BOSTON - Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen has a pretty big margin for error this afternoon at Fenway Park.
The Orioles staked him to a 6-0 lead in the third inning, sending 11 batters to the plate and making life real uncomfortable for Boston right-hander Brandon Workman.
Ryan Flaherty had two hits and an RBI in the inning, which didn't include any home runs. The Orioles collected five singles, a double and two walks, and third baseman Carlos Rivero committed an error.
I'm not suggesting that...
BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter still hasn't confirmed his starter for Tuesday night's game against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. The field, however, has been narrowed to T.J. McFarland, Joe Saunders and Ubaldo Jimenez.
Yesterday, Showalter mentioned minor leaguers Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson as possibilities in extreme circumstances.
Showalter is expected to make the announcement on Saturday. My guess is McFarland.
There's nothing new on shortstop J.J. Hardy. He's still...
BOSTON - The Orioles are using almost the same lineup as Tuesday with a change at catcher being the only exception.
Caleb Joseph is behind the plate after Nick Hundley caught last night's win. Alejandro De Aza is back in left and batting second after recording three extra-base hits yesterday, including his first two Orioles homers.
Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is on the mound seeking his 15th win of the season.
For the Orioles
Nick Markakis RF
Alejandro De Aza LF
Adam Jones CF
Nelson Cruz...
BOSTON - Does everyone remember the Orioles' magic number for winning the American League East?
Number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine.
Hope that helps.
Chris Tillman wasn't particularly sharp last night - 108 pitches in five innings offered a clue - but he escaped a jam in the fifth and held the Red Sox to one run. Not a quality start, but a winning one.
Nice little rotation the Orioles have built for themselves.
Fresh eyes may have been the slogan going into spring...
BOSTON - The Orioles' magic number is down to nine. Single digits. Don Buford's uniform number. Brady Anderson's number, too, for younger fans.
Chris Tillman lasted only five innings and threw 108 pitches, but he's held opponents to three earned runs or fewer in 18 consecutive starts to tie Steve Barber for the fourth-longest streak in club history.
Alejandro De Aza hit his first two home runs as an Oriole. Adam Jones cleared one of the signs above the Green Monster with his home run, the...
BOSTON - Alejandro De Aza hit his first home run as an Oriole tonight, depositing a 91 mph fastball from rookie Anthony Ranaudo into the Red Sox's bullpen after Nick Markakis drew a leadoff walk.
Orioles 2, Red Sox 0.
De Aza has six home runs on the season, the first five with the White Sox before the Aug. 30 trade.
Nelson Cruz doubled with two outs and is now 13-for-28 (.464) in his last eight games.
Ranaudo threw 30 pitches before getting out of the inning. He walked Steve Pearce with...
BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced his rotation through Monday's game at Camden Yards.
Kevin Gausman will start Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader against the Yankees, followed by Bud Norris in Game 2. Miguel Gonzalez will start Saturday afternoon and Chris Tillman will pitch Sunday night on ESPN.
Wei-Yin Chen, who closes out the Red Sox series at Fenway Park, will start Monday night against the Blue Jays.
Norris is 2-4 with a 5.75 ERA in seven day starts this season and 10-4...
BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter passed along a favorable update today on shortstop J.J. Hardy.
Hardy underwent an MRI on his back that didn't reveal any structural damage. Team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs told Showalter that the result matched the one in April. Nothing has changed to raise concerns in the organization.
Hardy received a cortisone injection in the sacroiliac joint that's located in the lower back.
Showalter will meet with Hardy during Thursday's off-day in...
BOSTON - Ryan Flaherty continues to start at shortstop in place of the injured J.J. Hardy as the Orioles continue their series at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.
Right-hander Chris Tillman opposes Boston righty Anthony Ranaudo.
For the OriolesNick Markakis RF Alejandro De Aza LF Adam Jones CF Nelson Cruz DH Chris Davis 3B Steve Pearce 1B Nick Hundley C Ryan Flaherty SS Jonathan Schoop 2B
Chris Tillman RHP
For the Red Sox Mookie Betts CF Daniel Nava RF David Ortiz DH Yoenis Cespedes LF Mike...
BOSTON - Rather than early hitting today, the Orioles are focused on fielding drills involving their new double play combination.
Third base coach Bobby Dickerson, who works with the infielders, has been hitting ground balls to shortstop Ryan Flaherty and second baseman Jonathan Schoop. One player fields the ball and the other covers the bag.
Flaherty was getting a lot of work to his backhand side. He's also charging balls and throwing on the run.
J.J. Hardy, scheduled to have an MRI today on...
BOSTON - It doesn't seem that long ago when playing at Fenway Park was excruciating for the Orioles. A cup-splitting kick that doubled them over for days.
Not anymore.
The Orioles are 19-9 in Boston since Sept. 20, 2011. Overall, they're 32-19 against the Red Sox since 2012.
The Orioles have won 11 of their last 15 games since being swept at Wrigley Field. They're 66-14 this season when scoring at least four runs in a game, including 26-1 beginning on July 19.
Miguel Gonzalez is pitching...
BOSTON - The Orioles' magic number is down to 11 and their lead in the American League East is up to 10.
Try wrapping your arms around this one: The Orioles haven't led by that many games since Sept. 22, 1979. None of the current Orioles were born.
"We hear it, we hear what's going on, but it doesn't feel like that," said first baseman Steve Pearce, who contributed two hits and an aggressive slide into second base in the Orioles' 4-0 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
"We still know...
BOSTON - Miguel Gonzalez may never give up another run as long as he lives.
That's probably extreme, but his scoreless innings streak has reached 14.
Gonzalez is shutting out the Red Sox on three hits over five innings tonight and he continues to hold a 1-0 lead. He's retired nine of the last 10 batters he's faced.
Gonzalez has thrown 77 pitches, 22 coming in the first inning, when he allowed two hits and walked a batter.
The Orioles have aided Gonzalez with two double plays. He's...
BOSTON - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy is flying to Baltimore around 8:40 p.m. tonight, and he has a 1 p.m. appointment Tuesday with team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs.
Hardy is expected to undergo an MRI, and he also could receive another cortisone injection.
Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Hardy will stay in Baltimore rather than fly back to Boston. Showalter is hopeful that Hardy will be in the lineup Friday against the Yankees.
"When I talked to Mike, he already had looked at the...
BOSTON - The Orioles are waiting to hear back from team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs to determine when shortstop J.J. Hardy will undergo an MRI on his back.
Hardy is returning to Baltimore and most likely will miss the remainder of the road trip.
"Dr. Jacobs, we have a call there and I doubt that he's going to be able to see him today, though he might," said manager Buck Showalter. "He'll see him tomorrow for sure unless something comes up. We'll leave that up to Mike what he's going...
BOSTON - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy is flying to Baltimore tonight and will undergo an MRI on his back Tuesday morning.
Hardy said he's still bothered by some soreness in his back, but he added that he's not experiencing spasms and the muscles aren't tightening, which leaves him encouraged that it's nothing serious.
Hardy added that he'd probably play under different circumstances, but it's not worth risking a lengthy absence.
Team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs will examine...
BOSTON - Nelson Cruz has been named American League co-Player of the Week with Tigers' Miguel Cabrera.
Cruz batted .407 (11-for-27) with a double, a triple, four homers, 12 RBIs and six runs scored in seven games to earn his third career weekly award and his second of the season. He also was named Player of the Week on June 2.
Cruz led the majors in RBIs, was second in the AL in total bases (26), tied for second in homers, was third in slugging percentage (.963) and was tied for fourth in...
BOSTON - Major League Baseball released the 2015 schedule today, which includes the Orioles' season opener April 6 against the Rays at Tropicana Field and their home opener April 10 against the Blue Jays.
The first off-day on April 9 separates those two series.
The Orioles host the Yankees April 13-15 and make their first visit to Fenway Park from April 17-20. They're in Boston for Patriots Day for the second consecutive season.
The Orioles spend a week in New York, playing the Mets from...
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles have left Tropicana Field. No '80s hair band promotions, no dogs barking in the upper deck, no Wiggles concerts, no kids introducing batters over the PA system, no rap-artist felines spinning records.
The series against the Rays will be remembered for some costly mistakes by the Orioles and its overall weirdness. And if there's one thing The Trop can deliver, it's a healthy dose of weird.
Ryan Flaherty is on the team because he's regarded as a good...
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles' magic number is down to 12. Their lead in the American League East is 9 1/2 games, exactly where it stood before they arrived at Tropicana Field.
Was it pretty? Absolutely not. Is it a requirement? Absolutely not.
Nelson Cruz drove in all seven runs for the Orioles in their 7-5, 11-inning win over the Rays.
Cruz became the first player with at least seven RBIs to account for all of his team's scoring since Colorado's Jason Giambi on May 19, 2011 in...