SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's starting pitchers, the Orioles' Kevin Gausman and the Pirates' Garret Cole, allowed leadoff home runs in the first inning. How often does that happen? Anyone care to look it up? Starling Marte drove a Gausman pitch to center field. Nick Markakis, who remained in the lineup despite dealing with a stomach issue, cleared the fence in left-center field for his first spring home run. David Lough reached on an error, stole second and took third on a ground ball, but...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Today will mark Tanner Roark's fourth, and final, spring training start. This will be his last chance to make an impression on manager Matt Williams and the Nationals' decision-makers before the last spot in the rotation is decided. Williams has mentioned Roark, Taylor Jordan and Chris Young as the three options for the job, although it's widely assumed that Roark and Jordan are the two legitimate final candidates. As long as he makes it out of today's start...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Anthony Rendon remains out of the Nationals lineup today with what manager Matt Williams called a "really, really bad" chest cold. Rendon last played Thursday against the Tigers, but has been battling the chest cold of late, and has been held out of action. Rendon's been taking antibiotics and has improved recently, Williams said, and the second baseman felt well enough this morning to work out back at the Nationals' facility in Viera. "He's getting better,"...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Veteran reliever Luis Ayala threw a bullpen session today at Twin Lakes Park, and corner infielder Brett Wallace will be cleared to work out there Monday morning. The Orioles announced today that they signed Ayala and Wallace to minor league deals. Ayala, 36, struggled mightily with the Nats this spring. In six innings, he allowed nine runs and 10 hits and posted a 2.00 WHIP. But he was 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA in 66 games for the Orioles in 2012 and 1-1 with a 2.90 ERA in 37...

Right-hander Blake Treinen gained big-time experience this spring, getting into six spring training games with the Nationals, the most work he has received in March as a pro. He finished with a 4.66 ERA in 9 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts, three walks and 15 hits allowed, and is currently listed on the Double-A Harrisburg roster. Treinen was originally drafted in 2010 by the Marlins, but had his contract voided because of inflammation in his shoulder. He decided to go back to college for his...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have reached agreement with corner infielder Brett Wallace on a minor league deal, and he's currently taking his physical at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Wallace will report to Twin Lakes Park if he passes the physical. Wallace was released by Houston on March 12. Wallace, 27, was 2-for-14 with an RBI and eight strikeouts in eight games with the Astros this spring. The former 13th pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft is a career .242/.313/.391 hitter in 311...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Josh Stinson can't relax. The Orioles open their season in less than a week, Stinson hasn't allowed an earned run all spring, and he still can't relax. Stinson isn't uptight about his chances of making the club, but he won't assume anything. His career path steers him away from such security. "I've always been the type of guy who, until it's all said and done, I'm going to keep going out and doing what I'm doing. Or at least try to," he said. "Obviously, I can't...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals are sending their A-team to Port St. Lucie today to face the Mets. The bulk of their regular position players will be making the trip, in a game that will be started by Tanner Roark. Making his final Grapefruit League start of spring, Roark is scheduled to be followed to the mound this afternoon by Blake Treinen, Tyler Clippard, Aaron Barrett and Drew Storen. We'll have to see whether Anthony Rendon makes the trip and plays today after sitting out yesterday's...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nick Markakis is batting leadoff today and David Lough is second for the Orioles' 1:05 p.m. game against the Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium. Ryan Flaherty is playing third base and Jemile Weeks gets the start at second. The Pirates aren't using a designated hitter today. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF David Lough LF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz DH Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 3B Jemile Weeks 2B Kevin Gausman RHP The Orioles' bullpen includes...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are back home today for a 1:05 p.m. game against the Pirates. Kevin Gausman takes the mound for his fourth Grapefruit League appearance. Gausman also worked three innings against the Twins' Triple-A team on Tuesday, but those statistics don't count because they came in a game that... well... doesn't count. On the spring training scale, exhibition games rank higher than games at the minor league complex. Anyway, Gausman has allowed two runs and four hits in...