Zach Britton

Each Wednesday, blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Orioles. zero -- runs allowed by Pedro Strop in six games for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Orioles position players Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop produced mixed results at the World Baseball Classic -- each had some big hits but put up underwhelming numbers overall -- but reliever Pedro Strop was of the most unhittable relievers in the tournament.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Although the Orioles aren't making any proclamations about their rotation with Opening Day looming in less than two weeks, Zach Britton's chances of going north with the club seemingly took a hit Wednesday as he failed to get out of the second inning in a Grapefruit League start against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 25-year-old lefty allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while retiring only four batters, pushing his spring ERA to 6.10 and likely damaging his standing in a battle with Jake Arrieta , Steve Johnson , Brian Matusz and others for the fifth rotation spot.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles staked the Toronto Blue Jays to a five-run lead by the second inning Wednesday, but they stormed back with five solo homers and eventually won, 6-5. Left fielder Nolan Reimold, who was playing in the field for the first time since experiencing shoulder tightness on March 1, had two home runs to lead the offensive barrage. J.J. Hardy started the second inning against Toronto's Jeremy Jeffress, who is fighting for a bullpen spot, with his second homer in two games.

One of the main competitions - really, one of the only competitions - in Orioles spring training this year is for the fifth starter's role. A whole lot of names have been thrown into the mix: Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, Steve Johnson, Brian Matusz, Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hunter and T.J. McFarland. Hunter, in particular (and Matusz, potentially) is earmarked for the bullpen. McFarland, a Rule 5 pick, may have to be offered back to the Cleveland Indians because he doesn't look like he'll make the rotation.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Boston Red Sox, because they have another game at night in Fort Myers, brought no regulars here for Friday's contest against the Orioles. The Orioles sent starter Miguel Gonzalez to pitch against minor leaguers so he wouldn't face an American League East team. It's typical stuff for mid-March, but the gamesmanship handed lefty Zach Britton a start. And he took advantage of the opportunity in the Orioles' 3-3 tie against the Red Sox. Britton, who is fighting for the fifth starter spot, lasted 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and walking two, with both walks coming in his final frame.

Brian Matusz threw his ballcap into the ring for the open fifth starter spot Wednesday with a dominant outing: four innings pitched, no hits, one walk, seven strikeouts and no flyball outs. Granted it was the Minnesota Twins without Joe Mauer (World Baseball Classic) and Trevor Plouffe (strained calf). But Matusz was very impressive. The question, though, is this: 'Is he really in the rotation competition?' Orioles manager Buck Showalter says yes. He says Tommy Hunter, who threw two perfect innings Wednesday, also is in that competition.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- While the consensus is that Brian Matusz will make the Orioles' 25-man roster and pitch in the bullpen like he did superbly at the end of last season, the 26-year-old lefty has said repeatedly that he is approaching this spring as if he is going to once again pitch in the rotation. Matusz let his pitches make his case in his first start of the spring Wednesday night against the Minnesota Twins, Dominant from the beginning in the Orioles' 9-4 Grapefruit League victory, Matusz struck out six of the first seven batters he faced.

The Orioles play in Bradenton again this afternoon against the Pittsburgh Pirates - that's the 723rd game between the two teams this spring (I'm only slightly exaggerating). Here's the Orioles' lineup: Alexi Casilla 6, Lew Ford 8, Conor Jackson 3, Steve Pearce DH, Russ Canzler 9, Danny Valencia 5, Yamaico Navarro 4, L.J. Hoes 7, Luis Exposito 2. Jake Arrieta 1. And the Pirates' lineup: Sterling Marte 8, Jose Tabata 9, Neil Walker 4, Pedro Alvarez 5, Gaby Sanchez 3, Felix Pie 7, Clint Barmes 6, Michael McKenry 2, Locke 1. Yes, the Pirates are forfeiting the DH to have their pitchers hit - the NL prerogative when spring games are played in NL parks.

Jake Arrieta's bid to make the Orioles' rotation likely was strengthened Monday when he allowed two hits and struck out five through four innings in a 4-3 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Arrieta became the first Orioles pitcher to go more than three innings this spring, and he did it in fairly impressive fashion, allowing just a two-out double and a two-out single in separate innings. Otherwise, he was perfect. “Overall, yeah, I liked the outing. I started out very strong,” said Arrieta, who has not allowed an earned run in his last seven innings pitched.

Orioles pitcher Miguel Gonzalez has learned to never make assumptions when it comes to baseball. Take, for example, Sunday afternoon, when the 28-year-old Gonzalez was making his first Grapefruit League appearance of the season at Ed Smith Stadium in the Orioles' 12-3 win over the Phillies. He made quick work of a Phillies split-squad team, pitching two scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Facing his final hitter of the day, Gonzalez got Phillies third baseman Michael Young to lift a routine fly ball to right field for the third out of the fifth inning.