Orioles down big, Gausman on his outing (O's lose 15-6)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Rays 15, Orioles 6

Recap: Kevin Gausman was wild today, walking four batters and throwing two wild pitches in 3 2/3 innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) and two hits, and he struck out five ... Zach Britton worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, with two hits, two walks and one strikeout ... Hyun Soo Kim hit his first spring home run in the fourth inning, a solo shot onto the boardwalk in right-center field ... Chris Dickerson tied the game in the fourth with a two-out solo home run, his third of the spring ... Peter Bourjos hit a tie-breaking two-run homer off Jefri Hernandez in the sixth. Hernandez was charged with seven runs in one-third of an inning ... Brian Moran replaced Hernandez with two runners on base and Nick Franklin homered. Moran was charged with five runs in the sixth, the last three on Shane Peterson's homer.

Need to know: Dickerson dropped an Evan Longoria fly ball that should have been the second out of the third inning. The Rays went on to score two runs (one earned) ... Gausman threw 33 pitches in the second ... Shortstop J.J. Hardy committed two errors in the first six innings ... The Rays sent 15 batters to the plate in the sixth ... For folks evaluating Seth Smith's defense, he made a nice running catch in right-center field on Derek Norris' sinking liner ... Dickerson was robbed of an extra-base hit and maybe two RBIs in the second inning after Bourjos' leaping catch at the center field fence with runners on first and second ... Brad Brach had a scoreless inning despite allowing two hits.

On deck: Thursday, vs. Tigers in Sarasota, 1:05 p.m.
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PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Zach Britton followed Kevin Gausman to the mound today and tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his longest stint of the spring. He allowed two hits, walked two batters and struck out one.

The Rays broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth on Peter Bourjos' two-run homer off minor league pitcher Jefri Hernandez, who was charged with five more runs in the inning. Brian Moran replaced him and Nick Franklin hit a three-run homer.

The Rays weren't done. Bourjos added an RBI single off Moran to give the Rays an 11-2 lead in the sixth. It was quite a party.

Update: Shane Peterson hit a three-run homer off Moran in the sixth, as the Rays sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 12 runs. Two of the five runs off Moran were unearned.

The Orioles collected three unearned runs in the top of the seventh after center fielder Braxton Lee dropped Mark Trumbo's fly ball with the bases loaded to reduce the lead to 14-5.

The Orioles have committed three errors today, two by shortstop J.J. Hardy.

Gausman was mostly happy with his outing, the two-out walks his only real issue. He surrendered two runs (one earned) and two hits in 3 2/3 innings, walked four, struck out five and threw two wild pitches. He left the game after 75 pitches.

"Physically, that's probably the best I've felt this spring, most like the season from a strength aspect," he said. "I felt really good. I felt the ball was coming out of my hand really well. I threw some really good sliders today, so that's something that's definitely huge going forward. I think I got pretty much every strikeout on it.

"Obviously, a lot of pitches in 3 2/3 and that's something I want to limit. I was too quick out of the stretch. I think that's why I was cruising to get two outs and then two-out walks, back-to-back two-out walks. Four walks in 3 2/3, not very good."

Gausman logged 22 innings this spring, including three against the Dominican Republic and 5 1/3 against the Rays' Triple-A team.

"I felt good physically and that's the biggest thing," he said. "I felt like I got better as the outing went on. Got in some tough situations. Ground ball just got through the hole. When you get in some deep counts like that, you're only going to hurt yourself. Putting guys on base like I did, it's definitely not something you want during the regular season."

Gausman enjoyed a spring with a defined role. He's breaking camp in the rotation, as the opening day starter, and he's healthy after beginning last season on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis.

"It was good," he said. "I had a great spring and the biggest thing is how you come out of this physically, and I feel great. Ready to kind of hit the ground running and that's one thing I tried to do coming into spring with what I had been doing in the second half. Hit the ground running and just feel good and try to get out there and continue to learn from what I did in the second half."

Players complain that spring training is too long. Because of the World Baseball Classic, it feels like the Orioles have been here for sixth months. They're eager to head north.

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited," Gausman said. "I'm definitely ready to go, ready for that flight. I think it's in two days. Looking forward to it and just looking forward to being back in Baltimore.

"Like I said the other day, I love pitching in Baltimore. It's going to be a great opening day and we have a great team. We have a lot of guys who kind of came in this year. I think Seth Smith is going to be huge for us. I think there's nothing to not be excited about. There's a lot of things to be looking forward to and a lot of guys that I get to watch every day play that are pretty good, so I know we're all excited and ready, kind of champing at the bit."

Meanwhile, the Orioles aren't expected to make any more cuts until Thursday. Executive vice president Dan Duquette continues to check the waiver wire as players are turned loose.

Duquette didn't bite today when asked about reliever Vance Worley, but the Orioles know the veteran right-hander is available after the Nationals released him and there have been internal discussions about bringing him back. Worley is out of options, which goes against the desire for more maneuverability, but he was valuable last season working in a variety of roles and enjoyed his time in Baltimore.

The Orioles offered Worley a minor league contract over the winter, but he chose the Nationals.