O’s pound Bucs 13-3

The Baltimore Orioles offense pounded the Pirates on Thursday afternoon in Bradenton, Fla., as they combined for 20 hits in the 13-3 loss by the Bucs at McKechnie Field.

Ross Ohlendorf was scheduled to pitch five innings but he outing was cut short due to his high pitch count (he only threw three innings). Ohlendorf allowed six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts. His sinker was effective in the first inning (enduced a double play) and had a 1-2-3 second.

Ohlendorf ran into trouble in the third. He allowed two runs to score before Jose Tabata misplayed a routine fly ball in the sun –It should have been the third out. From there, the O’s rallied. Matt Weiters hit a two-RBI single and Jake Fox hit a two-run homer.

Ross Ohlendorf told Colin Dunlap of the Post Gazette, I feel like I kept the ball down. The results really weren’t that indicative of that. I would have preferred to have thrown more [innings] but I think I should be OK.”

“I would like the results to be good, but I am much more concerned with how I am throwing. … I feel like I made good pitches for the most part.”

Scott Olsen and Joe Beimel (in their second spring appearance) also took a beating.

Olsen allowed three runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout. Olsen was scheduled to throw two innings but was pulled after 1.1. He issued back-to-back walks and at one point threw six straight balls. Olsen also allowed Jake Fox to homer, his second of the game.

Is there still time for Olsen to be stretched out to be considered for the fifth spot in the rotation? Manager Clint Hurdle told Rob Biertempfel of the Trib, “I don’t know. He very well may be. I can’t say no. I’ll leave the speculation out there for people who want to speculate. We’ll give him the ball again and see where he takes it.”

Beimel allowed three runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in the eighth inning.

Notes:

• Andrew McCutchen has reached base safely in 10 straight games.
• Jason Jaramillo went 1-for-2 with a RBI and a walk. He is 9-for-16 with four doubles, five RBI and three walks (.529 avg).
• Brian Burres pitched four shutout innings in the Pirates ultrasquad game at Pirate City today. He allowed two hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Brian Burres told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “There are a couple things that I still want to continue to do. But as far as where I am now, I think I’ve done a pretty decent job this spring trying to do the things that I’ve wanted to do.”

Burres has yet to give up a run this spring over nine innings and the opponents are batting just .179 against him.

• Jeff Karstens threw three scoreless innings with six strikeouts and no walks.
• Evan Meek and Fernando Nieve threw scoreless frames as well.
• So far, Paul Maholm and Kevin Correia are the only pitchers to have thrown five-inning starts. The others: Brad Lincoln (four innings scheduled tomorrow), Charlie Morton (four), Ohlendorf (three) and James McDonald (three).

Manager Clint Hurdle told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “We’ve got work to do. We’re not throwing enough strikes. We don’t have good enough command right now. I have no idea what our pitch count was today, but we threw way too many pitches today. We’d like to see our starters lengthen things out. There is work to be done. That’s what Spring Training is for. That’s why you have the amount of games that you have, and that’s why these starters have to keep building up their pitch counts.”

• Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune reports that Ryan Doumit is scheduled to play against the Phillies on Friday. Doumit (strained oblique) has been sidelined since March 8^th.

Doumit went 3-for-4 (double and a homer) in a minor league game today. Manager Clint Hurdle told Biertempfel, “We just needed him to see pitches and make sure he’s getting his swing off with no hesitation.”

• Corey Wimberly, John Bowker, Steve Pearce, Andy Marte, Ryan Doumit, Garrett Atkins, Josh Rodriguez and Pedro Ciriaco will start tomorrow against Philly. The positions have not yet been announced. As Biertempfel points out (Doumit excluded), perhaps a last chance before to show Hurdle what they got? Another round of cuts should be happening soon.

Brad Lincoln (four innings) will get the start against Roy Oswalt. Chris Resop, Jose Veras, Mike Crotta and Chris Leroux will follow.