MICHAEL PISTELLA Minnesota’s Scott Baker makes a pitch in the third inning against Tampa Bay Friday. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

James Shields joked that he might have to be sent back to the minor leagues following a performance that was no laughing matter.

Tampa Bay’s projected opening-day starter gave up 11 runs and 12 hits in the Rays’ 16-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins Friday at Hammond Stadium.

Rays manager Joe Maddon let Shields face minor leaguers over his previous two starts, but against the big boys, Shields gave up homers to Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel in 4 1/3 innings.

“Joe decided to call me up from the minor leagues finally, and I pretty much didn’t help my cause for staying here,” Shields said.

Shields was 14-8 with a 3.56 ERA last season in helping his team reach the World Series, but that didn’t help him Friday against the Twins.

MICHAEL PISTELLA Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau smacks a home run Friday against Tampa Bay. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he didn’t put too much into the performance.

“Mr. Shields is a very good pitcher,” Gardenhire said. “We all know that.”

Likewise, Gardenhire has been patient with his own opening-day starter.

Scott Baker also started, but had better results. He struck out two, walked one and gave up two runs and five hits in six innings to lower his ERA from 8.15 to 6.85.

Morneau hit his third spring training homer over the center-field fence. He was 2-for-3 and is hitting .355 this spring.

MICHAEL PISTELLA Minnesota’s Nick Punto rounds third base and scores on a two-run double by Denard Span to make it 6-0 against Tampa Bay. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Orioles 9, Marlins 7: Jeremy Guthrie hopes to pitch better on opening day than he did in Baltimore’s win over Florida.

Guthrie gave up six runs in the first inning. After he left the game in the fifth, he was told by manager Dave Trembley he’d be starting the season opener April 6 against CC Sabathia and the Yankees.

“He told me after the touchdown,” Guthrie said, smiling. “He said, ‘Nice job. We blocked the extra point on the touchdown.'”

For Guthrie, it will be his second straight opening-day start.

The Marlins also named their opening-day starter: Ricky Nolasco.

Nolasco went 15-8 with a 3.52 ERA last season, and he pitched seven innings of the Marlins’ spring-training no-hitter against Detroit on March 22. The opening-day start will be his first.

Luke Scott hit two home runs, Ty Wigginton went 2-for-4 with a home run and Ryan Freel had a pinch-hit two-run homer for Baltimore.

Red Sox 11, Cardinals 8: Red Sox Manager Terry Francona was upbeat about Josh Beckett’s outing – never mind the ugly numbers.

Beckett gave up four runs and six hits in six innings, and Chip Ambres hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning to give Boston a victory over St. Louis at City of Palms Park.

“I thought today was his strongest outing of the spring,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “He gets into the sixth. He gets two quick outs, 3-2 pitch, and all of a sudden he strings together four hits. So, his day ends on that note, but I thought he was strong and he located. Even when he was throwing balls, they were close. I was really pleased.”

The Red Sox had a 4-1 lead going into the sixth when the Cardinals scored three runs.

Ambres, a non-roster invitee, hit his second home run of the spring – on the first pitch of the at-bat.

Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse pitched five innings, allowing six runs – five earned – on 11 hits and two walks, striking out two.

David Freese went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored for the Cardinals, while Albert Pujols was 2-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI.

Braves 3, Tigers 2: Atlanta’s Tom Glavine and Detroit’s Justin Verlander are looking to have bounce-back seasons, and each made strides toward reaching their goals.

Verlander threw seven scoreless innings and Glavine shut out the Tigers for four in the Braves’ win.

Glavine, the two-time Cy Young Award winner with 305 wins, allowed three hits, walked none and struck out three in his second start of the spring. He pitched three scoreless innings against the Mets last Saturday.

Detroit catcher Matt Treanor hit a long two-run homer off Atlanta reliever Manny Acosta in the seventh inning to put the Tigers ahead, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead.

Astros 6, Phillies 5: Miguel Tejada homered among his three hits and drove in two runs to lead Houston over Philadelphia.

Tejada went 3-for-3 with an RBI double and a single to back Roy Oswalt, who was making his first start since returning from the World Baseball Classic.

Brett Myers gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.