Hardy, Flaherty progress during rehab stint

BOWIE, Md. -- Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy and utility infielder Ryan Flaherty continued making progress in the second game of their rehab assignments with Double-A Bowie on Tuesday night.

Hardy (strained left shoulder) went 1-for-4 while batting third. He struck out twice and flied out before getting a single to left in the seventh. He then left for a pinch-runner and is 3-for-8 in his two games playing for Bowie.

The shortstop said the plan is for him to play again Wednesday with the Baysox, but he still didn't have an official timeline about returning to the Orioles, saying it's a day-to-day situation.

"Tested it quite a bit tonight, [as the] swinging and missing was something I worried about, and I did that a few times tonight," Hardy said. "So it was a good test, and it feels strong. Defensively, it really hasn't been an issue the whole time. It's always been kind of the swinging that was the hardest thing."

In the field, the shortstop turned two double plays and finished with six assists overall. Hardy also caught a line drive.

Hardy still hasn't played a game with the Orioles this season.

Flaherty, out with a strained right groin, went 1-for-3 with a walk while batting second and playing second. He came out after the seventh inning and is 2-for-7 during the first two games of his rehab assignment, and he said he's ready to return to the Orioles whenever they ask.

Hardy and Flaherty combined on a big defensive play in the fifth. Submarining right-hander Ben Rowen came in with the bases loaded and Bowie holding a 1-0 lead with one out. Rowen got Tyler Naquin to hit a grounder to Hardy, who started an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

In fact, turning those two double plays was the only work Flaherty received on defense. He stayed out there despite the fact that a 1-hour and 19-minute rain delay interrupted the game in the top of the second. The Baysox, who scored a 3-1 victory over Akron in the game, asked Flaherty if he wanted to go back out on the wet field, and he agreed to do it.

"Two days by, it feels good, it feels 100 percent," Flaherty said. "I feel good and ready to go."