Ubaldo Jimenez all smiles after latest start (Orioles win 3-2)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 3, Braves 2

Recap: Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run and three hits in four innings, with one walk and five strikeouts. He threw 61 pitches, 43 for strikes. Eric Young Jr. singled in the first and scored on Jace Peterson's double, but Jimenez retired the last eight batters he faced and 11 of 12. Brad Brach retired the Braves in order with a strikeout in the fifth. Brian Matusz had a walk and strikeout in two-thirds of an inning, and Darren O'Day struck out the only batter he faced. Jason Garcia hit a batter and struck out one in the seventh, but Tommy Hunter allowed a run in the eighth on a double and Kelly Johnson's infield hit. Everth Cabrera had an RBI single in the second inning and Caleb Joseph added a sacrifice fly. Alejandro De Aza homered leading off the fifth.

Need to know: Jimenez was hit on the right ankle by Christian Bethancourt's sharp bouncer in the second inning, but he stayed in the game. Jimenez threw 26 pitches in the first inning but surrendered only one run. Jimenez walked three batters and struck out 16 in his last 23 innings. Cabrera made two nice plays at shortstop. He looks a lot more comfortable than he did early in camp. Machado had a bunt single in the second and scored on Joseph's sacrifice fly. De Aza has three home runs and 10 RBIs in 16 games this spring. Steve Pearce was hit twice by pitches, once by former Orioles closer Jim Johnson. Zach Britton got the save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

On deck: Saturday, at Braves in Lake Buena Vista, 3:05 p.m.
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SARASOTA, Fla. - Ubaldo Jimenez sat on a bench outside the Orioles clubhouse tonight, ice wrapped around his right shoulder, elbow and ankle. He also wore a smile on his face, the warmth a nice contrast.

Jimenez is thrilled with his spring training, which concluded tonight when he held the Braves to one run and struck out five over four innings. He stayed in the game after a Christian Bethancourt grounder slammed off his right ankle leading off the second.

"I think I got him two strikes and I threw the ball right down the middle. It was supposed to be away and he had a good swing," Jimenez said.

"It got more of my shoe than my foot."

Jimenez had to stay loose while the Orioles sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the second and scored twice to take a 2-1 lead.

"I just had to keep it warm so it didn't get stiff, but it's OK. It's just one of those things," he said.

Manager Buck Showalter made sure Jimenez was OK before letting him continue. Jimenez had to sell him on the idea.

"I told Buck, 'Hey Buck, let me walk it off. Just give me a second,'" Jimenez said, flashing another smile.

Jimenez posted a 2.88 ERA in his last six starts.

"Since the first day that I got here, I was able to improve," he said. "I got better and better with my command and now I have all my pitches working right now."

Jimenez predicted after that first outing, when he allowed six runs (five earned) in 1 1/3 innings in Lakeland, that he would be much better going forward.

"If you see the stats in that game, you'd probably say, 'Oh, that was a horrible game,' but for me, I felt really good because I had good command," Jimenez said. "The fastball was down. It was just one of those games that things were going crazy, but I felt like I was going to get better and better."

Stats don't always matter in spring training, but Jimenez needed positive results coming off a poor debut season with the Orioles and being thrust into a heated competition for the fifth spot in the rotation.

"Of course," he said. "It gives you confidence when you can do things good. It's great because if you do what you're doing right here, if you do it in the season, you're going to be able to get people out. It doesn't matter. It's the same game.

"When they sing the national anthem in the regular season, it might be a little bit different, but that's the kind of approach you have to take and that is making your pitches, keeping the ball down and things are going to go good."

What did Jimenez prove this spring?

"I think the main thing I proved to myself is I can be able to command my fastball. That's the main thing, command my fastball," he said.

It's assumed that Jimenez will break camp as the fifth starter, but he hasn't been told.

"No idea. I have no idea," he said, adding that he's not worried about it.

"I've already had one year here, so I'm used to it."

The smile never disappeared. Jimenez is hoping the positive results last just as long.

"I know it was a really tough year for me last year and being able to get better and better, I proved to myself that if I can command my fastball, I can get people out," Jimenez said. "So I'm happy about it."

The Orioles continue to lead 3-1 in the seventh inning. Brad Brach got two ground balls and a strikeout in a routine fifth inning after replacing Jimenez. Brian Matusz worked two-thirds of an inning, walking one and striking out one, and O'Day struck out the only batter he faced.

Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia hit a batter and recorded a strikeout in the seventh.