Game update and comments from Kevin Gausman (O's lose 10-6)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Rays 10, Orioles 6

Recap: Kevin Gausman allowed one hit and struck out three batters in two scoreless innings. He threw 20 of 31 pitches for strikes. Todd Redmond was charged with four runs and Jon Keller with three. Zach Britton, pitching the seventh, allowed one run and three hits. Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard had two doubles, an RBI and an outfield assist. Manny Machado reached on an error and had an RBI single.

Need to know: Gausman's fastball topped out at 96 mph, but it mostly sat at 91-94 in the first inning. Matt Wieters threw out Corey Dickerson trying to steal second base to end the first. Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado made diving stops to record outs. Sarasota native Joey Terdoslavich singled in the eighth. The game drew a sellout crowd of 7,942.

On deck: Sunday, vs. Red Sox in Fort Myers, 1:05 p.m.
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SARASOTA, Fla. - Everywhere you turn, someone else is proclaiming 2016 as the year that Kevin Gausman "takes the next step."

He didn't silence the talk or shorten his stride tonight.

Gausman allowed one hit and struck out three batters in two scoreless innings against the Rays. Dale Thayer replaced him in the third.

Kevin Kiermaier struck out for the second out of the opening inning. Corey Dickerson singled and was thrown out by catcher Matt Wieters on a stolen base attempt.

Gausman began the second inning by fanning Logan Forsythe and Logan Morrison on 95 mph fastballs. Former Oriole Steve Pearce grounded to third base and Gausman's night was done.

It wasn't until the last few batters that Gausman's fastball jumped to 96 mph. It mostly sat at 91-94 mph in the first inning.

"Felt good," Gausman said. "Biggest thing right now is just fastball command. Threw some good pitches on the inner half when I was meaning to, so I think that's usually one of the last thing that comes, especially facing hitters for the first time in a game. Kind of happy about that."

Gausman was so efficient, he needed to get in some extra work in the bullpen before heading to the clubhouse.

"I actually came down and threw a couple more just to get me to 40, better myself for the next outing," he said. "Obviously happy to get through two innings and get some guys some groundball work.

"It's a little weird facing Pearce. You see him play every day for the last three years and seeing him in the box was a little bit weird. Realize how much on the plate he actually is. It was kind of cool though."

It's also a little weird for Gausman knowing he's in the rotation. No relief role and no early trip to Triple-A Norfolk.

"Normally during spring training I'm just kind of cruising along and don't really know," he said. "I'm just getting innings where I can, so it will be nice to know what I'm doing, know I'm pitching every fifth day, that I'll be starting the game and getting in my routine. I think that helps, so definitely looking forward to that."

The rotation could use more outings like the one turned in tonight by Gausman.

"I didn't really think about it like that," he said. "We're all trying to pitch well. Nobody's trying to pitch poorly, especially starting off the games, but it is spring training and it takes some guys a little bit longer.

"I think ever since the season ended last year I just kind of wanted to get going and get out here, and I'm just excited to get the first one out of the way."

The Orioles trailed the Rays 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning.

Rays starter Drew Smyly retired all six batters he faced, striking out the side in the second. Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo and Wieters went down swinging.

Nolan Reimold, leading off the first, worked the count to 3-1 and lined out to left-center field, with Kiermaier making a nice running catch.

The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the third against Thayer, who allowed a one-out single to Curt Casali, a double to Richie Shaffer and a two-run single to Brad Miller.

Miller looped his hit down the left field line, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard threw to shortstop J.J. Hardy, whose relay to Jonathan Schoop produced the second out.

Schoop made a diving stop to his left and threw out Dickerson after Kiermaier singled. Manny Machado made a diving catch to rob Forsythe leading off the fourth.

The Rays scored a run off Todd Redmond in the fourth after Pearce reached on an infield hit with two outs. Brandon Guyer walked and Casali produced an RBI single.

Schoop has the Orioles only hit on an infield single in the third. Machado reached on an error in the fourth, stole second, moved to third on Adam Jones' long fly ball to left-center and scored on Davis' grounder to the right side.

The Rays increased their lead to 5-1 in the fifth when Miller doubled, Kiermaier tripled and Forsythe doubled off Redmond. Jon Keller has entered the game.

Update: The Rays scored six runs in the fifth and lead 9-1. Redmond's charged with four runs tonight and Keller's charged with three.

Update II: The Orioles sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and scored four runs. Rickard had an RBI double and Machado had an RBI single. Another run scored on Jones' fielder's choice grounder.

Update III: Zach Britton gave up one run on three hits in the top of the seventh, and the Orioles scored in the bottom half on Rickard's second double of the night and a wild pitch. Rays 10, Orioles 6.