw 18 pitches, 10 strikes. In his four appearances, Bautista has allowed three runs on five hits, a walk and seven strikeouts.

“I thought he was better. He got to 98 [mph] tonight,” Hyde said. “Good to see him got a couple of strikeouts. I think maybe pitching at home helped. He’s been on the road the last couple of times. Maybe having a home routine. A little bit better this time.”

Matt Bowman threw a scoreless inning, allowing two hits. Levi Stoudt threw two spotless innings and Carlos Tavera pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the three-hitter.

Mountcastle drove in four runs with a two-run homer and two-run double. He’s homered in three straight games.

“He’s having a heck of a week,” Hyde said. “It’s great to see him lay off tough pitches, get balls to drive and put great swings on them. This is the Mounty that we know. He’s such a threat at the plate.”

Cowser and Rutschman each had two-run home runs. Jackson Holliday had a bunt single. 

What’s up with? Bryan Baker retired nine straight hitters in his first three outings before he allowed three home runs against Minnesota on Sunday in 1 1/3 innings. He allowed a run on a hit in an inning against Toronto on Thursday.

“I think I’m throwing the ball well overall, and pretty happy where I’m at,” he said. “Really throwing a lot of strikes. I made it a point to get into good counts. That’s exactly what we’re talking about with giving up some contact the other day.

“I’m OK with that at this point in the season. Just the direction I’m going with filling up the strike zone. It’s good to start there and you can locate from there by making sure I’m in the strike zone. That’s where I came into the season at. That’s a good place to be in terms of making sure that I’m not going to give any free passes out or get into a lot of bad counts. I don’t want to be anywhere near a 3-0, 3-1 count, so I’ve done a good job of that so far.”

Baker said that the three home runs were an aberration.

“It’s just one of those spring training outings that get away from you,” Baker said. “I left a few fastballs over the middle. Just working on locations with that.”

He likes the depth of the bullpen.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” Baker said. “It always helps to get a guy like Félix Bautista coming back. He’s going to be awesome, and then you kind of work behind that. I feel like everybody has come in on a mission in terms of being a professional and finding out what part of their game needs work or what they possibly can add to their repertoire to help themselves or help the team get outs … I’m pretty impressed with what I’ve seen from everybody showing up in shape. Seems like everybody’s got a new pitch, a tweak or something good going from them. I’m excited to be in the mix.”

What’s what? While spring training stats don’t count, the Orioles’ frontline offense put together a complete performance.

“We did a lot of really good things offensively,” Hyde said. “We ran the bases well.”

What’s the word? “I don’t really expect anything in this game, honestly. My job is to show up every fifth day as healthy as I can be and stay in the game as long as possible, and I try to have small goals like that.”–Eflin on if he expected to be named the Opening Day starter.

What’s the number? 21. Twenty-one of the 27 players in the Spring Breakout game are among the Orioles’ top 30 prospects. Two late additions, right-handers Chase Allsup and Braxton Bragg, are not rated. Right-hander Michael Forret, the Orioles’ eighth-ranked prospect will not play.

What’s the record? 9-10-1. The Orioles will play the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday.