Jiménez throws three scoreless innings (O's lead 1-0)

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Orioles were able to stretch out Ubaldo Jiménez today to three innings and 49 pitches. And Jiménez shortened the anxiety as the game progressed.

Jiménez retired seven of the last eight Rays, allowing only an infield hit in that stretch. His scoreless outing was the second-most impressive start of the day, with Tampa Bay's Chris Archer retiring all nine Orioles he faced and striking out five.

The Rays worked Jiménez for 21 pitches in the bottom of the first inning, with Nick Franklin and Steven Souza Jr. lining first-pitch singles. Jiménez also walked Joe McCarthy and threw a wild pitch, but he got a double-play grounder from Jesus Sucre and retired Daniel Robertson on a ground ball. Lots of activity, but no runs.

Twelve of Jiménez's 21 pitches were strikes.

Jiménezthrew 14 of his 17 pitches for strikes in the second inning and tacked on 11 pitches in the third Jiménez getting two ground balls and a foul pop up.

In his first spring start, Jiménez faced the Yankees in Sarasota and allowed one run and three hits over two innings. He threw 29 pitches.

Vidal Nuño will work the bottom of the fourth inning.

Jiménez joins Tyler Wilson and Chris Lee as the only Orioles to pitch three innings this spring.

The Orioles didn't have a baserunner today until Tommy Hunter hit Robert Andino with one out in the top of the fourth. Hunter struck out three batters and the no-hitter remains intact.

Paul Janish is making his first start this spring, batting ninth as the shortstop. Meanwhile, J.J. Hardy continues to work out in Sarasota and is slated to begin baseball activities next week. The Orioles still expect him to be in the opening day lineup.

"He's doing a lot of things little by little, just little hurdles to cross," said manager Buck Showalter. "He's good. We're being real cautious with it. If there was a different timeframe it probably would have gone a little different, but we want to make sure we get it right the first time."

An early projection had Hardy playing on March 10, but that's not a firm date.

"I'm hoping we have some legitimate baseball activities going on on the field, whether it be ground balls, throwing, hitting running around, I'm hoping by then," Showalter said.

"He's not far off when I was going to play him anyway. I wasn't planning on him playing a whole to before the 10th anyway. He only needs a couple of weeks."

Janish made a sensational diving stop on Dayron Varona's grounder in the second, but the throw was late.

Showalter said he isn't concerned about the Orioles being too amped up for Tuesday's exhibition game against the Dominican Republic. Quite the opposite.

"I'm actually looking forward to it because in the spring you need little pick-me-ups a little bit," he said. "It's a really good team."

Update: Vidal Nuno added two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and getting a double play.

The Orioles have two hits - singles by Caleb Joseph and Ryan Flaherty in the fifth off former Orioles left-hander Dana Eveland.

Update II: Chris Johnson lined a double into the left field corner leading off the seventh inning and pinch-runner Joey Rickard took third on a wild pitch and scored on Logan Schafer's bouncer to short. Orioles 1, Rays 0