“We feel like for him to be as good as he?s going to be and keep hitters off his fastball, it?s no different than any other good pitcher in the big leagues,” Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. “You need to change speeds.”

The Orioles scored three runs in the seventh inning, and got a solo home run from Javy Lopez. Chris Ray came out of the bullpen in the ninth for the Orioles, and retired the side in a non-save situation.

Off the field, the Orioles organization continues to be dogged by the steroid scandal that is swirling around baseball. Major League Baseball officials met with members of the Orioles organization Wednesday as part of the investigation led by former Sen. George Mitchell. Orioles general manager Mike Flanagan said he could not confirm he was interviewed and that any details of the interviews were confidential until Mitchell issued his findings.

“The Orioles have been diligent in educating our players at both Major and Minor League levels on not using steroids and other performance enhancing substances,” Flanagan read from a statement during Wednesday?s game. “We will vigorously continue our effort in this regard.”

Former pitcher Jason Grimsley, who played for the Orioles last season and in 2004, recently was found with human growth hormones. In addition, former O?s first baseman David Segui said Grimsley asked him about HGH when the two were teammates in Baltimore, having taken them himself for medicinal purposes. Last year, slugger Rafael Palmeiro became the first big-name player in baseball to test positive for steroids.

Perlozzo confirmed in his pre-game news conference that he spoke Wednesday with Major League baseball representatives for their steroid investigation. Perlozzo said he could not disclose what was said during the meeting, or the questions that were asked.

“I cooperated,” Perlozzo said. “I answered the questions that were asked.”

Flanagan and Perlozzo said no one should look at the interviews as a sign that the Orioles are the sole focus of the steroid investigation.

“This is the one step in a long series of interviews,” Perlozzo said. “We?re certainly not singled out. To my knowledge, everyone in Major League Baseball is going to get interviewed, so whenever that?s all finished, they can come to whatever conclusions they get out of it.”

On the field, a pitch hit Baltimore?s Melvin Mora for the second consecutive night. Mora left Tuesday night?s game after being hit on the knee. On Wednesday, Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco hit Mora in his back, getting a reaction from the Orioles third baseman.