Lapses in first inning (and second)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

March 17, 2011, 9:31am

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BRADENTON, Fla. - I'm not sure how Chris Tillman got out of the first inning without allowing a run. Tillman walked the leadoff hitter, Jose Tabata, and another batter reached on an error. Another play wasn't made cleanly, and the Orioles almost botched a rundown. Still scoreless as we head to the bottom of the first. Neil Walker followed Tabata's walk with a grounder to shortstop J.J. Hardy, who bobbled the ball and settled for the force at second base. Andrew McCutchen reached on third baseman Josh Bell's error. Tillman could have been back in the dugout with more support. Pedro Alvarez struck out looking as both runners broke on the pitch. Catcher Jake Fox made the throw to Bell, who must have assumed that Alvarez walked because he held the ball and didn't immediately chase Walker back to second. Bell finally threw to second baseman Brendan Harris, who fired the ball to TIllman covering third for the final out. Not exactly the way manager Buck Showalter has run that drill in camp. Tillman threw 18 pitches, 11 for strikes. Update: Tillman allowed an unearned run in the second after Hardy's throwing error. Jason Jaramillo's two-out RBI single gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. Tillman has thrown 38 pitches, 25 for strikes.