Roch Kubatko

The need to make contact, and today's game

September 30, 2015, 7:44pm

Orioles

The need to make contact, and today's game

Besides duplicating the Blue Jays' placement in the division standings next season, the Orioles would like to more closely mimic their approach at the plate. Manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles need to make better contact next season, and he cited the Blue Jays as a prime example. His club began Game 2 of yesterday's doubleheader ranked fourth in the majors with 1,299 strikeouts, while the Jays and their collection of mashers ranked 25th with 1,112. The Blue Jays' .339 on-base percentage...

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Hearing from Showalter and Matusz after doubleheader split

September 30, 2015, 7:27pm

Orioles

Hearing from Showalter and Matusz after doubleheader split

The Orioles have four games remaining and are four below .500. The math is simple. A poor performanace in Game 1 of today's doubleheader was followed by an 8-1 win in the nightcap, with Kevin Gausman holding the Jays to a Darwin Barney solo home run over eight innings. Mychal Givens worked the ninth after Gausman threw 98 pitches and struck out a career-high 10 batters. "As poorly as we played in the first game is as well as we played in the second game, and like I've said many times, it...

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Buck: "We had something that people came after and they took it from us" (O's split)

September 30, 2015, 4:25pm

Orioles

Buck: "We had something that people came after and they took it from us" (O's split)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said no loss is easy to accept. I'll counter that some are uglier than others. The Orioles commited four errors in Game 1 of today's doubleheader, matched their season high for most runs allowed and watched the Blue Jays celebrate a 15-2 win and the franchise's first division title in 22 years. The four errors were the most by the Orioles since Aug. 12, 2008 in Cleveland. "We weren't very crisp to say the least and didn't pitch very well out of the 'pen,"...

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Orioles Game 2 lineup vs. Jays

September 30, 2015, 3:53pm

Orioles

Adam Jones remains out of the Orioles lineup for Game 2 of tonight's doubleheader against the Blue Jays.Nolan Reimold is leading off and playing left field. Gerardo Parra is in center field and Ryan Flaherty is in right. For the Orioles Nolan Reimold LF Gerardo Parra CF Manny Machado 3B Chris Davis DH Jonathan Schoop 2B Matt Wieters C Steve Pearce 1B Ryan Flaherty RF J.J. Hardy SS Kevin Gausman RHP

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Notes on Matusz, Machado and more (O's lose 15-2)

September 30, 2015, 11:47am

Orioles

Notes on Matusz, Machado and more (O's lose 15-2)

Orioles reliever Brian Matusz will undergo a minor arthroscopic procedure on Monday in Baltimore to clean out his right shoulder. It's outpatient surgery and he will fly home to Phoenix, Ariz., the following day. Matusz had a cortisone injection in the shoulder in spring training. The discomfort has returned, though he remains available to pitch. "It's just something that's been bothering him as he turns," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's in an out, outpatient. They think it's pretty...

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Orioles announce time change for Thursday game

September 30, 2015, 10:31am

Orioles

The Orioles are moving up their game against the Blue Jays on Thursday from 7:05 p.m. to 12:05 p.m. due to another ominous weather forecast. Both clubs were working in conjunction with Major League Baseball. Inclement weather is anticipated across the Mid-Atlantic region. The Orioles and Jays are forced to play a doubleheader today due to last night's postponement. All ballpark gates will open at 11 a.m. tomorrow and parking lots will open at 10 a.m. Fans with tickets who are unable to attend...

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Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

September 30, 2015, 9:50am

Orioles

Manny Machado told manager Buck Showalter that he wants to play both ends of today's doubleheader at Camden Yards. He also wants to play all 162 games. Machado is starting at shortstop in Game 1, with Ryan Flaherty at third base. Showalter remains hopeful that center fielder Adam Jones will play again this season. He's hoping as early as Game 2. Reliever Brian Matusz will undergo surgery Monday on his right shoulder. Showalter said it's a minor procedure and Matusz remains available to...

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Looking ahead to two games

September 29, 2015, 10:03pm

Orioles

The Orioles can't win their division and they can't qualify as a wild card. They can, however, stay out of last place. Their positioning from third to fifth is still under their control. The suddenly hot Red Sox have moved ahead of the Orioles by a half-game for third place, defeating the Yankees again last night. Only a half-game separates the Orioles from the last-place Rays. Just win, baby. There's plenty to play for over these last six games. They just don't hang a banner on the...

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Orioles-Blue Jays game postponed tonight

September 29, 2015, 2:41pm

Orioles

Tonight's game between the Orioles and Blue Jays has been postponed due to rain and a forecast that offers no relief. The game will be made up on Wednesday as part of a single-admission doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. The second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the first game concludes, but no earlier than 7:05 p.m. All ballpark gates will open at 3 p.m. and parking lots will open at 2 p.m. Prepaid parking permits dated for either Sept. 29 or 30 are valid for the...

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Steve Pearce: "We're going to show up to win ballgames"

September 29, 2015, 2:23pm

Orioles

Steve Pearce: "We're going to show up to win ballgames"

A light rain continues to fall at Camden Yards. There's nothing else to update. Tarp looks the same. The Orioles haven't laid out their contingency plans if tonight's game is postponed. The Orioles insist that they remain motivated through their final six games despite being eliminated last night from the wild card race. "We're going to show up to win ballgames," said Steve Pearce. "We're not going to show up here and not give 100 percent and not try to win games because that's just...

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Branden Kline experiencing more elbow discomfort (plus other notes)

September 29, 2015, 1:01pm

Orioles

Branden Kline experiencing more elbow discomfort (plus other notes)

A light rain is falling at Camden Yards and the tarp is on the field. No batting practice. Orioles pitching prospect Branden Kline left yesterday's fall instructional league game with tightness in his right elbow. Team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs will examine Kline, and the Orioles also will set up an appointment with Dr. James Andrews. Kline, a second-round pick in 2012 out of the University of Virginia, was shut down after a May 20 game due to elbow soreness and received a platelet-rich...

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Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays (with Fan Appreciation Weekend details)

September 29, 2015, 11:21am

Orioles

Adam Jones is out of the Orioles lineup tonight for the seventh time in the last eight games due to tightness in his back. Gerardo Parra is leading off and playing center field. Ryan Flaherty is in right, Matt Wieters is the designated hitter and Steve Clevenger is catching. Wieters is 6-for-15 in his last four games. Reliever Brad Brach suffered his first loss last night since June 6, snapping a 38-game streak. Darren O'Day hadn't allowed a run in 12 games over 11 1/3 innings before being...

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Tyler Wilson starting on Thursday

September 29, 2015, 10:39am

Orioles

Orioles rookie Tyler Wilson will get the start Thursday night in the series finale against the Blue Jays. The Orioles are listing Wilson as their starter rather than wait until Miguel Gonzalez's outing tonight. Manager Buck Showalter indicated that a final decision might not come until he knew how many relievers were needed tonight, with Gonzalez coming off the disabled list to make his first start since Aug. 30. There are plenty of extra arms to cover Gonzalez if needed, including rookie Mike...

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More on the coaching staff and tonight's game

September 28, 2015, 8:54pm

Orioles

More on the coaching staff and tonight's game

If the Orioles are going to offer contracts to their entire coaching staff, they shouldn't wait too long on pitching coach Dave Wallace. Wallace could be one of the more attractive free agents on the market this winter. A few teams already are checking on his availability. Executive vice president Dan Duquette told me in Boston that the club was still in "the process" of working on new deals. He hoped to have everyone back for 2016. Manager Buck Showalter said earlier this month that he...

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Showalter speaks after 4-3 loss

September 28, 2015, 6:20pm

Orioles

With tonight's 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays at Camden Yards, the Orioles must win their six remaining games to finish above .500. They must run the table while still hurting for runs. The scoreless innings streak ended at 29 tonight, but the three runs came on one swing from Ryan Flaherty in the second. Three of the four hits came in that inning. The last baserunner was Matt Wieters, who singled for the second time tonight in the fourth inning. Blue Jays pitchers retired the last 17...

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Orioles' scoreless streak ends with Flaherty home run (O's lose 4-3)

September 28, 2015, 3:46pm

Orioles

The Orioles no longer are stringing together scoreless innings, the streak finally ending tonight at 29, four short of the franchise record. Ryan Flaherty hit an opposite-field three-run homer off Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada in the bottom of the second inning to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead at Camden Yards. Matt Wieters and Jonathan Schoop singled with one out before Flaherty belted his ninth home run and his third this month. The Orioles were shut out in all three games against the Red Sox...

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Tarp on the field, O'Day talks about award (tarp off the field)

September 28, 2015, 2:11pm

Orioles

Tarp on the field, O'Day talks about award (tarp off the field)

Rain is in the forecast pretty much the entire week and it started to fall this afternoon as the Blue Jays were taking their final swings in batting practice. The tarp is on the Camden Yards field after the grounds crew lined up behind it and waited for the Jays to finish. It's more of a drizzle right now and there's no word on whether the weather will impact the 7:05 p.m. starting time. Reliever Darren O'Day will receive the 2015 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award before the game. The award is...

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Notes on Tyler Wilson, Adam Jones and Alan Mills

September 28, 2015, 1:15pm

Orioles

Notes on Tyler Wilson, Adam Jones and Alan Mills

The Orioles haven't named a starter for Thursday's series finale against the Blue Jays, but rookie Tyler Wilson is expected to get the call. Manager Buck Showalter is waiting until Miguel Gonzalez comes off the disabled list and makes Tuesday night's start, in case he needs to dig deep into his bullpen. Wilson is 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA in eight appearances, including four starts. In his last outing, he held the Nationals to two runs over six innings in the Orioles' 5-4 victory in D.C. Wilson...

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Adam Jones out of Orioles lineup tonight

September 28, 2015, 11:09am

Orioles

Adam Jones is out of the Orioles lineup tonight after returning to it yesterday. Jones missed five games with back spasms. Gerardo Parra is replacing him tonight in center field. Ryan Flaherty is starting in right field. The Orioles are attempting tonight to avoid setting the franchise record for most consecutive scoreless innings at 33 set in 1957. They've been shut out in three straight games and haven't scored in their last 28 innings. Chris Tillman will become the 16th Orioles starting...

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Orioles set to begin final homestand as season winds down

September 27, 2015, 2:52pm

Orioles

Can the Orioles score within the first five innings tonight and avoid tying their record for the longest streak without a run at 33? That would be the first step toward regaining their winning touch and perhaps finishing at .500 or above. The Orioles can't talk about repeating as division champions. They can talk about the second wild card based only on math. They're 5 1/2 games behind the Astros with seven remaining and three teams are ahead of them. Sweep the Nationals and get swept by the...