masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia made his major league debut tonight and tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Garcia walked Steven Souza Jr. with two outs. Two batters ran the count full.
They all seem to run the count full.
Catcher Ryan Lavarnway threw out Souza Jr. trying to steal second base while Garcia fell behind 3-0 to Asdrubal Cabrera. The Orioles continued to trail 1-0 heading to the top of the eighth.
Rene Rivera popped up to first baseman Chris Davis, who raced into…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia made his major league debut tonight and tossed a scoreless seventh inning.

Garcia walked Steven Souza Jr. with two outs. Two batters ran the count full.

They all seem to run the count full.

Catcher Ryan Lavarnway threw out Souza Jr. trying to steal second base while Garcia fell behind 3-0 to Asdrubal Cabrera. The Orioles continued to trail 1-0 heading to the top of the eighth.

Rene Rivera popped up to first baseman Chris Davis, who raced into shallow right field and reached up to make the catch. Davis was flexing his left arm after returning to his position. Worth keeping an eye on him.

David DeJesus flied to left field before Souza Jr. walked. Garcia threw 20 pitches, eight for strikes, and he may be done with Brad Brach warming in the bullpen.

Garcia’s fastball was 94-96 mph. Not sure about his heart rate.

Wesley Wright is the only Orioles reliever who hasn’t gotten into a game.

Garcia, 22, pitched last season at low Single-A Greenville and short-season Single-A Lowell in the Red Sox’s system. The Astros selected him in the Rule 5 draft and immediately dealt him to the Orioles for cash considerations.

Now here he is, pitching against an American League East opponent in the opening series. Not too shabby.

The Orioles have struck out 10 times tonight and their pitchers have issued seven walks. Flaherty has struck out in all three at-bats.

Update: Evan Longoria doubled off Brach in the eighth and scored on Desmond Jennings’ single to increase the Rays’ lead to 2-0.

Wright has entered the game with two outs.

Update II: Game over. The Rays avoid the sweep with a 2-0 victory over the Orioles, who were held to three hits.

The Orioles scored 12 runs in the first 11 innings of the series, but were blanked the rest of the way.

Wright needed only one pitch to record the final out in the bottom of the eighth.