masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgORIOLES QUICK WRAP
Score: Orioles 4, Rays 3 (4 innings – canceled)
Recap: The game was halted at 2:04 p.m. due to rain and canceled 16 minutes later. The stats don’t count. It’s like the game never happened. Bud Norris allowed three runs and four hits in four innings, with two walks, one strikeout and one home run. Rene Rivera hit a solo homer to center field off Norris in the third. Nolan Reimold homered on the first pitch thrown by Rays starter Everett Teaford and also doubled off Mike…

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 4, Rays 3 (4 innings – canceled)

Recap: The game was halted at 2:04 p.m. due to rain and canceled 16 minutes later. The stats don’t count. It’s like the game never happened. Bud Norris allowed three runs and four hits in four innings, with two walks, one strikeout and one home run. Rene Rivera hit a solo homer to center field off Norris in the third. Nolan Reimold homered on the first pitch thrown by Rays starter Everett Teaford and also doubled off Mike Montgomery in the third. Adam Jones hit a three-run homer off Montgomery in the third.

Need to know: Norris threw seven of nine pitches for strikes in the first and only 11 of 24 for strikes in the second. Jones had four home runs and 10 RBIs this spring before the cancellation. Now he’s back to three homers and seven RBIs. Reimold’s second hit made him 12-for-34 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs – but again, the stats from today don’t count. Caleb Joseph threw out Steven Souza Jr. attempting to steal third base in the fourth inning. Jayson Nix began the day tied with Detroit’s J.D. Martinez for the AL Grapefruit League lead with 12 runs scored.

On deck: Saturday, at Yankees in Tampa, 1:05 p.m.
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SARASOTA, Fla. – The tarp is back on the field at Ed Smith Stadium, the rain arriving as Manny Machado backhanded Tim Beckham’s bouncer near the line and recorded the final out in the top of the fourth inning.

The Orioles lead 4-3 in a game that may not resume, judging by the forecast and what we’re hearing in the press box.

Plate umpire John Hirschbeck talked to both managers and we’re in a holding pattern. Meanwhile, starter Bud Norris headed to the clubhouse, so he’s done for the day.

jones-confused-orange-alcs-sidebar.jpgAdam Jones hit a three-run homer off Rays left-hander Mike Montgomery in the bottom of the third after Nolan Reimold doubled and Steve Pearce walked. Reimold also has homered today and is 12-for-34 this spring.

Norris threw 59 pitches, 32 for strikes, in four innings. He allowed three runs and four hits, walked two and struck out one.

Rene Rivera homered off Norris in the third.

Norris wasn’t happy with Hirschbeck’s strike zone. It was evident by his body language. Hirschbeck finally walked to the mound to discuss it and Showalter raced out of the dugout.

Fans applauded as Showalter continued the discussion, protecting Norris and perhaps expressing his own opinion of the strike zone.

Update: The game has been canceled, and stats will not count.