NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -If Koji Uehara pitches this season the way he did on Friday, the Baltimore Orioles will be thrilled with their $10 million investment.

The Japanese right-hander, making his longest start of the spring on his 34th birthday, showed the best of what the Orioles hope to get out of him this season, needing just 72 pitches to get through six innings in a 6-3 win over the Washington Nationals.

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``If Koji's going to be better than that, I can't wait to see it,' manager Dave Trembley said. ``He was 15-for 20 (on) first-pitch strikes. The ball was real quick coming out of his hand, and our infield defense was very good. That's a great tuneup for him.'

Uehara was limited to 3 2-3 innings against the Nationals on March 25 in his return from a strained left hamstring, and threw just an inning before rain ended his outing March 29 against the Mets.

He returned on Friday with the kind of efficient outing he was known for in Japan.

He allowed one hit in six innings, a splitter that Ryan Zimmerman tucked inside the left field foul pole for a two-run homer in the fourth. But on a windy day at Harbor Park, the home of the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate, Uehara got nine groundouts and struck out three.

He will make his first regular-season start in the Orioles' second game against the New York Yankees in Baltimore on Wednesday.

``I would like to continue this flow and get in a great start in the second game,' Uehara said through his interpreter, Jiwon Bang.

The Nationals' starter - and former Oriole Daniel Cabrera - was nowhere near as sharp as Uehara in his final spring training start.

Cabrera gave up five runs and four hits in five innings, throwing 88 pitches and walking four. He also hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

The outing displayed many of the control problems Cabrera had in his five years with the Orioles, but manager Manny Acta seemed unfazed by the result.

``He was a little off with his control,' Acta said. ``But other than that, he threw the ball with good velocity. We all know that he's going to get in trouble when he walks guys.'

Notes: The Nationals made a trio of roster moves, outrighting infielder Kory Casto and left-hander Mike O'Connor to Triple-A Syracuse and putting right-hander Terrell Young on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. ... Trembley finalized the Orioles' rotation heading into the season: Jeremy Guthrie, Uehara, Alfredo Simon, Mark Hendrickson and Adam Eaton. Eaton, who was released by the Phillies earlier this spring, will not be added to the roster until the Orioles need a fifth starter on April 11 or 12.