Jonathan Schoop begins his rehab assignment in Bowie (is 0-4 tonight)

BOWIE, Md. - Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop has begun his major league rehab assignment tonight with Double-A Bowie at Prince George's Stadium, as the Baysox are taking on the Trenton Thunder, a New York Yankees affiliate.

Wearing a white No. 33 Baysox jersey, Schoop is batting leadoff and playing second base. It is the first time he is playing in the field since he suffered a knee injury.

He is 0-for-2 so far tonight and struck out in both the first and third innings.

Schoop has been on the disabled list since April 18 with a sprained right knee. He played in games at extended spring training in Florida before joining the Orioles earlier this week on Monday to work out with the team.

Schoop told reporters at Camden Yards he was excited to be back with the team and that his rehab in Florida went well.

"Feel strong and ready to go," he said. "Really happy to be here and see my teammates. Really excited. I've been out for a month and a half and I want to play. I feel strong, stronger than before."

Schoop did not play in the field in Florida, but he is tonight.

Schoop was injured when he landed awkwardly running through the first base bag on April 17 at Boston's Fenway Park. He suffered a partial PCL tear and MCL strain. At the time of the injury, he was batting .259 with three homers, seven RBIs and a .940 OPS in nine games.

Tonight, Schoop becomes the seventh Oriole to rehab with Bowie this year following Jimmy Paredes, Ryan Flaherty, J.J. Hardy, Matt Wieters, Bud Norris and Kevin Gausman.

When Schoop was last with the Baysox, he hit .245 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs during the 2012 season. He played a team that included Manny Machado, Caleb Joseph and LJ Hoes.

The Baysox announced two player moves before tonight's game: Right-hander Elih Villanueva was transferred to Bowie from Triple-A Norfolk, and right-hander Matt Hobgood was placed on the DL, retroactive to June 18.

Tonight's game is scoreless in the fourth inning. Baysox right-hander Joe Gunkel retired the side in order four straight times to begin the game. He is the player the Orioles acquired from Boston on June 3 for outfielder Alejandro De Aza, and he has begun his O's career with 17 consecutive scoreless innings. He was ranked by Baseball America as Boston's No. 26 prospect coming out of last season.

Schoop fans again: Schoop struck out swinging on an up-and-in fastball with an 0-2 count to end the last of the fifth. So, he is 0-for-3 with three strikeouts tonight. The game is tied 1-1 in the sixth. Trey Mancini has an RBI double for Bowie, his 11th RBI in 13 games since his promotion from Single-A Frederick.

Schoop pops out: Schoop popped out to the shortstop on a 1-1 pitch in the last of the seventh and is 0-for-4 tonight. The Baysox trail 3-1 in the eighth after Trenton's Mark Payton hit a two-run homer in the seventh. Gunkel gave up five hits and three runs in seven innings tonight. Those are the first runs he's allowed in three starts and 20 innings with Bowie.