masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Kevin Gausman gave up one run over three innings this morning in his third spring outing as he faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in a B game at Ed Smith Stadium.
Gausman got off to a strong start, pitching a scoreless first, working around a leadoff single by former Oriole Steve Lombardozzi. He then retired the Pirates in order with two strikeouts on just eight pitches in the second.
Down 2-0, the Pirates got one off Gausman in the third. With two outs and none on, Lombardozzi…

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kevin Gausman gave up one run over three innings this morning in his third spring outing as he faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in a B game at Ed Smith Stadium.

Gausman got off to a strong start, pitching a scoreless first, working around a leadoff single by former Oriole Steve Lombardozzi. He then retired the Pirates in order with two strikeouts on just eight pitches in the second.

Down 2-0, the Pirates got one off Gausman in the third. With two outs and none on, Lombardozzi singled and scored on Francisco Cervelli’s double to left.

For the day, Gausman went three innings allowed three hits, one run, with one walk and two strikeouts. He threw 50 pitches, 32 for strikes.

The Orioles took a 2-0 lead on Pirates lefty Francisco Lirano in the second. Steve Clevenger, who started the game at third base, singled and went to second on a J.P. Arencibia single. The runners advanced on a passed ball and Clevenger scored on a wild pitch. Later a Glynn Davis single made it a 2-0 game.

davis-swings-grey-sidebar.jpgEarlier this morning in the Orioles clubhouse, before he headed to Bradenton for this afternoon’s game, Chris Davis talked about the Orioles struggles on offense this spring. They’ve scored three runs or less in seven consecutive games.

“Spring hasn’t gone the way we wanted to so far, but you have to look at the big picture,” Davis said. “Even though we are not scoring a lot, been proud of some of the at-bats we’re having. A lot of guys are seeing a good number of pitches and they are working on things, which a lot of times you don’t see in the boxscore. It’s important. These games are to prepare you for the season and that is what guys are doing.

“The first couple of weeks you are getting your timing down. For me I want to see as many pitches as you can. That can mean you go up there and it’s 0-2. Think I’ve been in a number of 0-2 counts and worked my way back to 3-2 and gotten a walk. That is a big deal for me, a guy that strikes out a lot, to get comfortable hitting with two strikes.”

Davis will be playing later today at 1:05 p.m. when the Orioles play the Pirates in Bradenton.

Update I: Zach Britton pitched two scoreless innings today even though he recorded just five outs. That can happen in a B game where an inning can end due to pitch count before three outs are recorded. It happened in the top of the fourth when Britton got two outs, allowing two hits and one walk. The bases were loaded when the inning ended. He then pitched a 1-2-3 fifth, going two innings today.

Zach Davies came on and the O’s pitching prospect threw a strong sixth, getting the Pirates in order and he fanned two of the three batters. The O’s still lead 2-1 in the sixth.

Update II: The game ended in a 2-2 tie after seven innings. The Pirates tied it 2-2 off Jon Keller in the top of the seventh and the Orioles went in order in the last of the inning. Matt Wieters caught six innings today and went 1-for-3 at the plate. Now on to the A game later today when the O’s play at Bradenton.