Danys

Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley can always be found in the outdoor batting cage after spring training workouts in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., soft-tossing to guys who want to take some extra swings. He's trying to learn all the new hitters, but it's challenging with players spread out on the main field and two back fields. Crowley hasn't seen enough of Jon Knott yet to provide a thorough scouting report, but he says: "He's big and strong. From the little I've seen so far and the reports I've gotten, he looks good.

It all happened so fast. In a span of three pitches by Jeremy Guthrie in the seventh inning last night, the Orioles' seemingly comfortable four-run lead was whittled to an extremely uncomfortable one-run advantage. And for anybody who has watched the Orioles bumble through the late innings on this homestand, it was easy to predict what would happen next. The Minnesota Twins scored twice in the eighth inning, both on sacrifice flies, and Torii Hunter hit a two-run shot off Danys Baez in the ninth, dealing the slumping Orioles another deflating loss, 7-4, in front of an announced 29,742 at Camden Yards.

SHUT DOWN The Orioles managed just three hits and five base runners in six scoreless innings Tuesday against Washington Nationals starter Shairon Martis. The right-hander, who pitched a no-hitter for the Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, allowed two opposite-field singles to Nick Markakis and an infield single to Adam Jones. He also walked Ty Wigginton and hit Ryan Freel. Martis loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but got Orioles designated hitter Matt Wieters to fly out. RAY SHARP AGAIN Reliever Chris Ray continued his strong spring training, pitching a scoreless ninth.

JONES KEEPS HITTING There haven't been as many positives as the Orioles would like this spring, but the organization is certainly feeling good about the development of center fielder Adam Jones. The second-year Oriole went 3-for-4 to raise his spring average to .378. He singled in the first inning, doubled in the Orioles' four-run fourth and hit a two-run homer in the fifth. BULLPEN STRUGGLES It wasn't a good day for a couple of the relievers who will be in the team's Opening Day bullpen.

Baez rolling Reliever Danys Baez, who has come back from 2007 elbow-ligament-replacement surgery, had another impressive outing yesterday. He faced five Tampa Bay Rays and struck out four. The other hitter, Akinori Iwamura, grounded out. Baez has pitched 3 2/3 innings this season and has not allowed a base runner while striking out five. He missed all of last season. An easy out Tampa Bay's Gabe Kapler assumed that a hard-hit ball to deep third would be the third out of the fourth inning.