KISSIMMEE, Fla. - We had a long delay in the top of the seventh inning after a woman was hit by a Jake Fox foul ball behind the Astros' bullpen area. She was removed on a stretcher. Players left the Astros dugout and walked to the railing. Fox eventually returned to the Orioles' dugout and watched from the top step. He struck out once play resumed. Brandon Snyder homered off Casey Fien leading off the top of the eighth. Orioles 5, Astros 0. Ryan Adams reached on an infield hit to open the...

Nationals prospect A.J. Cole pitched for the first time at accelerated camp in a game versus Italy this week. The right-hander went one inning, allowing two walks, no hits and no runs on 18 pitches. Cole said it took him a few pitches to get going, but then he got into a rhythm. "At first, it was a little slow but it got a little bit better," Cole said. "I was the third pitcher in the seventh inning against Italy. They were pretty good hitters, they made contact every time. I got a ground...

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Left-hander Zach Britton extended his spring scoreless innings streak to nine today by shutting out the Houston Astros through the fourth. Chris Tillman replaced him as scheduled. Britton allowed four hits, walked two and struck out two. By my unofficial count, he threw 57 pitches, including 38 for strikes. Britton's pace was slow in the first, when he walked Oswaldo Navarro with one out and gave up a single to Carlos Lee. But Jason Michaels grounded into a 6-4-3 double...

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Ryan Adams was in the Orioles' original lineup today as the starting second baseman. Brandon Harris replaced him in the second lineup. Adam was re-inserted in the third lineup. Good idea to play him today. Adams gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a double to right field off Houston's J.A. Happ that scored Brandon Snyder, who also doubled. Adams initially slowed up at first before racing to second ahead of the throw. Robert Andino, batting leadoff,...

KiSSIMMEE, Fla. - Catcher Matt Wieters was excused from making the trip today because of a tender thumb. He could play if this game meant anything. The club is just giving him a break. Also, first baseman Joe Mahoney was scratched after tweaking his hamstring yesterday on the basepaths. Infielder Cesar Izturis didn't make the trip because he played yesterday after being sidelined with a sore ankle. Second baseman Brian Roberts is scheduled to have an MRI on his back later this...

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter didn't post a lineup this morning and we're still waiting for his arrival at Osceola County Stadium. I'm looking at the travel roster and it doesn't include Cesar Izturis. He isn't making the trip, so forget what I wrote earlier about him starting. Change of plans. Matt Wieters didn't accompany the team here, either. He's not hurt, but he may be excused from playing today. More on that later. The Orioles added minor leaguers Xavier Avery, Greg ...

SARASOTA, Fla. - I'm heading over to Kissimmee today for the game against the Astros. I'm told it's not the end of the earth, but you can see it from there. The Sun's Dan Connolly will handle the driving and the choice of music. It's a small price to pay for the thrill of another exhibition game at a faraway place with the Orioles' lineup expected to be filled by reserves and minor leaguers. We know that Matt Wieters is serving as the designated hitter today. He could use the at-bats....

A few impressions and opinions on the happenings at Orioles camp in Sarasota. *The injury news about Brian Roberts and Derrek Lee reminds us of the biggest issue facing this team this year. It's not how much Vladimir Guerrero has left, the progress of the young rotation or the development of Matt Wieters. It's the health of this team. They can't afford to lose many players and certain guys like Roberts and Lee are pretty critical to the hopes that this team is better and a good year is...

The Orioles today announced 11 spring training roster cuts, bringing their spring roster to 46 players. The Orioles optioned right-handers Brandon Erbe and Chorye Spoone and left-handers Troy Patton and Pedro Viola to Triple-A Norfolk. Right-hander Luis LeBron and infielder Pedro Florimon were optioned to Double-A Bowie. Right-handers Mitch Atkins and Raul Rivero, outfielder Tyler Henson, and catchers Adam Donachie and Caleb Joseph were reassigned to minor league camp.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts saw a back specialist today and received a few "trigger point injections," according to manager Buck Showalter. An MRI has been scheduled for tomorrow. Roberts will be shut down until Tuesday at the earliest. The cortisone is suppose to relax the spasms. "We're at a stage still in spring training where time is on our side a little bit," Showalter said. "The big thing is identifying it and seeing if we can do something to eliminate it...