masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOrioles first-round pick Manny Machado played his first professional game today for the Gulf Coast League Orioles, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout as the designated hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Rays. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter before his fourth at-bat.

Update: In case you missed it, Machado will work out with the Aberdeen IronBirds on Sunday and most likely play his first NY-Penn League game the following night.

Ninth-round pick Parker Bridwell pitched the first inning, walking one,…Orioles first-round pick Manny Machado played his first professional game today for the Gulf Coast League Orioles, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout as the designated hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Rays. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter before his fourth at-bat.

Update: In case you missed it, Machado will work out with the Aberdeen IronBirds on Sunday and most likely play his first NY-Penn League game the following night.

Ninth-round pick Parker Bridwell pitched the first inning, walking one, striking out two and throwing a wild pitch. Left-hander Matthew Drummond, a 20th-round pick out of UCLA, picked up the win with two scoreless innings. He struck out four.

Stephen Strasburg has a torn ligament in his right elbow that will probably require Tommy John surgery, and Yovani Gallardo was robbed at gunpoint in a supermarket parking lot.

Jake Arrieta got off pretty easy last night.

Brad Bergesen had allowed three earned runs or fewer in four consecutive starts before giving up five to the Rangers over seven innings. He got the win, however, as the Orioles hammered left-hander Cliff Lee.

Bergesen will face the Angels tonight for the first time in his career. He’s posted a 3.18 ERA in four August starts, compared to 6.32 in July, 11.17 in June, 4.26 in May and 12.19 in April.

Left-handers are batting .331 against Bergesen. Righties are hitting .283.

Rookie Trevor Bell will make his fifth start after the Angels decided to push back Jered Weaver until Sunday.

Bell has faced the Orioles once, allowing two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings on Aug. 3 at Camden Yards. In his most recent outing in Minnesota, he walked six and threw 96 pitches in 4 1/3 innings.

Matt Wieters was 2-for-2 with a double and RBI against Bell. Luke Scott and Felix Pie were 1-for-2 with a double.

That should take care of three spots in tonight’s lineup.