Roch Kubatko

Wieters homers again in 7-4 loss

August 20, 2013, 6:41pm

Orioles

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters hit his third home run in the last four games tonight to add a little drama to the bottom of the ninth inning. Just not enough of it. Wieters accounted for the last of the scoring in the Orioles' 7-4 loss to the Rays at Camden Yards. Wieters has homered in four of his last seven games, giving him 19 this season. It's the seventh time in his career that he's homered in consecutive games. Rays veteran reliever Jamey Wright walked Nick Markakis to begin the...

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SI covering Davis (O's down 7-2)

August 20, 2013, 4:46pm

Orioles

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis better not believe in the Sports Illustrated cover jinx or he won't want to leave the house. Davis is being featured on one of the Aug. 26 regional covers, with a profile written by Tom Verducci. As soon as I tweeted this information, Davis was hit by an Alex Cobb pitch. It's already starting. Most recently, catcher Matt Wieters made the SI cover in March 2010, and Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Endy Chavez made it last September. Before tonight, Davis...

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Flaherty delivers with a runner in scoring position

August 20, 2013, 3:55pm

Orioles

Flaherty delivers with a runner in scoring position

If anything good came out of last night's repeated failures with runners in scoring position and less than two outs, it's that closer Jim Johnson ceased to be the center of attention among frustrated fans. Manager Buck Showalter continued to field questions today about his club going 2-for-14 and stranding a season-high 15 runners. It was the topic du jour at Camden Yards. Adam Jones, often criticized for his aggressive approach at the plate, is actually a .338 hitter with RISP this season,...

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Showalter on Valencia's success vs. Price (O's down 1-0)

August 20, 2013, 3:04pm

Orioles

Showalter on Valencia's success vs. Price (O's down 1-0)

With two more right-handers scheduled to start against the Orioles after tonight, Danny Valencia may not return to the lineup until Saturday against Oakland left-hander Tommy Milone. You can bet that he'll start against David Price if the Orioles are matched up against him during the final road series of the regular season on Sept. 20-23. Valencia is 9-for-12 lifetime against Price after going 2-for-2 with a walk last night. "He may have a career doing this," manager Buck Showalter said....

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Pregame notes and Rays lineup

August 20, 2013, 1:17pm

Orioles

Kevin Gausman picked up his first Triple-A win last night with five scoreless innings for Norfolk, and the reports on him were quite good. Gausman's fastball was 96-98 mph. One of his finest outings of the year. The Orioles are expected to add Gausman to their expanded roster in September. He's likely to pitch out of the bullpen, though manager Buck Showalter left open the possibility that he could make a start. "He could do either, depending on what the need is, if he's called up,"...

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O's lineup vs. Rays

August 20, 2013, 10:59am

Orioles

Catcher Matt Wieters will attempt to further inflate his career average against the Rays tonight as the Orioles try to even the series following last night's one-run loss. Wieters fell a triple short of the cycle last night and is batting .337 lifetime against the Rays, the highest average for any player with a minimum of 40 games. He's 2-for-5 with a home run lifetime against right-hander Alex Cobb, who's making his second start since being hit in the head by a line drive on June 15. Cobb...

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More on the Orioles and RISP

August 20, 2013, 8:01am

Orioles

I talked to a few fans today while running errands, and they unanimously classified last night's loss as the most frustrating of the season. And it didn't include a blown save, which I thought was a prerequisite. Must have been all those wasted scoring opportunities. The four consecutive innings with a runner at third base and one out that didn't alter the score. The failings coming against a division rival that's trying to pull away in the wild card race. Going into tonight's slate of...

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Leftovers for breakfast

August 19, 2013, 8:37pm

Orioles

The Orioles completed the interleague portion of their schedule when the Rockies left town on Sunday, which didn't bring a tear to the eye of manager Buck Showalter. Showalter jokingly referred to the interleague matchups as exhibition games. The schedule has gotten a whole lot more serious. It's loaded with division opponents and teams outside of it that remain in playoff contention. The Orioles have two more games against Tampa Bay before Oakland comes to town, then they head to Boston...

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Showalter speaks after 4-3 loss

August 19, 2013, 7:38pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has gotten really good at shedding a positive light on his team's inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Whenever a reporter points out the failings on a given night, Showalter counters with how he's pleased with the Orioles' ability to put men on base and present those opportunities. The Orioles stranded 15 tonight in a 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Frustrating? "Yeah, it is," Showalter said. "I know you're saying my line before I give it, but...

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Wieters still tormenting the Rays (O's lose 4-3)

August 19, 2013, 4:42pm

Orioles

Wieters still tormenting the Rays (O's lose 4-3)

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters tied tonight's game in the bottom of the third inning with a double that scored Manny Machado, who led off with a single and advanced to third base on Adam Jones' single. Wieters barely missed a three-run homer, the ball hitting a few inches below the top of the center field fence and eluding the glove of Tampa Bay's Desmond Jennings, who almost made a spectacular catch. For a moment, it appeared that Wieters had a home run. Then it appeared that Jennings had...

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Game update and more notes (Valencia has RBI)

August 19, 2013, 3:32pm

Orioles

Game update and more notes (Valencia has RBI)

Orioles starter Chris Tillman retired the first two batters in the first inning tonight. Then he faced Evan Longoria. That's not a favorable matchup for Tillman. Longoria drove a 91 mph fastball over the fence in right-center field to give Tampa Bay an early 1-0 lead over the Orioles at Camden Yards. Longoria is now 10-for-22 with four home runs lifetime against Tillman, who is making a third attempt to win his 15th game this season. Tillman threw 25 pitches in the first. Tillman has...

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Pregame notes and Rays lineup

August 19, 2013, 1:02pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is downplaying his decision to bat Brian Roberts first tonight against Tampa Bay left-hander David Price, reminding reporters that Roberts had hit leadoff many times in the past. It only happened once this season, back on July 12 against the Blue Jays. And it probably won't happen on Tuesday, with the Rays starting right-hander Alex Cobb. "Brian's led off before. It's not his first time in his career, obviously. I think he's had some experience at it,"...

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Valencia recalled, Roberts leading off, Hardy in lineup

August 19, 2013, 11:33am

Orioles

Valencia recalled, Roberts leading off, Hardy in lineup

The Orioles made the expected move and recalled Danny Valencia from Triple-A Norfolk. He's serving as the designated hitter and batting eighth tonight against Tampa Bay left-hander David Price. Valencia is 7-for-10 lifetime against Price, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. Brian Roberts is leading off tonight, as manager Buck Showalter goes with a right-handed lineup. Roberts has 11 hits in his last 23 at-bats, with seven RBIs. Nick Markakis moves down to seventh. J.J....

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Expanded thoughts on the September roster

August 18, 2013, 6:09pm

Orioles

Expanded thoughts on the September roster

Though the Orioles can't expand their roster until Sept. 1, I've been asked to speculate on possible call-ups. As you know, I often take requests. Coming up next, I'll play "Free Bird." No one can offer up a list of call-ups without taking into account how the Orioles' needs may change if they acquire a player from outside the organization. And how a few players that I mention could make it here before Sept. 1. And how the 40-man roster can factor into the decisions. And how manager...

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Orioles option Stinson

August 18, 2013, 1:49pm

Orioles

The Orioles optioned pitcher Josh Stinson to Triple-A Norfolk following today's 7-2 victory over the Rockies at Camden Yards. A corresponding move will be announced before Monday's game against the Rays at Camden Yards. The Orioles have a three-man bench, so a position player is likely to come up. Danny Valencia isn't in Norfolk's lineup tonight and is the likely choice. Stinson, 25, appeared in the last two games for the Orioles after being recalled yesterday, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless...

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Roberts continues to swing a hot bat (Davis homers, O's win 7-2)

August 18, 2013, 12:20pm

Orioles

Roberts continues to swing a hot bat (Davis homers, O's win 7-2)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is getting a reminder of how Brian Roberts can impact a game when healthy. Roberts has two more hits today, and his two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning increased the Orioles' lead to 5-2. Roberts is 11-for-23 with seven RBIs in his last seven games. Is that good? His average is now up to .275. This is the first time that Roberts had strung together back-to-back multi-RBI games since April 1-2, 2011. The first two games of the season. Yeah, a...

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Adam Jones joins Frank Robinson in Orioles home run history (O's lead 3-2)

August 18, 2013, 10:45am

Orioles

Center fielder Adam Jones didn't want the Orioles relievers to be bored, so he deposited a ball at their feet in the bottom of the third inning. Jones homered off Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin with Chris Davis on second base and two outs to increase the Orioles' lead to 3-0. He launched an 81 mph slider after Chacin started him off with a fastball. The significance goes beyond the scoreboard. Jones has reached the 25-home run mark for the third time in his career. The only other Orioles...

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Showalter on Hammel, Hardy, Betemit and call-ups (updated)

August 18, 2013, 9:57am

Orioles

Showalter on Hammel, Hardy, Betemit and call-ups (updated)

Orioles starter Scott Feldman won the first battle today with Rockies first baseman Michael Cuddyer, retiring him on a force play to end the top of the first inning. Cuddyer began the day 7-for-13 with three doubles, two homers and five RBIs lifetime against Feldman. Manager Buck Showalter provided updates on some injured Orioles before today's series finale against the Rockies at Camden Yards. Showalter revealed that Jason Hammel will throw on flat ground Monday and Wednesday before moving...

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A few injury updates

August 18, 2013, 8:08am

Orioles

Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel will throw on flat ground again on Monday and Wednesday before progressing to a mound on Friday, assuming there are no setbacks. Hammel already has played catch twice to test his right forearm. So far, so good. Hammel will need to make a few starts on an injury-rehab assignment before the Orioles activate him from the disabled list. They can find games for him, even if the affiliates are done playing. A few of the teams are in playoff contention, and Hammel could...

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Hardy provides medical update

August 18, 2013, 7:25am

Orioles

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy was a late scratch from yesterday's lineup because of back spasms and he's excluded from it today. However, his back is "100 percent better than yesterday," he told reporters, and he expects to start Monday night's series opener against the Rays at Camden Yards. "I don't feel that spasm," he said. "Maybe a little bit of tightness, but not the spasm. I took some swings, 20-25 swings. Didn't feel it at all. Moved around outside and felt some tightness. Not...