Intrasquad Game

Minor league second baseman Mike Fontenot hit a two-run, opposite-field homer in the eighth inning off Mike Flannery to give the Orioles a 6-5 win over the world champion Florida Marlins in the exhibition opener for both clubs. The Orioles used a fielder's choice grounder from Eddy Garabito and a double by Geronimo Gil in the seventh to tie the game, 4-4, but the Marlins went ahead in the eighth against Dave Crouthers. Florida chased starter Sidney Ponson in the second inning and catcher Ramon Castro homered twice, but the Orioles overcame four errors to win. They finished with 16 hits.

JUPITER, Fla. - A judge postponed the assault case in Aruba against Sidney Ponson yesterday, giving the Orioles pitcher until May to reach an out-of-court settlement and likely bringing an end to the proceedings. Ponson faces three assault charges for allegedly punching a local judge Dec. 25, an incident that left him in police custody for 11 days. If convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of four years in jail, though he was expected to receive a fine and/or community service. Taking into account how a criminal record might jeopardize Ponson's livelihood - the pitcher could lose his work visa - Judge Bob Wit gave both sides until May 10 to reach an agreement.

Intrasquad game is old-timers dayEvans gets two hits; Dempsey stars againSARASOTA, Fla. -- Dwight Evans had two hits for the second straight game yesterday, as the Black Jerseys beat the Orange Jerseys, 4-3, in the last intrasquad game. Evans, who doubled and scored the first run on a single by Luis Mercedes, was the only player with two hits.Rick Dempsey was the other old-timer who was prominent iboth games. After hitting a home run off Gregg Olson in the first game, Dempsey delivered a game-tying single in the sixth inning that set up Joe Orsulak's game-winning double.

Oates dismisses sloppy playST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- There was a lot not to like about the intrasquad game that replaced the Orioles' scheduled exhibition against the Cleveland Indians yesterday.But manager Johnny Oates was quick to dismiss everything other than that everybody got his work done. "Don't get any impressions from what happened out there," Oates said after Team B beat Team A, 8-3, in a sloppily played game."I'm not worried about today [yesterday]," said Oates. "I'm not worried about Harold Reynolds making three errors at second base and I'm not worried about Brad Pennington walking four batters in one inning."

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Francisco de la Rosa was announced yesterday as one of the players to be named in last week's trade with the New York Yankees that brought Alan Mills to the Orioles.And there'sspeculation that Jose Mesa, another right-hander, could be the next to go.De la Rosa, a reliever who was injured almost the entire month after being promoted to the major leagues last September, had been designated for assignment when the Orioles obtained Mills, also a right-handed reliever. He could not be announced as part of the trade until he cleared waivers.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Francisco de la Rosa was announced yesterday as one of the players to be named in last week's trade with the New York Yankees that brought Alan Mills to the Orioles.And there continues to be speculation that Jose Mesa, another right-hander, could be the next to go.De la Rosa, a reliever who was injured almost the entire month after being promoted to the major leagues last September, had been designated for assignment when the Orioles obtained Mills, also a right-handed reliever.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Cal Ripken took another step yesterday toward validating a full recovery from September back surgery. It went off without a hitch or a twinge. Playing for the first time since having his season end prematurely, Ripken lasted four pain-free innings in the Orioles' first intrasquad game. He was robbed of a hit in his only at-bat, with shortstop Mike Bordick making a diving stop up the middle. He was mostly idle in the field, and mainly encouraged by how he felt in a game that ended in a 1-1 tie. "Intrasquad games have always been kind of fun," Ripken said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Heavy rain forced a premature end to yesterday's second intrasquad game, but not before Scott Erickson and Doug Johns each had gotten in two innings. With different results.Though he didn't throw poorly, Erickson allowed three runs to a B team composed mostly of players from the minor-league camp. Two runs came in the first inning, when a strikeout pitch skipped past young catcher Chip Alley, whose throw hit 6-foot-6 Frank Figueroa as he raced up the line."It felt like I was facing hitters for the first time since September," Erickson said.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Baltimore Orioles prospect David Segui might have to wait a few days to make his Grapefruit League outfield debut. He suffered a hamstring strain during workouts yesterday and will reduce his workout schedule until the inflammation subsides."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Will Clark knew nothing about the young pitchers he was facing in yesterday's intrasquad game. Dave Evans? Carlos Medina? Richard Bauer? You've got to be kidding.Evans won his battle with Clark, getting a called third strike on a pitch that appeared well off the plate. Clark just grinned as he walked to the dugout, then unloaded on the innocent arms that followed.Appearing in his second intrasquad game, Clark lined a two-run single off Medina and drilled a two-run homer off Bauer that crashed into the empty bleachers in right field during the A team's 12-7 victory.