Gausman goes for series win

Gausman goes for series win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles wrap up their series with the Rays this afternoon before enjoying an off-day in New York. The schedule actually favors them for a change. No 4 a.m. arrival. And, you know, an entire day and night in the Big Apple before another big series against a division rival. Time to unwind, fellas. Kevin Gausman makes his second career start and third appearance against the Rays. He allowed seven runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in a June 8, 2013 loss at...

Showalter, Davis, Gonzalez and Pearce after 7-5 win

Showalter, Davis, Gonzalez and Pearce after 7-5 win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter had a pretty good idea tonight that Chris Davis' fly ball to left field in the third inning bounced off the foul pole. He could tell by the sound it made inside the mostly empty dome - unless it was left fielder David DeJesus slamming into the wall. The sound turned out to be the one Showalter wanted all along, Davis' grand slam keying a 7-5 victory over the Rays. "I'm not sure if that was him or DeJesus," Showalter said. "I was glad...

Pearce justifies decision to play him (O's win 7-5)

Pearce justifies decision to play him (O's win 7-5)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter had to choose tonight whether to use Steve Pearce or Delmon Young as the designated hitter. Young was 2-for-21 against Rays left-hander Erik Bedard. Decision made. Pearce walked twice against Bedard and hit a two-run homer off Brad Boxberger in the top of the seventh to increase the Orioles' lead to 7-4. Pearce has five home runs this season to go with a .310 average. He looks pretty good in that second slot in the order. Caleb Joseph led...

Davis gets delayed grand slam (updated)

Davis gets delayed grand slam (updated)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For Chris Davis, his third career grand slam was worth the wait. Davis sent a fly ball down the left field line tonight with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning. Tampa Bay's David DeJesus crashed into the wall at full speed, appearing to knock himself out as two runs scored and Davis stopped at second base. DeJesus stayed in the game. The ball stayed in play only because it hit the foul pole, which replays confirmed after manager Buck Showalter came out of...

No changes to rotation (plus Showalter on Wieters' surgery)

No changes to rotation (plus Showalter on Wieters' surgery)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter intends to keep his starters on turn past Thursday's off-day, which basically gives the club a six-man rotation. For how long is another matter. Ubaldo Jimenez, Bud Norris and Chris Tillman will make the starts at Yankee Stadium, keeping them in a rotation that also includes Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez and Kevin Gausman. "That could change, depending on what happens the next couple of nights, obviously," Showalter said. The Orioles...

Orioles DFA Stinson

Orioles DFA Stinson
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles activated Miguel Gonzalez from the 15-day disabled list and pointed him toward the mound for tonight's start against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Reliever Josh Stinson, who's out of minor league options, was designated for assignment to make room for Gonzalez on the 25-man roster. The move leaves the Orioles with six relievers and six starters on their pitching staff. Left-hander T.J. McFarland is the long man backing up Gonzalez tonight. Kevin Gausman will...

Wieters' surgery deemed successful

Wieters' surgery deemed successful
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles catcher Matt Wieters underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow today in Gulf Breeze, Fla. The operation was performed by Dr. James Andrews and didn't include any complications. Andrews replaced a ligament in Wieters' elbow with a tendon, shaved a bone spur and transposed a nerve. Wieters will spend tonight in the hospital and most likely travel to Atlanta on Wednesday. Wieters is scheduled to begin rehabilitation in some form right away, but...

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manny Machado has been lowered to seventh again in the Orioles lineup, with Steve Pearce batting second tonight. Jonathan Schoop is starting at second base. The Orioles still haven't announced a corresponding roster move for Miguel Gonzalez. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Steve Pearce DH Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS Manny Machado 3B Jonathan Schoop 2B Caleb Joseph C Miguel Gonzalez RHP For the Rays Desmond Jennings CF Matt Joyce...

A few early notes from Tropicana Field

A few early notes from Tropicana Field
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jonathan Schoop and Ryan Flaherty are on the field early today, doing drills at second base with Bobby Dickerson and Mike Bordick. Delmon Young and Tampa Bay's Jerry Sands delivered pinch-hit home runs last night, the fifth time in Orioles history that each team had a player come off the bench and go deep. It happened most recently on June 10, 1985 with Floyd Rayford and Detroit's Barbaro Garbey, according to the Orioles' public relations department. The Orioles lost...
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Thoughts on tonight's lineup

Thoughts on tonight's lineup
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Delmon Young is batting .296 this season. He's collected a hit in five of his last six games - he failed as a pinch-hitter Friday night - and has homered in two of his last five games. The Orioles are facing a left-hander tonight. Young seems like the obvious choice to serve as the designated hitter, with Nelson Cruz starting in left field. Or is he? Young is 2-for-21 (.095) lifetime against Tampa Bay's Erik Bedard, the former Oriole who's making his 13th appearance...

Reflecting on Wieters, Rapada, Gwynn and more

Reflecting on Wieters, Rapada, Gwynn and more
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles will make a roster move this afternoon, activating Miguel Gonzalez for tonight's start against the Rays and sending out a pitcher. It won't be Kevin Gausman, who starts on Wednesday. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will undergo surgery at noon to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, also known as a "UCL." It's not to be confused with the school that won 10 national championships under John Wooden. The Orioles will let us know...

Matusz, Showalter and Chen after 5-4 loss

Matusz, Showalter and Chen after 5-4 loss
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For one of the few times since he moved to the bullpen, Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz couldn't keep an inherited runner from scoring. The batter also rounded the bases tonight, the decisive blow in the Orioles' 5-4 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. Pinch-hitter Jerry Sands smacked a two-run homer off Matusz with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. He got ahead in the count 2-0 and pulled a 91 mph fastball into the left field seats. Matusz...

Rays take lead in 8th, Orioles sign Rapada (O's lose 5-4)

Rays take lead in 8th, Orioles sign Rapada (O's lose 5-4)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jerry Sands picked an opportune time to hit his first home run of the season. Sands, pinch-hitting for David DeJesus, belted a two-run homer off left-hander Brian Matusz with two outs in the eighth to give Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead. It's the first pinch-hit homer of Sands' career and the second for the Rays this season. The Orioles had tied the game in the top of the eighth, but they couldn't score again after loading the bases with one out. The run was charged to Grant...

Markakis ties Singleton, Jones homers (updated)

Markakis ties Singleton, Jones homers (updated)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nick Markakis doubled off the top of the fence in left field tonight leading off the sixth inning, giving him 1,455 career hits to tie Ken Singleton for sixth place on the Orioles' all-time list. Once Markakis passes Singleton, he can take aim at Boog Powell, who ranks fifth with 1,574 hits. Brady Anderson is fourth with 1,614. Markakis is 4-for-6 lifetime against Rays starter Jake Odorizzi. Markakis came close to breaking up Odorizzi's shutout bid with a home run....

Cruz and Wieters continue to lead in All-Star voting (O's down 3-0)

Cruz and Wieters continue to lead in All-Star voting (O's down 3-0)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Yunel Escobar homered off Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen in the bottom of the first inning tonight to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. Escobar was 1-for-12 lifetime against Chen. The Orioles have allowed only two home runs in the last 70 innings. David Lough drew an 11-pitch walk off Rays starter Jake Odorizzi with two outs in the second after J.J. Hardy reached on an infield hit, but Ryan Flaherty struck out. In the latest round of American League All-Star voting, Nelson...

More from Showalter on Wieters' pending elbow surgery

More from Showalter on Wieters' pending elbow surgery
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that catcher Matt Wieters will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Here's more from Showalter: "With a catcher/position player you're talking about nine months. I'm pretty sure that's from being able to play in a major league game, as far as the regular season. We're hopeful he's ready to start the year next year. "His facial (expressions), body...

Wieters to undergo season-ending elbow surgery

Wieters to undergo season-ending elbow surgery
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles received the anticipated news today on catcher Matt Wieters. They must proceed through the rest of the 2014 season without him. Wieters will undergo ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow at noon Tuesday in Gulf Breeze, Fla. Dr. James Andrews will handle the procedure after examining the elbow again this afternoon. Manager Buck Showalter said today's MRI revealed a little more damage than the one taken last month while the Orioles were in St....

Adam Jones on Tony Gwynn: "The man is the part you're going to miss"

Adam Jones on Tony Gwynn: "The man is the part you're going to miss"
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Adam Jones received a phone call early this morning with the news he had been dreading. Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn passed away after a courageous battle with salivary gland cancer, the disease taking him at age 54. The call came from Gwynn's son-in law, former Orioles farmhand Kennard Jones, who played at Single-A Frederick in 2007 and Double-A Bowie in 2008. All of baseball is mourning Gwynn's loss today, but it especially hits close to home for Adam Jones,...

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Chris Davis returns to the Orioles lineup tonight after getting a "mental break" yesterday at Camden Yards. David Lough is in left field and Ryan Flaherty is at second base. Caleb Joseph is behind the plate after sitting out the past two games. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz DH J.J. Hardy SS David Lough LF Ryan Flaherty 2B Caleb Joseph C Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Rays Desmond Jennings CF Yunel Escobar...

Pregame notes from Tropicana Field

Pregame notes from Tropicana Field
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A few of the Orioles are working on their bunting today as part of their early batting practice session at Tropicana Field. The group includes Jonathan Schoop, David Lough and Ryan Flaherty. Small ball may be in order if the Orioles are going to offer more run support for their pitchers. The Orioles have allowed only 14 runs in the last seven games, with 13 of those scoring in the last four days. Their 1.86 ERA over 63 innings since last Monday ranks second in the...