Bundy on his cutter/slider and today's outing (O's win 7-2)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 7, Tigers 2

Recap: Dylan Bundy shut out the Tigers on two hits over three innings, with no walks and three strikeouts. ... The Orioles scored six runs in the third inning on six hits, three walks and a wild pitch, and the Tigers used three pitchers. ... Johnny Giavotella had an RBI single in the third to break a scoreless tie. ... Hyun Soo Kim doubled to left-center field in the first and had an RBI grounder in the third. ... Mychal Givens struck out two batters in a scoreless inning before heading to the World Baseball Classic.

Need to know: The Orioles worked Mike Pelfrey for 22 pitches in the first inning. Bundy threw seven. ... Bundy's three strikeouts came on two curveballs and a changeup. ... Caleb Joseph and Anthony Santander each had a single and walk in the third inning, as the Orioles sent 12 batters to the plate. ... Jason García registered two scoreless innings after allowing five runs and six hits in his first two appearances over 3 2/3 innings.

On deck: Tuesday vs. Dominican Republic in Sarasota, 1:05 p.m.

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LAKELAND, Fla. - Jason García turned in two scoreless innings today after following Dylan Bundy to the mound. He walked a batter and hit one, but he also struck out two in his finest outing this spring.

García had allowed five runs and six hits and walked four batters in 3 2/3 innings in his first two appearances. He needed today's positive results.

Bundy didn't go to his cutter/slider as much today, using it more over two innings in his first start.

"I think they were more quality today, so I was happy with it," he said.

"The slider was a little bit tighter today and I was over the plate more, not so sweepy, so I was really happy with that. And then fastball command was decent. Tried to throw a changeup on the outer half to J.D. (Martinez) and that didn't work out too well. Maybe just wrong location. I don't know about that."

Bundy is bringing back the cutter/slider, whatever we're calling it today, to perhaps make it easier to navigate through the order a third time.

"Yeah, you could say that a little bit. I'd say so," he said. "Just give me another pitch I can show guys. Either at the beginning of a game I can break it out, or I can break it out at the end of the game. You never know. But yeah, if you've got four pitches they've got to think about instead of three, those percentages there make it a little harder to hit."

Bundy ditched the pitch last year to prevent placing too much strain on his forearm/elbow area. The toughest part about bringing it back?

"Figuring out where it's going to move, how much it's going to move and if you can throw it for a strike. Stuff like that," he said. "Just trying to figure out the consistent movement of it I'd say right now is the hardest part."

Bundy welcomes the chance to go back to a starter's schedule after breaking camp last year as a reliever.

"It's easier getting in a routine as a starter, I think," he said. "The bullpen, you're sitting down there for five, six, seven innings and then throwing the eighth and ninth. I just think it takes more focus as a reliever throwing in the eighth and ninth inning in spring training game. It didn't take too long to get comfortable again as a starter."

Bundy's exactly where he wants to be at this stage of camp, and I don't mean Lakeland.

"Yeah, I'd say so," he said. "Arm is feeling great. Next day soreness is all where it's supposed to be, and good soreness. I just don't want to use that slider too much yet too soon. I want to build it up through spring and that's kind of been the plan so far. I've stuck to it."

Maybe the biggest challenge for Bundy today was staying sharp for the bottom of the third inning after the Orioles sent 12 batters to the plate in the top half and scored six runs. He allowed a one-out single to JaCoby Jones, but retired the next two batters on a liner and fly ball.

Bundy flashed back to his Aug. 7 start in Chicago when Manny Machado hit three home runs in the first three innings and the pace slowed to a crawl in a 10-2 win. Bundy worked through the sixth inning, making peace with the idle time in the dugout.

"You've just got to stay focused and try to throw some more pitches in warmups," he said. "Get out there quick after the half-inning and throw a lot more pitches during warmup."

Mychal Givens gave up a double and struck out two batters in a scoreless sixth. He's leaving the team later today for the World Baseball Classic.