Cardinals defeat Orioles 5-3

Wednesday's game

CARDINALS 5, ORIOLES 3

The Cardinals got a shaky performance from Matt Morris and hit into a triple play before rallying Wednesday to beat the Orioles 5-3 at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Morris, who went 22-8 last season, allowed three runs and five hits in three innings. He blanked the Orioles until the third, when David Segui hit a two-run double and Jay Gibbons followed with a triple to put Baltimore up 3-1.

Morris, who signed a three-year contract extension in January, has allowed four earned runs in five innings this spring.

The Cardinals threatened in the fourth. With runners on first and second, Mike Matheny popped up a bunt that Orioles pitcher Sean Douglass intentionally allowed to hit the ground. Douglass then threw the ball to third base, starting an around-the-horn triple play.

St. Louis closed to 3-2 in the sixth and took the lead with a three-run seventh.

-- AP