Game update and Flaherty on playing shortstop (updated)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Alejandro De Aza is the first Oriole to reach base and score a run in 2015.

Travis Snider collected the first RBI. Manny Machado drew the first walk. Steve Pearce was the first to strike out. Delmon Young was the first to strike out swinging.

I'm just trying to cover all the prop bets, so to speak.

The run was unearned after Rays starter Chris Archer made a poor throw to first that allowed De Aza to reach.

Pearce struck out looking with runners on the corners and one out. He was 13-for-40 (.325) with three doubles, three home runs and six RBIs lifetime at Tropicana Field. But Snider bounced a run-scoring single into left-center field to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

The Orioles want to improve their on-base percentage, and they had runners reach in the first on an error, walk and single.

Ryan Flaherty didn't show up at spring training expecting to be the Orioles' starting shortstop on opening day. It just happened to work out that way.

J.J. Hardy was on the field today for batting practice, but he's also on the disabled list with a strained left shoulder. Manager Buck Showalter chose Flaherty over Everth Cabrera based on matchups.

Flaherty is 4-for-9 with two doubles against Archer.

"Where we are, I think Cabrera will probably play tomorrow," Showalter said. "We need somebody on the bench that has some all-around versatility. Otherwise, we would have (Jonathan) Schoop and two catchers on the bench and that doesn't give us much versatility during the game."

Flaherty will take any start he can get, and certainly on opening day.

"I don't think anyone that was in camp would have thought that anyone other than No. 2 was playing shortstop," Flaherty said. "Someone's got to fill the void. He'll be back here shortly, but someone's got to hold the fort down in the meantime."

Flaherty, who made 21 starts at shortstop last season, was Archer's teammate in the Cubs system.

"I've seen him pitch a lot," Flaherty said. "He's a competitor and he's got good stuff.

The Rays changed their lineup today, raising catcher Rene Rivera to the seventh slot and lowering Logan Forsythe to eighth.

The Rays retired Don Zimmer's No. 66 before the game. Zimmer passed away in June.

A video tribute was played on the big screen in right field, and the Orioles applauded on the field and in the dugout as Zimmer's son unveiled the number.

Update: Chris Tillman has allowed one hit, walked two and struck out four in four scoreless innings. He's thrown 63 pitches, 34 for strikes.

The only hit came on Steven Souza Jr.'s infield single leading off the fourth. Souza took a wide turn at first and was tagged out in a rundown.

Snider singled again in the fourth but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.