Showalter speaks after 4-2 win

Showalter speaks after 4-2 win
The Orioles completed their first four-game sweep of the Athletics in Baltimore with tonight's 4-2 victory before 22,766 at Camden Yards. They also produced a four-game sweep in 1987 in Oakland. Steve Clevenger hit his first home run as an Oriole, a three-run shot in the fourth inning, and only his second in the majors - the other coming off Bud Norris in 2012. Chris Tillman earned the win by holding the A's to two runs and three hits over seven innings, and Zach Britton recorded his 29th...

Showalter on Flaherty, Wieters, Bridwell, Bundy and more (O's win 4-2)

Showalter on Flaherty, Wieters, Bridwell, Bundy and more (O's win 4-2)
Ryan Flaherty isn't in the Orioles' lineup tonight and he's started only once since July 29. He received an at-bat yesterday and struck out looking. He was on deck with first baseman Ike Davis pitching for the Athletics when the final out was recorded. Flaherty could use a favorable matchup. He really could use a hit. Flaherty is in an 0-for-34 slump that's the longest in franchise history since 1974. He continues to work with hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh. "I think Ryan a month or two ago...

Buck Showalter provides injury updates

Buck Showalter provides injury updates
Major League Baseball announced today that the American League Wild Card Game will be played on Oct. 6. The World Series starts on Oct. 27 in the AL representative's ballpark, and Game 7 would be played on Nov. 4. Plan accordingly. Matt Wieters ran the bases today and his right hamstring felt good. Manager Buck Showalter said Wieters will play on Tuesday "if there are no repercussions." "It was as good a day for him as you could hope for," Showalter said. Steve Pearce, on the disabled list...

Matt Wieters remains out of Orioles lineup (with A's lineup)

Matt Wieters remains out of Orioles lineup (with A's lineup)
Matt Wieters remains out of the Orioles lineup tonight as they go for the four-game sweep against the Athletics. He hasn't played since Tuesday in Seattle due to a strained right hamstring. Steve Clevenger continues to serve as the designated hitter. Henry Urrutia gets another start in left field. Four Orioles collected at least three hits and three RBIs yesterday: Joseph, Manny Machado, Gerardo Parra and Adam Jones. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it's the first time in franchise...

Notes on time change and Norfolk's Chris Jones

Notes on time change and Norfolk's Chris Jones
The Orioles' game against the Royals on Sunday, Sept. 13 at Camden Yards has been moved from 1:35 p.m. to 8:05 p.m. to accommodate ESPN. All gates will open to fans at 6:05 p.m. The Ravens are in Denver that afternoon, so there's no conflict. Also, Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Chris Jones, 26, has been named the International League's Pitcher of the Week. Jones went 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts, allowing two earned runs and 10 hits over 15 innings. He walked none and struck out...

Orioles keep same attitude while moving into second wild card spot

Orioles keep same attitude while moving into second wild card spot
Remember when the Orioles were alternating wins and losses while losing ground in the wild card chase? And being no-hit by Seattle's Hisashi Iwakuma and remaining calm while everyone around them melted down? No one yelled or punched a wall or mugged the bat boy. No one lost control. And they're no longer losing ground after winning the first three games of the homestand. If the season ended today, the Orioles would hold the second wild card. Welcome to the pennant race. I've read comments...

Wrapping up the Orioles' 18-2 win

Wrapping up the Orioles' 18-2 win
An 18-2 win is in the books and Orioles manager Buck Showalter is celebrating by leaning against a brick wall beside the home plate field entrance and talking to the players' kids before the Family Day game. What else were you expecting? The Orioles are four games above .500 for the first time since July 5. They've scored 30 runs in three games since being no-hit in Seattle. They're tied with the Angels, who play later tonight, for the second wild card. What's it mean to Showalter? "We'll...

Orioles piling up the runs and hits (O's win 18-2)

Orioles piling up the runs and hits (O's win 18-2)
If you blinked today, you didn't miss the bottom of the fifth inning. It lasted an eternity. The Orioles reached season highs with nine runs and 10 hits to take a commanding 15-2 lead over the Athletics at Camden Yards. And they scored twice in the sixth on Caleb Joseph's home run to go ahead 17-2. Joseph has a career-high four RBIs. The Orioles have a season-high 22 hits - the previous high was 20 - and we're still in the sixth. They sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth. Jonathan...

Gerardo Parra homers again today (O's lead 6-2)

Gerardo Parra homers again today (O's lead 6-2)
Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen needed 22 pitches today to get through the first inning, the last 11 in Brett Lawrie's at-bat, but he managed to strand runners on the corners and keep the game scoreless. It didn't stay that way for long. Gerardo Parra homered for the second time in two games to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Parra fouled off three straight pitches from Athletics starter Kendall Graveman - a changeup, sinker and cutter - before lining a slider into...

A few pregame notes

A few pregame notes
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Matt Wieters just needs to get past "a little knot" in his right hamstring. Wieters remains out of the lineup, but he could be ready for Monday night's series finale against the Athletics. The Orioles will consider a move to the disabled list if Wieters can't play. "He was a little, I wouldn't say sore, but just from all the treatment he got," Showalter said. "They were trying to get that last little knot out of there. I'm hoping he's an option for...

Orioles and Athletics lineups

Orioles and Athletics lineups
Henry Urrutia is in left field and Steve Clevenger is serving as the designated hitter today, as the Orioles attempt to win their third game in a row. Caleb Joseph is catching. Matt Wieters remains on the bench while recovering from a strained right hamstring. Chris Davis enters today's game leading the majors with 88 RBIs and ranked second in home runs with 34. Nelson Cruz is first with 35. Davis has six home runs in his last six games. Davis' 87 career home runs at Camden Yards rank fifth....

Chris Davis, today's game and School of Roch Night II

Chris Davis, today's game and School of Roch Night II
A walk-off home run from Chris Davis on SOR Night II. Just my little gift to you. I didn't mention it earlier because I wanted it to be a surprise. The Orioles are a half-game behind the Angels for the second wild card and five games behind the first-place Yankees, who have cooled off the Blue Jays. Say what you will about the Orioles - and I've read and heard plenty - but they know how to get off the canvas. The no-hitter was supposed to be the knockout punch. They had reached rock bottom....

Buck Showalter: "Without a doubt, that was fun"

Buck Showalter: "Without a doubt, that was fun"
The Orioles went 4-5 on their West Coast trip and were no-hit in the final game in Seattle. They're 2-0 on the current homestand and have produced a pair of walk-off home runs. They now trail the Angels by a half-game for the second wild card. Baseball is a funny game. Chris Davis homered twice tonight, including a two-out shot off Oakland switch-pitcher Pat Venditte in the bottom of the ninth that gave the Orioles a 4-3 win before a sellout crowd of 44,028 at Camden Yards. Manny Machado...

Game update and more from Showalter (O's win 4-3 on Davis walk-off)

Game update and more from Showalter (O's win 4-3 on Davis walk-off)
I was able to stop by SOR Night II tonight on the Miller Lite Flite Deck and visit with fans who endured the heat and my selfies. Wish I could have stayed there all night. Chrost made an appearance and I forced him to give me a quick man hug. My night is made. I can't speak for him. Many thanks to MASNsports.com and the Orioles for donating an Adam Jones bat for the raffle. The Orioles fell behind only two batters into tonight's game. Miguel Gonzalez got three straight ground ball outs after...

Notes on Monday starters, Pearce, Harvey, Wright and more

Notes on Monday starters, Pearce, Harvey, Wright and more
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter are sitting on top of the visiting dugout at Camden Yards for the annual season ticket holders' Q&A session. A young boy asked Duquette about the chances of the club re-signing its top free agents. Duquette said the Orioles should be able to keep some of them, and he made it clear that Chris Davis is a priority. Showalter said he expects the Athletics to start right-hander Sonny Gray in Monday's series finale at...

Junior Lake optioned to Norfolk (Travis Snider released)

Junior Lake optioned to Norfolk (Travis Snider released)
Henry Urrutia is serving as the designated hitter tonight for the Orioles. Outfielder Junior Lake has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to create room on the 25-man roster. Lake was 2-for-14 with the Orioles. Nolan Reimold is in left field. Steve Clevenger is catching. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Manny Machado is the only Orioles player in history to hit multiple walk-off home runs in the 12th inning or later. He also did it in the 12th inning last year against the Angels. Machado's...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Who's ready for another roster move? Outfielder Henry Urrutia will be recalled today after spending yesterday on the taxi squad. A spot must be created for him. Junior Lake, who doubled in six at-bats last night and is 2-for-14, has a minor league option, but it doesn't guarantee his removal. It's just an easier avenue to take if the Orioles choose it. Plenty of guys are slumping. Jimmy Paredes struck out in both at-bats last night after pinch-hitting for Nolan Reimold, who was 2-for-4....

Showalter speaks after Orioles' 8-6 13-inning win

Showalter speaks after Orioles' 8-6 13-inning win
Orioles manager Buck Showalter provided the reminder. "It would be easy to forget we were down 4-0 in that game," he said. Oh, yeah, right. Then came the three-run homer by Adam Jones in the fifth inning after Junior Lake's double and Gerardo Parra's hit by pitch. And Chris Davis' two-run homer in the seventh after Adam Jones' sacrifice fly to center field. And a blown save by Zach Britton on two infield hits and Danny Valencia's ground ball single into right field. And Rule 5 pick Jason...

More on Hall of Fame ceremony, Wieters and Mancini (O's win in 13th)

More on Hall of Fame ceremony, Wieters and Mancini (O's win in 13th)
Ubaldo Jimenez needed only 12 pitches tonight to retire the Athletics in order in the top of the first inning. He struck out Josh Reddick to end it. Gary Roenicke and Melvin Mora received standing ovations when introduced during the Orioles Hall of Fame ceremony. Mora threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Gerardo Parra, his former teammate in Arizona, and Roenicke threw to Jimmy Paredes. Yes, Paredes has a glove. Everyone's a comedian. Mora introduced his family before starting his speech,...

Buck Showalter on David Lough's DFA: "It tugs at you"

Buck Showalter on David Lough's DFA: "It tugs at you"
I omitted a health update in my last entry. Pitcher Mike Wright, on the disabled list with a strained left calf muscle, remains tentative running and pushing off, according to manager Buck Showalter. The Orioles will bring him along slowly as he rehabs down in Sarasota. "I thought that was moving pretty quick," Showalter said, "but I've been told to be a little cautious with him and take that tentativeness away." The Orioles have promoted catcher Chance Sisco from Single-A Frederick to...