Christian Walker claimed by Braves (O's down 3-1)

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Orioles have lost outfielder/first baseman Christian Walker on a waiver claim to the Braves.

Walker, 25, was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room for left-hander Richard Bleier on the 40-man roster. The Orioles wanted to pass him through waivers and keep him in the organization.

Walker, formerly a fourth-round pick out of the University of South Carolina, was named the organization's minor league Player of the Year in 2014. He appeared in 13 games with the Orioles over two seasons, going 4-for-27 with one home run, but he failed to reach the majors last season.

The Orioles tried converting him to an outfielder and he spent most of the season as a left fielder at Triple-A Norfolk. He batted .264/.321/.437 in 131 games.

Last month, the Braves claimed outfielder Adam Walker off waivers from the Orioles. The teams can't seem to avoid each other.

Former pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti took jobs with Atlanta and Roger McDowell replaced Wallace in Baltimore. The Orioles claimed left-hander Jed Bradley off waivers from the Braves on Oct. 7. The Braves recently signed Xavier Avery to a minor league deal after he spent the 2016 season at Triple-A Norfolk. And there's the Brian Matusz trade on May 23, 2016 that brought minor league pitchers Brandon Barker and Trevor Belicek.

The Orioles trail the Pirates 2-1 today in the bottom of the fifth inning. Alen Hanson's sacrifice fly off Jason Garcia in the fourth broke the tie.

Gabriel Ynoa, who retired all three batters he faced with two strikeouts in an intrasquad game, allowed a run in the first inning.

Ynoa threw 23 pitches, 13 for strikes, in the first. Adam Frazier reached on an infield hit and was thrown out by Audry Pérez trying to steal second base. Starling Marte struck out, but Andrew McCutchen doubled and scored on Gregory Polanco's single.

Returning for the second inning, Ynoa retired the side in order on only nine pitches and didn't let a ball out of the infield. He finished with 32 pitches, 20 for strikes.

"In the first inning, I was going too quick toward home plate. In the second inning, I was more calm, under control, so I think that was the difference," he said through interpreter Ramon Alarcon.

The Orioles put seven runners on base in the first four innings and finally tied the score 1-1.

Joey Rickard reached on an error against former Orioles farmhand Steven Brault leading off the first and was erased on Manny Machado's double play. Jonathan Schoop doubled and Chris Johnson singled in the second, but Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander struck out. Rickard singled with one out in the third and was stranded.

Adam Jones led off the fourth with a double and Johnson walked with one out. Mancini struck out again, but Santander delivered an RBI single into right field.

Mychal Givens tossed a scoreless third, walking a batter before retiring McCutchen to end the inning.

Update: Jason Garcia allowed two runs and four hits, walked one and hit a batter in 1 2/3 innings. Polanco's RBI single, his third hit of the day, gave Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead in the fifth.