LAKELAND, Fla. -- Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi spoiled Dylan Bundy's 2017 Spring Training debut Wednesday with a two-run homer as the second batter of the game.
But Bundy rebounded Monday in Lakeland, Fla., throwing three scoreless innings on just 39 pitches against a glut of Tigers regulars during the Orioles' 7-2 victory.
"The slider was a little bit tighter today, and I was over the plate more -- not so sweepy -- so I was really happy with that," Bundy said. "Fastball command was decent. I tried to throw a changeup on the outer half to [Tigers right fielder] J.D. [Martinez], and that didn't work out too well -- maybe just wrong location."
After Bundy struck out Nicholas Castellanos to complete a perfect eight-pitch first inning, he allowed a leadoff double to Martinez in the second inning. But strikeouts of Alex Avila and James McCann stranded Martinez there.
"I think I struggle more out of the stretch than I do the windup, so I always like working on it," Bundy said. "You learn; that's what Spring Training is for."
After his teammates spent more than a half-hour scoring six runs in the top of the third, Bundy responded by allowing only a single to left field by JaCoby Jones in the bottom half. That left Bundy with just two hits allowed and three strikeouts. He attributed his success in the third to more warmup pitches.
"I was a little concerned after that long inning," manager Buck Showalter said. "We had somebody to go in there, but [Bundy] was fine. I was impressed with the third inning after a long layoff."
Bundy said he had thrown fewer sliders this time, but better ones, building on that pitch and his cutter to have a more diverse arsenal of four pitches to increase effectiveness later in games.
Righty Jason Garcia -- the Orioles' No. 22 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline -- followed Bundy with two scoreless innings. He struck out two, including Ian Kinsler to end the fifth, which stranded two after a walk and a hit batter.
"That was better; it was good to see him get back," Showalter said. "It's kind of what Spring Training's about. He made a couple adjustments, got in the same place on the rubber instead of moving all over and was a lot more focused, I thought, with his stuff. ... Jason needed to have a good outing, just for his psyche."
Right-hander Jesus Liranzo, the Orioles' No. 16 prospect, threw a scoreless eighth inning and struck out one.