masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgIn his last three starts, left-hander Zach Britton has allowed 14 earned runs (16 total) and 25 hits in 16 2/3 innings. He’s also walked eight batters.

OK, it isn’t quite as easy as he made it look when he first came up.

Britton didn’t really make a bad pitch to catcher J.P. Arencibia, who golfed it into the left field seats for a grand slam. But the rookie wasn’t sharp and he’s no longer breezing through the early innings.

Down on the farm, Derrek Lee is 2-for-3 as Double-A Bowie’s…In his last three starts, left-hander Zach Britton has allowed 14 earned runs (16 total) and 25 hits in 16 2/3 innings. He’s also walked eight batters.

OK, it isn’t quite as easy as he made it look when he first came up.

Britton didn’t really make a bad pitch to catcher J.P. Arencibia, who golfed it into the left field seats for a grand slam. But the rookie wasn’t sharp and he’s no longer breezing through the early innings.

Down on the farm, Derrek Lee is 2-for-3 as Double-A Bowie’s designated hitter. He’s batting leadoff, which gives Orioles manager Buck Showalter another option while Brian Roberts remains on the disabled list.

I’m kidding.

Lee’s injury rehab assignment could last one night. We’ll find out tomorrow whether the Orioles activated him from the disabled list and send down a reliever.

Lee will leave the team late next week to attend his grandfather’s funeral.

Brad Bergesen, starting for Triple-A Norfolk, held Rochester to one run and three hits, with five strikeouts, in six innings.

That’s the good news.

The bad: He walked six and threw 104 pitches.