Nationals 3, Orioles 1

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Koji Uehara showed no ill effects from a left hamstring strain that had kept him out of Grapefruit League play since March 9, and the new changeup he unveiled worked just fine.

Uehara struck out seven in 3 2-3 innings Tuesday in the Baltimore Orioles' 3-1 loss to the Washington Nationals, using his first outing in more than two weeks to try out a new pitch he learned while sidelined.

"I'm the type of guy who wants to try new pitches on the mound in game situations, rather than do it in bullpen sessions," Uehara said through a translator.

Uehara allowed a run and three hits without issuing a walk. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz taught the right-hander the new pitch during his last bullpen session and the Orioles' first Japanese-born player quickly integrated it into his repertoire in the longest of his four spring outings.

"I hope he's happy with it. He threw it and got instant results," Kranitz said. "Anytime you're learning a new pitch or trying a new pitch, it's nice to get some instant success. ... It looked like it was a natural pitch for him."

So natural that Nationals manager Manny Acta laughed in disbelief when informed his team was the guinea pig for Uehara's experiment.

"He looked like a guy who's been throwing it a lot of years," Acta said. "I was asking my guys if it was a splitter and they said that, no, it was a straight changeup. It stood out."

Uehara, who threw 40 of his 57 pitches for strikes, sounded thankful that he didn't really have to test his hamstring by covering first base. When asked if he still had any lingering fear about the injury, Uehara said: "In terms of fear going away completely, I don't know."

He got into immediate first-inning trouble when leadoff hitter Roger Bernadina tripled into the right-field corner and scored on Kory Casto's one-out single. Uehara then got Wily Mo Pena to fly out and struck out Corey Patterson.

Uehara retired nine of the 10 hitters he faced after Casto's hit. He debuted the changeup in the third against Bernadina, who struck out, and Alex Cintron, who lined a single to right.

Nationals right-hander Shairon Martis, in the competition for one of the final two spots in Washington's rotation, enhanced his candidacy with six scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 1.42. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four.

"He really helped his cause," Acta said, "but we're just not ready to commit to giving him a spot. His chances are really, really good -- let's put it that way."

Right-hander Alfredo Simon, trying to secure one of the final three spots in the Orioles' rotation, allowed two runs -- one earned -- and two hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Ryan Wagner worked the ninth for a save.

Game notes
3B Melvin Mora and SS Cesar Izturis rejoined the Orioles from Venezuela's World Baseball Classic team. 2B Brian Roberts reported for duty following Team USA's elimination from the tournament, but was sent home by manager Dave Trembley with a cold. ... Former DH Harold Baines was elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame. Baines, a 22-year veteran who hit .301 with 107 homers and 378 RBIs in parts of seven seasons with the Orioles, will be inducted in an Aug. 29 pregame ceremony. The only major league player to make at least 1,000 appearances as a DH and at another position, he has spent the last six seasons as a coach for the Chicago White Sox. ... Julie Wagner, who spent 26 years with the club and founded the team's community relations department, was picked to receive the Herb Armstrong Award, given by the Oriole Advocates to non-uniformed personnel for significant contributions to the team.