Perkins returns from oblique strain

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Glen Perkins made his first appearance of spring training Saturday, giving up a homer to Delmon Young in one inning of a Minnesota Twins split squad's 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

The Twins' closer retired the first two batters he faced in the fifth inning before Young homered to left. Perkins then struck out Orioles DH Nolan Reimold to end the inning.

''Just made one bad pitch,'' Perkins said.

Perkins, who has 70 saves over the past two seasons, had been sidelined with a right oblique strain, but he is confident that he'll be ready for opening day.

''I think I'll be ready to go,'' Perkins said.

He expects to make six or seven more spring appearances.

Joe Mauer, a three-time batting champ, came into the game hitting .158 but was 3 for 4 for the Twins.

Baltimore first baseman Steve Pearce hit his fourth home run of spring training in the second inning. His three-run homer gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead.

BACK TO THE MINORS

Orioles: Optioned OF Henry Urrutia to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned RHP Steve Johnson to minor league camp. On Friday night, LHP Tim Berry was optioned to Norfolk. Baltimore has 41 players in camp.

Twins: Optioned RHP Ryan Pressly to Triple-A Rochester. They are down to 42 players in camp. Pressly has spent parts of each of the past two years with the Twins, compiling a 5-3 record with a 3.60 ERA. He had an 8.31 spring ERA and opponents hit .455 against him.

STARTING TIME

Orioles: Miguel Gonzalez allowed singles to the first three batters he faced but then settled. He struck out the side in the second. In 3 2-3 innings, he yielded two earned runs, six hits and struck out two.

''I felt great,'' Gonzalez said. ''I executed my pitches. That's been an issue with my (splitter). I was definitely happy with it this time. My fastball command was very good.''

Twins: Tommy Milone allowed four runs and five hits in four innings. All four runs came in the second inning. He retired the side in order in the third and fourth innings. ''First couple of innings felt a little sluggish,'' Milone said. ''I think I was trying to do too much, nibble at the corners. Trying to get ahead that way instead of attacking the zone and getting ahead.''

He nearly got out of the second inning when he struck out Manny Machado with one out and two runners on base. ''You can't ever assume the inning is over,'' Milone said. Pearce followed with a three-run homer.

Milone is competing for the fifth starter role with Mike Pelfrey and Trevor May.

''You can't really worry about it,'' Milone said. ''It's not something you can control. Obviously, you have to go out there and pitch.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: C Matt Wieters is unlikely to start the season with Baltimore, manager Buck Showalter said.

Wieters, who caught for the first time on Tuesday since last June's Tommy John surgery, was shut down for at least a week on Wednesday. Showalter doesn't want to put any pressure on the catcher.

''I think from Matt's standpoint I don't want him to have some false deadline where someone would view it as (a setback). I'm excited about where we are with it. It is going to happen, it's just a matter of when,'' Showalter said.

Wieters won't be on the active roster to serve as Baltimore's designated hitter if he is unable to catch, Showalter said.

Twins: C Josmil Pinto left the game in the second inning after getting hit in the head on a backswing by Adam Jones and was being evaluated for a concussion.

UP NEXT:

Orioles: RHP Bud Norris starts against St. Louis RHP John Lackey on Sunday.

Twins: travel across Florida to play the Miami Marlins in Jupiter. Phil Hughes is scheduled to start for the Twins vs. Jarred Cosart.