Bergesen: "I felt good today for the first outing" (updated)

BRADENTON, Fla. - Craig Tatum's infield single produced another run in the sixth inning and increased the Orioles' lead to 3-1. Matt Angle crashed into the center field fence while running down a long drive in the bottom of the sixth. He collapsed to the ground after making the throw, but he stayed in the game. Brad-Bergesen_dugout.gif Koji Uehara ran the count full to the leadoff hitter, Jose Tabata, and gave up a single into center field. Must be the first exhibition game. A run scored off Uehara with two outs when second baseman Brendan Harris lost Pedro Alvarez's pop up in the wind and sun. It happens. It also was ruled a hit. Orioles 3, Pirates 2. Michel Hernandez threw out Alvarez trying to steal second to end the inning. Brad Bergesen noted that he has a few things he needs to "tune up a little bit," but he seemed happy overall with today's outing. "Fastball felt OK," he said. "I need to start working down. Changeup actually felt good today and I threw a few good sliders in there. Overall, for my first outing, it was a good one to get my feet wet today. "It felt good. I don't want to say opening day, but first time back on the mound you've got those little extra butterflies going. There's a little bit of an extra adrenaline rush going, so I've just got to hone in on it and fine-tune these things the rest of spring." Bergesen was asked again to compare how he feels now to last spring, when he dealt with a sore shoulder. "My goodness, it's night and day," he replied. "It's just completely opposite to the spectrum of what I feel like right now. Last year, I was just rushing myself, just trying to get my arm in enough shape to be able to pitch off a mound, so it didn't really give me that much time to work on my mechanics or get to where I needed to be. This year, it's a whole other story, and hopefully I can have that time like I've had so far and get ready for the season the way I want to. "Every year I come in, I've always got something to prove. I think that's what always keeps me going and always makes you better. In this game, you never want to settle or feel comfortable, so for me, especially with a new staff, I want to come in here and do what I'm capable of doing, and also prove a point here. "I feel less pressure because I'm not dealing with the injuries, so I'm that much healthier right now, but it's a new staff and you've got new people you need to go out and prove and it's a new year. Last year's over with and I'm not going to make a team based on last year. It can help a little in the backs of their minds, but I've got to go out there and prove it all over again now." Plate umpire Wally Bell had a brief discussion with Bergesen. "He actually was just talking to me about a balk issue," Bergesen said. "I didn't balk, but he was just saying that it was kind of borderline and it's just something the umpires are looking out for a little bit this year. Very minor, but he was saying something about how I need to be a little more deliberate when I step off the rubber." Update: Kevin Gregg walked a batter and struck out one in a scoreless seventh. He also induced two ground balls. Angle singled and stole a base in the top half of the inning, so he's fine.



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