Wrapping up a 9-4 win

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Renato Núñez is a third baseman by trade who had no issues with moving across the diamond this afternoon. He's just trying to make the club. The glove won't be a primary reason if it happens.

It's the bat that keeps teams intrigued and Núñez's might be heating up.

Núñez crushed a fastball from Twins reliever Addison Reed in the third inning, his grand slam to left-center field giving the Orioles a lead they didn't surrender in a 9-4 win.

Jordany Valespin hit a bases-empty home run off Dillon Tate in the ninth, but it followed Martin Cervenka's three-run shot in the top half.

A double play grounder in the first inning left Núñez 3-for-14 this spring before he launched Reed's pitch beyond the boardwalk area.

"I feel like I've been having better at-bats," he said. "That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to see a couple more pitches. My first at-bat today I swung at the first pitch, second at-bat I kind of took my time to see a couple pitches.

"I think that's what it is. You go without playing for four months, it takes a little bit of time sometimes."

He got every inch of the Reed pitch. Squared it up and launched it.

"Of course I did," he said, laughing.

nunez-throws-off-balance-orange-spring-sidebar.jpg"Nunie can hit," said manager Brandon Hyde. "You look at this track record and he's always put up numbers. And he's going to get an opportunity to get a lot of at-bats this spring and we're going to move him around a little bit, third and first. Good to see him launch one today."

Núñez is working on both parts of his game. The offense comes more naturally. The defense has been an issue, specifically the accuracy of his arm. He had two throwing errors Friday night in Tampa.

"You've got to do both," he said. "You've got to keep playing the game. I played first base today. I don't mind at all. I play first, third. Whatever the manger wants me to play, I'll be happy to play for him."

Dylan Bundy pitched a solid three innings except for two home runs from C.J. Cron on poorly located fastballs.

"I just enjoyed that he worked ahead of hitters," Hyde said. "And then his off-speed stuff was real good, the curveball, slider and changeup. I thought he misplaced a couple heaters. Trying to go up, up and he kind of just left it belt and Cronie got him. But it was a good three innings."

David Hess followed Bundy to the mound this afternoon and retired all nine batters he faced with three strikeouts. A loud statement for his inclusion in the rotation.

Hess allowed one run and three hits in back-to-back outings this spring before blowing through the Twins lineup today.

"Like all of our guys, really aggressive," Hyde said. "A ton of first-pitch strikes. We're working ahead in the count all day long and that's what Hess was doing. Attacking hitters with his stuff. A really good slider. But really being aggressive in the zone and challenging hitters and great job by everybody."

The Orioles didn't allow a baserunner after the third inning until the home run in the ninth.

Left-hander Josh Osich made his Orioles debut in the seventh and retired the side in order.

"I've seen that," Hyde said. "It's a mid-90s left-hander that can get up there even more than that, with a good slider, as well. And he attacked hitters.

"The thing with O is when he works ahead, he's really hard to hit and he did that today with three batters."

Miguel Castro had a 1-2-3 eighth and hasn't allowed a baserunner in three innings.

Anthony Santander remains on a hitting roll, doubling in the seventh after coming off the bench and scoring on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 6-3. Cedric Mullins was thrown out at the plate on the double.

Santander is 7-for-14 with four doubles and a home run. He came close to a fifth RBI, with Mullins appearing to be safe at the plate.

Ed Smith Stadium transforms to Nashville for a wee...
Bundy talks about today's outing (O's win 9-4)