DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) The Toronto Blue Jays had their way with the Baltimore Orioles’ pitching staff.

Dana Eveland allowed three runs and six hits in four innings, and Alfredo Simon got roughed up, too, in the Blue Jays’ 9-3 victory over the Orioles on Wednesday.

Eveland gave up two runs on Eric Thames’ fourth-inning double to right that gave the Blue Jays the lead for good. Toronto jumped on Simon for six runs in the next two innings.

”An OK day,” Eveland said. ”My stuff was pretty decent. I just made some bad pitches in bad situations, mostly the pitch to Thames. Completely wrong side of the plate. It was supposed to be a fastball down and away. It ended up being a fastball down and in, and he’s a pull hitter.

”I don’t throw it hard enough throw it by somebody, so I’ve got to hit my spots a little better than that.”

Eveland hopes to be a starter, but doesn’t expect that to happen.

”Honestly, I can’t see that I would fit into the rotation, considering this is only my third start of spring and the first time really getting extended,” he said. ”But if I can slide into the long-man (relief) job, or the lefty guy in the pen, that’d be great.”

Simon, pitching for the first time in 10 days since leaving a game with a pulled groin, gave up three runs on two hits in the fifth, one scoring on a wild pitch. He yielded three more runs in the fourth on four hits, including Chris Woodward’s double.

Ryan Flaherty’s two-run single put the Orioles on top 2-1 in the third.

J.C. Arencibia had two hits for Toronto. Jason Esposito had two hits for the Orioles.

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP)—Erik Bedard struggled with his control Sunday in a
rough spring training debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The left-hander gave up two runs in two innings in an 8-5 loss against the
Toronto Blue Jays.

Bedard hit the first batter he faced, gave up a double to Travis Snider,
walked two and struck out one.

“Just trying to get my work in, trying to throw strikes,” Bedard said. “I
threw everything, like I would in the regular season. It’ll take time. First
game.”

Snider was 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs for the Jays. He had a run-scoring single in
the fourth. In the sixth, Snider got two RBIs with a grounder to reliever Evan
Meek.

First baseman Jeff Clement didn’t cover the bag, so Meek had to outrun
Snider for the out. Jonathan Diaz scored from third base and Anthony Gose scored
from second on the play.

“We were sloppy,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “Our awareness
wasn’t where it needs to be to play a game—a major league game, a minor league
game or an exhibition. It’s a lack of focus.”

Bedard signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract in December. With A.J.
Burnett (fractured orbital bone) out until at least early May, Bedard could be
the Pirates’ opening day starter.

“We’re more curious about where (Bedard) is in his first outing in the
regular season than today,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “I’ve seen
too many veteran pitchers get knocked around in their spring training debut or
their last start of spring training, and then they find another gear when the
season opens.”

The two best seasons of Bedard’s career were 2006 and `07 with the Baltimore
Orioles. He won a total of 28 games with a 3.47 ERA and averaged 9.3 strikeouts
per nine innings. He finished fifth in the Cy Young voting in 2007.

Bedard has had three operations over the past 10 years, including shoulder
surgery in 2010. Last season, he was out for two weeks in September due to a
sore knee.

His struggles in the second half last season—Bedard won just one of his
final eight starts with the Boston Red Sox—caused some teams to back away this
offseason.

“If he stays healthy, we believe he’s going to pitch well,” Huntington
said. “He’s not that far removed from being one of the best starters in the
American League.”

Blue Jays left-hander Aaron Laffey had a 1-2-3 first inning. In the second,
he gave up a run on singles by Rod Barajas, Matt Hague and Chase d’Arnaud.

“I felt free and easy, nice and loose,” Laffey said. “For the most part,
I kept the ball down and was able to change speeds. I was pleased with it.”

Laffey signed with Toronto figuring he has a good shot to win a spot in the
starting rotation. But he would be willing to take a bullpen job if it keeps him
from going to Triple-A Las Vegas.

“It’s all about being here in the big leagues,” Laffey said. “I feel like
I’m a big league pitcher with big league stuff. I think I’ve proven I can be
consistent at this level.”

Notes: Play was halted briefly in the bottom of the sixth inning when a gray
cat scampered across the field behind home plate. The cat jumped into the stands
and disappeared under the left field bleachers. … Blue Jays reliever Jesse
Litsch will be shut down for six weeks after having an arthroscopic procedure to
clean an infection out of his right shoulder. Litsch, who’s expected to be a
middle/long reliever this year, was released from the hospital Saturday. “I
talked to him and he is very upbeat,” manager John Farrell said. Litsch spent
time on the disabled list last season due to an impingement in his shoulder. …
Right-hander Henderson Alvarez had been scheduled to start Sunday for the Blue
Jays, but he was pushed back to Monday for extra rest. … Barajas went 2 for 2
with two RBIs. Nick Evans hit a solo homer for the Pirates. … Pirates
infielder Josh Harrison was scratched as a precaution after being hit on the
elbow by a pitch on Saturday. X-rays were negative. … Pirates right-hander
Charlie Morton, who had hip surgery in October, will pitch Wednesday in an
intrasquad game. … The Pirates will play the Baltimore Orioles at 7 p.m.
Monday.