Hardy with a single, Flaherty grounds out in first (both double in seventh)

BOWIE, Md. - J.J. Hardy singled in the first inning and Ryan Flaherty grounded out to second as they began their major league rehab assignments tonight for the Double-A Bowie Baysox.

Playing in a minor league game for the first time since May 2011 with Triple-A Norfolk, Hardy lined a two-out single to center on a 1-1 pitch from Akron's Ryan Merritt. Hardy is batting third and playing shortstop for the Baysox.

Hardy hasn't played in a game since he suffered a strained left shoulder in a spring training game March 27.

His Orioles teammate, Flaherty, is here with Hardy and grounded out to second base on the first pitch he saw in the last of the first. He is batting second and playing second base.

The game is 0-0 in the second with Branden Kline pitching for the 13-10 Baysox.

Hardy and Flaherty are expected to play three games with Bowie. Hardy can come off the major league DL at any time, while Flaherty is eligible to return to the Orioles on Friday.

Update: In the last of the third, Flaherty grounded out to third base on a 2-1 pitch and Hardy lined out to center on an 0-2 pitch from Merritt. The Baysox lead 1-0 on Brandon Snyder's long homer to left-center in the second inning.

Update II: In the last of the fifth, Flaherty grounded out to second and Hardy grounded out to the third baseman. Flaherty is 0-for-3 tonight and Hardy is 1-for-3. The Baysox lead is now 3-0 after Jason Esposito's two-run homer in the fourth. He has hits in his last six at-bats.

Back-to-back doubles: Flaherty and Hardy doubled back-to-back to lead off the last of the seventh against a new pitcher, Akron right-hander Trey Haley. Flaherty smoked a 1-2 pitch to left-center and Hardy brought him home by crushing a 2-0 pitch to deep center. Hardy is 2-for-4 and has hit the ball hard tonight, while Flaherty is 1-for-4.

Bowie's lead is 8-0 after the Hardy double and Esposito's RBI single that inning. The Baysox scored three in the sixth on a David Freitas two-run double and Mike Yastrzemski's RBI single.

Branden Kline pitched seven scoreless innings tonight for the Baysox, allowing just two singles on 103 pitches. Ashur Tolliver came on the top of the eighth.

Hardy and Flaherty both came out of the game after they batted in the seventh, which was expected.

It's a final: Bowie wrapped up the 8-0 win to improve to 14-10 with its sixth win in seven games. Tonight's attendance was 2,013. Check back later for postgame quotes from Hardy and Flaherty.