Wrapping up a 7-2 win

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Orioles lost their shutout today in the bottom of the ninth inning, with Dominic Ficociello hitting a two-run homer off Logan Ondrusek. Otherwise, the afternoon was a rousing success.

Dylan Bundy held the Tigers scoreless for the first three innings and the Orioles erupted for six runs in the top of the third in a 7-2 victory.

"Good, good," said manager Buck Showalter. "I was a little concerned after that long inning. If he had come out and ... we had someone ready to go in there, but he was fine. I was impressed with the third inning after a long layoff. That was a good sign.

"That would have worked regardless of which way the wind was blowing."

Austin Wynns caught Ondrusek in the ninth on his first day in major league camp.

"Got his feet wet," Showalter said. "Can you imagine working as hard as he has maybe his whole life for the chance to go to big league camp and get hurt toward the end of winter ball and then have to sit around? It was nice to get him in there. John (Russell) had a good idea to get him in there in the ninth inning."

The Orioles improved to 6-5-1 in Grapefruit League games, much too early for Showalter to start making evaluations.

"I hadn't really look at it," Showalter said. "It's not check points where you go, 'OK, at this point, how do we feel?' We're just trying to get to the end game.

"I would have taken where we are physically and everything that we need to accomplish early, we're right where we need to be. There's a lot of bridges to cross."

Jason García turned in two much-needed scoreless innings to lower his spring ERA to 7.94.

"That was better," Showalter said. "That was good to see him get back. Kind of what spring training's about. Made a couple adjustments. Got in the same place on the rubber every time instead of moving all over. A lot more focused, I thought, with his stuff. It was good to see. Jason needed to have a good outing just for his psyche a little bit."

Mychal Givens left the team for the World Baseball Classic after striking out two batters in a scoreless sixth inning.

"It's a little tough seeing those guys walk out the door and say goodbye," Showalter said. "That's not fun. The good part is I'm looking forward to the hello part of it, good to see you again."

Givens and center fielder Adam Jones are joining Team USA.

"Still going to miss the guys, but at the same time, I'm going to try to work my butt off to bring back a gold medal," Givens said.

"It's really important to me. Same thing I feel like the army and all the people who protect us, the veterans that do, they're representing the USA. And me putting on the uniform with the USA logo on the front, it has a lot of meaning to it. Last time I played back in high school, I won a gold medal my first year and a bronze the second year, so a little taste in my mouth I had. Trying to come back and have fun doing it, and knowing the experience of coming back with a gold medal."

Givens has allowed one run in four innings in his four appearances before leaving camp.

"With the good support of Roger (McDowell) and (Alan) Mills and sitting down with them in minicamp and setting an actual plan withthe offseason stuff, what they wanted me to do, went through it and it felt good," Givens said.

"Going out right now, it's really good and I'm really prepared for the WBC."