Lopez preps for opener as Orioles blank Cards

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Rodrigo Lopez and two relievers combined on a four-hitter as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Cardinals 4-0 Tuesday.

Lopez, the Orioles' probable opening day pitcher, allowed three singles in five innings -- the longest outing by a Baltimore starter this spring.

Though he was supposed to pitch only four innings, Lopez was sent out for the fifth inning to get more work. He finished with 54 pitches and had success with a slider that confused the Cardinals.

"I've been working on my slider with" pitching coach "Mark Wiley, and he's right -- you're not usually used to seeing a slider until the middle of the season," Lopez said.

Jeff Conine drove in three runs and Jerry Hairston had three hits for the Orioles, who stopped a four-game losing streak.

Rick Bauer pitched two hitless innings, and Kerry Ligtenberg allowed one hit over the final two innings.

Matt Morris, the Cardinals' opening-day starter, gave up four runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

"We're still trying to get them in shape. ... The starters need to get in condition," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said after his team's fourth straight loss.

Albert Pujols had a first-inning single for St. Louis, giving him a hit in each of the 11 games he has played this spring.

Baltimore took a 2-0 lead in the first. After loading the bases on three singles, Conine hit a sacrifice fly and Jay Gibbons added an RBI single. Conine added a two-run single in the fifth, chasing Morris.