Highlights and lowlights from the Orioles' 12-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla.

DOWN -- Scott Erickson: The first Orioles starter to get yanked in the middle of an inning. If not, we might still be in the fourth.

DOWN -- Mike Bordick: Failed to advance runners on first and second with none out in the third, instead pulling the ball to left and flying out.

UP -- Will Clark: Made Bordick's failure inconsequential by lining a two-run double to right.

UP -- Jesse Orosco: Retired all three batters he faced. What a concept.

DOWN -- Heathcliff Slocumb: Three hits and a run allowed in his only inning.

DOWN -- Jupiter: It's the shortest road trip and has a great facility, but enough already.

The bats

Weak, very weak. The Orioles were held to three hits: a two-run double by Clark in the third, a single by Cal Ripken in the sixth and a double by Willis Otanez in the eighth. Otanez later scored on an error. Erickson and Ricky Otero scored on Clark's double, with Otero motoring around from first.

The arms

The club was hoping to give Erickson six innings, but that plan went up in smoke when the Cardinals sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth and scored five times. Erickson left after 3 1/3 and was charged with nine runs on eight hits. He also walked three, including one intentional. The Cardinals strung together four straight singles to open the third, when they scored four times. Erickson had retired six of the first seven batters, striking out three. The Cardinals scored twice against David Evans in the fifth, the first runs he's given up this spring. Orosco quieted the storm with a perfect sixth, but Slocumb had his problems in the seventh. Left-hander Doug Johns impressed again, allowing a hit but no runs in the eighth. He's tossed eight scoreless innings this spring.

The rest

Brady Anderson was given yesterday off, meaning he didn't have to report to the complex. He'll stay behind in Fort Lauderdale today to work out while the Orioles play Montreal in Jupiter. Chris Hoiles committed an error at first base in the seventh when he backhanded a grounder, then bobbled the ball as he was transferring it to his bare hand. The Cardinals' Darren Bragg was thrown out at third base in the seventh on a relay from center fielder Otero to second baseman Jerry Hairston to Otanez. The Orioles had won three straight before yesterday's defeat, their worst of the spring.

Quote of the day

"If he can master that part of it, it would be phenomenal what he could do. If he, with the same motion, can throw 60 mph, you'd see nothing but spines hanging at home plate." -- Manager Ray Miller, on Erickson throwing more off-speed pitches.

Pub Date: 3/23/99