VIERA, Fla. - Pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark both turned out their best performances of the spring in today's unique 10-inning 0-0 tie between the Nationals and Tigers. Gonzalez worked the count in his favor throughout his four innings, striking out five while allowing only two hits and one walk. "I think the most I was happy with was how my arm feels," said Gonzalez. "It feels fantastic. I'm so excited about it. Just talking about it from my last start to now, I was just trying to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - A strong spring training continued this afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium for Orioles outfielder Henry Urrutia. He entered today's game in the top of the sixth, taking over in right field for Travis Snider. Two innings later, he did something he's never done in 58 regular-season major league at-bats or in 204 at-bats at Triple-A Norfolk last year. He homered. And it was a blast. He hit it out to center field, driving an 0-1 pitch from Stolmy Pimentel over the wall to break a 4-4...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The X-rays on Matt Wieters' right elbow came back clean today, according to manager Buck Showalter, who added that no further tests were scheduled. Wieters caught his first Grapefruit League game on Tuesday and was diagnosed with tendinitis in the elbow the following day. Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells arranged the X-rays today as a precaution. "There's no reason to have any other tests," Showalter said after a 6-4 win over the Pirates. "I talked to him when he got...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman's steady progress toward what will likey be another opening day start for the Orioles continued today at Ed Smith Stadium. In was his third start of the spring and his third good one, as he went four innings against the Pirates. The right-hander allowed four hits and one run with no walks and five strikeouts. He threw 65 pitches, 43 for strikes. "Thought it was really good, actually," Tillman said outside the O's clubhouse. "Fastball command was really good....

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Orioles 6, Pirates 4 Recap: Henry Urrutia homered on the first pitch from Stolmy Pimentel leading off the bottom of the eighth to break a 4-4 tie and Ryan Lavarnway added an RBI double later in the inning. Chris Tillman allowed one run and four hits in four innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Ryan Flaherty and Adam Jones homered off Pirates reliever Arquimedes Caminero in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Jones gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the first with...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 0, Tigers 0 (10 innings) Recap: The Nationals and Tigers combined for 12 hits in this scoreless extra-inning affair. Gio Gonzalez was impressive, striking out five while allowing only two hits and one walk in four innings. Tanner Roark had his best outing of the spring, scattering three hits with three strikeouts in two frames. Nats relievers Matt Thornton and Aaron Barrett also shut out in the Tigers in an inning of work each. Need to know: Tough day at...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's starter for the Pirates, Radhames Liz, hasn't pitched in the majors since making two appearances with the Orioles in April 2009, allowing 10 runs and eight hits in 1 1/3 innings. Liz, 31, is 6-8 with a 7.50 ERA in 28 appearances (21 starts) over parts of three major league seasons, all of them with the Orioles. Manager Buck Showalter isn't in a rush to make a decision on Rule 5 pitchers Jason Garcia and Logan Verrett, who can't be optioned without passing through...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles clubhouse was closed to reporters this morning as the players met with Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. He makes the rounds and meets with players at every camp and today he saw the Orioles. "These meetings are an opportunity to share with guys a state of the union of sorts," Clark said. "But also to make sure that we go through any of the issues that have been part of the headlines the last few months. Whether...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Matt Wieters is having his right elbow X-rayed today as a precaution after being shut down with tendinitis. He's expected back in camp by the start of today's game. "Just making sure everything's structurally right," said manager Buck Showalter. "Richie (Bancells) and them decided by the time I got back (yesterday) they were just going to go ahead and set it up and get it done. They talked with Dr. (Michael) Jacobs a little bit just to make sure we've got...

VIERA, Fla. - It's hard to say anyone in the Nationals organization has been negatively affected by the offseason signing of right-hander Max Scherzer. But coming off a season where he went 15-10 with a sterling 2.85 ERA as a starter, it appears righty Tanner Roark will get bumped from the rotation due to Scherzer's arrival. Manager Matt Williams continues to say that Roark is preparing as a starter during spring training, although he's made only one start and that was on the road in a...