Pelfrey Sharp For Twins Against Orioles

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Mike Pelfrey struck out four in three scoreless innings and the Minnesota Twins beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 on Tuesday.

Pelfrey allowed just two hits and first baseman Joe Mauer went 2 for 3 with an RBI, raising his spring average to .306. Trevor Plouffe went 2 for 3 with an RBI and scored a run.

Steve Clevenger, who will be Baltimore’s backup catcher, started and went 3 for 3, scoring his team’s lone run. He is hitting .484 this spring.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire used three potential starting pitchers against the Orioles a day after a rainout. Kyle Gibson pitched three shutout innings, striking out one and giving up two hits. Scott Diamond gave up one run off two hits while striking out one in three innings.

Gibson and Diamond are competing for the Twins’ fifth rotation spot.

Pelfrey has had a strong spring in his second season removed from Tommy John surgery and has one more start remaining before the Twins head north. He had a 5-13 record with a 5.19 ERA in 29 starts last season, a predictably up-and-down performance in his first year back from elbow surgery.

“Everybody always says that the second year is the year,” Pelfrey said. “Hopefully I have a good year this year. I think maybe I probably did too much trying to come back last year.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.