masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgORIOLES QUICK WRAP
Score: Orioles 1, Rays 0
Recap: Ubaldo Jiménez shut out the Rays over three innings, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out one … Vidal Nuño followed with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and getting a double play … Brad Brach retired the Rays in order in the sixth, striking out one … Logan Schafer had an RBI grounder in the seventh after Chris Johnson’s leadoff double … The Orioles didn’t have a hit until Caleb Joseph singled off Dana…

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 1, Rays 0

Recap: Ubaldo Jiménez shut out the Rays over three innings, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out one … Vidal Nuño followed with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and getting a double play … Brad Brach retired the Rays in order in the sixth, striking out one … Logan Schafer had an RBI grounder in the seventh after Chris Johnson’s leadoff double … The Orioles didn’t have a hit until Caleb Joseph singled off Dana Eveland with one out in the fifth.

Need to know: Jiménez threw 21 pitches in the first inning and didn’t permit a run despite giving up two singles, walking a batter and throwing a wild pitch … Zach Stewart has thrown 5 1/3 scoreless innings this spring with only one hit allowed … Former Oriole Tommy Hunter hit Robert Andino in the fourth but also struck out three batters … Rays starter Chris Archer retired all nine batters he faced with five strikeouts.

On deck: Sunday, vs. Phillies in Sarasota, 1:05 p.m. (MASN)
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PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. РThe Orioles have received three scoreless innings today from Ubaldo Jime̩nez, two from Vidal Nu̱o, and one each from Brad Brach and Richard Bleier while carrying a 1-0 lead into the eighth against the Rays.

Zach Stewart is warming and will take the baton.

Logan Schafer broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning with a chopper to shortstop that delivered pinch-runner Joey Rickard. Rickard ran for Chris Johnson, who led off with a double into the left field corner against Blake Snell.

Ubaldo Jimenez Orange day.jpgJiménez labored in the first, throwing 21 pitches, but he got out of the jam and pounded the strike zone over the last two frames.

“I think that as the days go by, you’re going to feel more comfortable around there, especially in spring training,” Jiménez said. “I think today, I was trying to throw my breaking ball in the first inning. I couldn’t get it for a strike, but I got it back. That’s why I was falling behind in the first.

“I felt pretty good. I was able to command the fastball and work on what I needed to do, and I was getting my breaking ball for a strike. So I think I was able to do that.”

Jiménez allowed one run over two innings in his spring debut against the Yankees, and said today that he relied less on his fastball.

“Today, I threw more breaking balls, because my first game I didn’t have it,” he said. “I had good fastball command, and today I put it in my mind to go out there and throw my breaking balls for a strike. I was able to command the fastball.

“You have to get your fastball command first, and once you get your fastball you start working on your breaking balls. They take a little longer to get.”

Jiménez is making the adjustment that’s required with a longer spring training.

“Well, you have to take it easy,” he said. “You don’t want to rush anything, especially because it’s a long spring. You have to find a way to stay in your routine and do everything to get ready for the season, but at the same time don’t rush it.”