masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgFORT MYERS, Fla. – Brian Matusz may be the subject of trade rumors, but it certainly hasn’t hurt his pitching today.
The left-hander pitched four scoreless innings as the Orioles lead Boston 1-0 at JetBlue Park. Chaz Roe came on to pitch in the last of the fifth for the Orioles.
Matusz allowed baserunners to lead off the first two innings, but pitched around a Jimmy Paredes error at third base in the first and a Shane Victorino single in the second.
Facing a lineup filled with Boston regulars,…

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Brian Matusz may be the subject of trade rumors, but it certainly hasn’t hurt his pitching today.

The left-hander pitched four scoreless innings as the Orioles lead Boston 1-0 at JetBlue Park. Chaz Roe came on to pitch in the last of the fifth for the Orioles.

matusz-throwing-new-hat-sidebar.jpgMatusz allowed baserunners to lead off the first two innings, but pitched around a Jimmy Paredes error at third base in the first and a Shane Victorino single in the second.

Facing a lineup filled with Boston regulars, Matusz gave up just two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He threw 53 pitches, 36 for strikes. In four spring appearances he has pitched 10 1/3 innings giving up seven hits and one run with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

This was Matusz’s second spring start. On Saturday in Sarasota against Tampa Bay, he pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits.

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off Boston right-hander Justin Masterson. Everth Cabrera led off with a double to left-center. He advanced to third on David Lough’s groundout and scored on a Paredes single.

With that hit, Paredes is now 12-for-27 with a homer and 10 RBIs this spring.

Earlier, the Orioles announced they have optioned pitcher Mike Wright to Triple-A Norfolk. Manager Buck Showalter said he made a solid impression in camp.

“Good. Real good. He has presented himself as a viable option for us in two different roles. He kind of followed where he was at the end of last season,” Showalter said.

Update: The O’s took a 2-0 lead in the sixth. Paredes led off with a single, advanced to second on Travis Snider’s walk, to third on a fly out and scored on Steve Clevenger’s long single off the right field wall. Parades has two hits today and is 13-for-29 on the spring.

In the minors today at Twin Lakes Park, Wei-Yin Chen went five-plus innings for Single-A Frederick, allowing two hits and one earned run with one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 76 pitches, 51 for strikes. With Single-A Delmarva, Kevin Gausman pitched four scoreless innings, allowing two hits with four strikeouts. He threw 56 pitches, 43 for strikes.