Trombley shows he's part of the Orioles of the future

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Mike Trombley knows a thing or two about playing for a youthful, rebuilding team.

"I was on the other side of the fence last year," said Trombley, who joined the Baltimore Orioles in the offseason after playing for the small-market Minnesota Twins.

Trombley signed as a free agent for a Baltimore team that was filled with veteran talent. That's now a thing of the past in the wake of a four-day flurry of trades that sent seven players out of town.

Trombley, now one of the oldest players on the suddenly young Orioles, earned his third save Monday night as Baltimore beat the Twins 6-5.

It was the third straight win for the new-look Orioles, who survived a pair of ninth-inning errors.

"It's another step for our team for the future," Trombley said. "It's part of baseball. It's part of the Orioles' future."

Albert Belle ended the longest homerless drought of his career, and Sidney Ponson pitched seven strong innings for the Orioles, whose performance earned mixed reviews from manager Mike Hargrove.

Catcher Brook Fordyce, obtained in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, threw a ball into center on a steal before third baseman Ryan Minor botched a grounder to allow a run to score.

Trombley then issued a walk before getting three straight outs.

"Those things are going to happen," Hargrove said of the hectic ninth. "You might as well get used to it. Young players are going to make mistakes."

Carlos Casimiro doubled in two runs in his first major league at-bat as designated hitter for the Orioles, who before the game ended their trading spree by sending left fielder B.J. Surhoff to the Atlanta Braves and dealing first baseman Will Clark to St. Louis.

Casimiro's hit put Baltimore up 4-1 in the third, and new shortstop Melvin Mora scored two runs and stole a base. First baseman Chris Richard went 1-for-4 in his debut with the Orioles, and center fielder Luis Matos got his fifth steal in two games.

But three of the few remaining Orioles veterans contributed the most to the victory.

Belle's two-run homer in the first inning put Baltimore ahead to stay. It was his 19th of the season and first since June 29, ending a string of 27 games and 109 at-bats without a home run.

Delino DeShields had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run.

Ponson (6-7) allowed four runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings, striking out four and walking two, to snap a three-game skid. He's 5-0 with a 1.73 ERA lifetime against the Twins.

Minnesota's Juan Romero (0-1), making his first major league start and sixth appearance, allowed five runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings.

"I didn't throw everything perfect, but I was happy with how I threw," Romero said. "For the most part, I got beat with the fastball up in the strike zone."

Ron Coomer homered and David Ortiz had three hits for the Twins, who are 6-28 against Baltimore over the past four seasons. Minnesota made two errors and allowed one unearned run.

Notes: Twins RF Matt Lawton left the game early with a sprained right toe, an injury that occurred while he attempted to catch Belle's homer. ... will miss the next two games. ...

ORIOLES 6, TWINS 5

MINNESOTA BALTIMORE

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Cnizaro 2b 5 1 1 0 BKAsn lf 4 0 0 0

CGzmn ss 4 0 0 0 Mora ss 3 2 1 0

Lawton rf 1 0 0 0 DShlds 2b 3 2 2 1

Cmngs rf 3 0 0 0 Belle rf 4 1 2 2

Coomer 1b 4 1 2 2 Conine dh 0 0 0 0

DOrtiz dh 4 2 3 0 Casimiro dh3 0 1 2

Koskie 3b 3 0 2 1 Rchard 1b 4 0 1 0

Hcking ph 1 1 1 0 Frdyce c 4 0 0 0

THuntr cf 4 0 0 1 Minor 3b 3 0 1 0

JJones lf 2 0 0 1 Matos cf 3 1 1 0

Moeller c 4 0 0 0

Totals 35 5 9 5 Totals 31 6 9 5

Minnesota 010 010 111 -- 5

Baltimore 202 010 10x -- 6

E--CGuzman (14), Moeller (4), Fordyce (1), Minor (1). DP--Minnesota 1, Baltimore 2. LOB--Minnesota 6, Baltimore 4. 2B--Canizaro (18), DOrtiz (21), Belle (29), Casimiro (1). HR--Coomer (14), Belle (19). SB--Hocking (5), Mora (1), Matos (6). CS--Richard (1). SF--DeShields.

IP H R ER BB SO

Minnesota

Romero L,0-1 4 2-3 6 5 5 2 4

Carrasco 1 2-3 2 1 0 0 3

TEMiller 1-3 0 0 0 0 0

JRyan 1 1-3 1 0 0 0 0

Baltimore

Ponson W,6-7 7 7 4 4 2 4

Groom 1 2 1 0 0 0

Trombley S,3 1 0 0 0 1 1

Ponson pitched to 2 batters in the 8th, Groom pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

WP--Carrasco, Trombley.

Umpires--Home, Cousins; First, Marquez; Second, Brinkman; Third, Nelson, Jeff.

T--3:00. A--32,661 (48,876).