Jaime Garcia powers St. Louis Cardinals past Orioles

Left-handed starter Jaime Garcia pitched four solid innings as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Baltimore Orioles in an 8-2 win.

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Garcia made his second start of the spring. In four innings, the starter allowed one run on two hits. After the first inning, Garcia retired the side in the next three innings. He walked one and struck out five batters. He now posts a 3.38 ERA. Garcia certainly rebounded from his first start, which was considered to be a rough outing. While he got through four innings in his second outing, the Cardinals will want to see more of the same in his next start.

Garcia is battling both Carlos Martinez and Marco Gonzales for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.

Down 1-0 in the third inning, first baseman Mark Reynolds took advantage of a Matt Holliday single and Matt Adams walk by launching his first home run of Spring Training in 2015 off of Orioles pitcher Bud Norris.

“It is a Spring Training homer,” Reynolds said according to MLB.com’s Jennifer Langosch. “It doesn’t go on the back of your baseball card. But it is good to see some results. All the work you put in and all the early mornings, it is good to see results.”

In the seventh inning, the Cardinals put three runs on the board as Stephen Piscotty hit an RBI double and Tommy Pham hit a sac fly. Pham and Reynolds currently lead the Cardinals with five RBIs this spring.

Starting pitcher Adam Wainwright faced hitters on Thursday when he threw two simulated innings. According to Jenifer Langosch, Wainwright threw forty pitches.

“I want to be out there taking and running station to station and leading groups and doing all that, too,” Wainwright said according to Langosch. “But each year is different. This year, it’s not smart for me to be running around. We’re trying to get me ready for April 5.”

MLB.com columnist Phil Rogers writes that Wainwright sets the tone for the Cardinals’ success. Read this article in full if you have yet to do so!

The Cardinals will be the visiting team on Friday when they take the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Zach Petrick will start for St. Louis.

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