Gibson with three scoreless innings, Hays and Mountcastle homer (O's win 7-4)

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kyle Gibson didn’t overwork his outfielders today during his three innings on the mound. Two balls made it through the infield for singles. Colton Cowser, playing center, fielded one of them and fired to second base to prevent a double.

Greed might be good, but it also can cost you.

Gibson is costing the Orioles $10 million after signing as a free agent, the largest contract negotiated by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. He could be the Opening Day starter, an honor he wants but isn’t obsessing over.

The Pirates managed two hits off Gibson, didn’t draw a walk and struck out twice. He threw 40 pitches, 23 for strikes, and got more work in the bullpen.

The veteran right-hander sat down with pitching coach Chris Holt and assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes to study video of a delivery that didn’t satisfy him.

“Being able to talk to them about that and make those changes, I felt a lot better on the mound,” he said. “A little bit more dynamic, a little bit more athletic, and naturally it kind of makes everything move a little bit better and a little bit sharper. Still want to be in the zone first pitch of the at-bat, but if you’re able to battle back in the zone and win those 1-1 counts, you can kind of make up for some first-pitch balls.”

Gibson allowed a single in a 14-pitch first inning and retired the next two batters on a popup and ground ball. Former Orioles infielder Chris Owings lined a single into center field in the second and Colton Cowser threw him out trying to stretch it.

Ryan Vilade followed as Gibson’s first strikeout victim in an 11-pitch inning.

Seven of the last eight batters were retired. Austin Hedges struck out leading off the third and Gibson coaxed two more grounders.

“There’s a fine line with being at the bottom of the zone all the time, because they can kind of live down there and scoop you a little bit,” he said.

“There’s a fine line of picking and choosing your time of throwing those sinkers all the time to get those ground balls, but I do feel like when I’m at my best I’ve got multiple pitches to get ground balls, so it’s about sequencing and setting those up to put guys away.”

Gibson has surrendered one run in five innings with the Orioles. He still hasn’t issued a walk, a rare feat in exhibition games. We’ve seen a ton of them.

"I thought Kyle threw the ball well," said manager Brandon Hyde after a 7-4 win, which ended with another Nolan Hoffman save. "I know he feels good after that. Good sinker again. A lot of ground balls. Just a veteran guy who knows how to pitch and throwing a bunch of strikes."

* Austin Hays hit his second three-run homer in three days and Ryan Mountcastle had to one-up him with a grand slam.

“His went a little farther than mine,” Hays said.

Gibson was meeting with the media in the bullpen area in the fourth inning when Hays’ ball sailed over the right field fence and the crowd erupted.

“Hays again, Hays again,” he said.

Hays also lined a single into left field in his next at-bat.

Mountcastle destroyed a ball in the fifth after Colton Cowser and Adam Frazier singled and Adley Rutschman reached on a fielder’s choice and error. It disappeared beyond the left field fence for a 7-1 lead. He took a couple of steps toward first base and enjoyed the view.

“He got on a good heater right there,” Hays said. “I think that was like 99. He got the head on it.”

Rutschman led off the fourth with a single and Mountcastle doubled before Hays went the opposite way.

“I was just trying to stay inside it. Less than two outs, runners in scoring position and got a good fastball to hit. Put a good swing on it.”

A swing reflecting the work he’s done in the offseason.

“It feels great,” he said. “Just trying to make sure I’m swinging at good pitches to hit and laying off the stuff out of the zone. Right now, I’ve got some good pitches in the middle part of the plate and just got some barrel on them.”

Hays is 4-for-11 with two homers and six RBIs. Mountcastle is 5-for-15 with three doubles, a triple, a home run and seven RBIs.

“Just trying to come in as ready as possible,” Hays said. “It's tough to get at-bats in the offseason but we try to do our lives and just do as much game-like stuff as we can so that we can filter right into spring training and not feel like we haven't seen pitching in five months.”

"Nice to see Austin Hays drive the ball the other way the way he's been doing. ... Mounty Keeping the ball fair to left and then hitting a long grand slam," Hyde said.

"Feel like our guys were kind of scuffling a little bit out of the game offensively, but some guys are starting to swing the bat a little better now."

* Left-hander Cionel Pérez allowed his first run today in three spring outings. Cal Mitchell singled with two outs and scored on Connor Joe’s double.

Owings walked because it’s all about revenge, apparently, but he was stranded.

Pérez has surrendered five hits in three innings.

Left-hander Keegan Akin retired six of seven batters in two scoreless innings.

Pirates right fielder Miguel Andújar made a leaping catch in the fifth to rob Jorge Mateo of a home run.

We had weirdness in the eighth. Ryan Watson appeared to surrender a three-run homer to Canaan Smith-Njigba, but the batter passed a runner and was called out. Only two runs scored and the Orioles led 7-4.

Watson was making his first spring appearance after dealing with neck stiffness.