Roch Kubatko

Your nightly Xavier Avery blog entry (updated)

May 18, 2012, 4:49pm

Orioles

Your nightly Xavier Avery blog entry (updated)

WASHINGTON - Nationals starter Edwin Jackson has allowed five baserunners in six innings. Xavier Avery has accounted for three of them. Avery walked in the first, doubled in the third and singled in the sixth. Yes, I'll say it: He's halfway to the cycle. Avery also scored the game's only run before Ian Desmond homered leading off the bottom of the sixth. And Avery's average has jumped from .238 to .304. The Orioles were leading 1-0, as Jackson and Jake Arrieta continued to dazzle....

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Jones keeps hitting streak alive while giving Orioles the lead

May 18, 2012, 3:45pm

Orioles

WASHINGTON - Adam Jones extended his hitting streak to 10 games in the first inning with an infield single that scored Xavier Avery for a 1-0 lead. The ball struck Edwin Jackson's foot and caromed so high I thought one of the Nats' infielders would signal for a fair catch. Avery led off with a walk and raced to third on Nick Markakis' double into left-center field. Jones followed with his single, giving the center fielder his third 10-game hitting streak of the season. Jones is the first...

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Orioles sign Ford to minor league deal; other notes

May 18, 2012, 2:04pm

Orioles

WASHINGTON - The Orioles have signed outfielder Lew Ford to a minor league deal, and he's starting in center field tonight for Triple-A Norfolk. Ford, 35, hasn't played in the majors since batting .233 in 55 games with the Twins in 2007. He played in Japan in 2008 and Mexico in 2010. He also had three stints with the independent Long Island Ducks, batting .333 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 19 games this season. The Orioles are trying to fill out Norfolk's roster. Infielder Brandon Waring...

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Orioles and Nationals lineups

May 18, 2012, 11:35am

Orioles

WASHINGTON - Xavier Avery is leading off and playing left field for the Orioles tonight. Wilson Betemit and Chris Davis will handle the infield corners. For the Orioles: Xavier Avery LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit 3B Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Jake Arrieta RHP For the Nationals: Ian Desmond SS Roger Bernadina LF Ryan Zimmerman 3B Adam LaRoche 1B Bryce Harper RF Danny Espinosa 2B Rick Ankiel CF Jesus Flores C Edwin Jackson RHP

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orioles

What hasn't happened since April 16, 1970?

May 18, 2012, 10:59am

Nationals Orioles

What hasn't happened since April 16, 1970?

WASHINGTON - Give up? Until tonight, baseball teams from Baltimore and Washington hadn't faced each other with non-losing records in 42 years. On April 16, 1970, the 5-1 Orioles played the 3-3 Senators at Memorial Stadium. The Orioles suffered a rare loss in the rivalry, 4-2, with Frank Howard hitting a two-run homer off Jim Palmer. I'm guessing that Palmer remembers the count and what pitch he threw and where he located it. Ted Williams was managing the Senators that night. You know who...

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Because You Asked: Money Never Sleeps

May 17, 2012, 6:40pm

Orioles

It's time for interleague baseball and the return of the Battle of the Beltway, though I still insist on taking the Baltimore-Washington Parkway into D.C. Get ready to watch pitchers try to hit. Or lay down a bunt without losing two fingers. While we're waiting, I decided to break out another sequel to the always popular and occasionally sarcastic "Because You Asked." Why? Because I'm getting asked a lot of the same questions, and it makes sense to just post them here rather than have...

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Bergesen outrighted to Norfolk

May 17, 2012, 1:29pm

Orioles

The Orioles won a game today in Kansas City, lost a minor league player and retained another one. The Yankees claimed infielder Matt Antonelli off waivers this afternoon, but pitcher Brad Bergesen has cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Bergesen was designated for assignment on May 12 to make room for infielder/outfielder Bill Hall on the 40-man roster. He was 1-2 with a 5.13 ERA in eight games, including six starts, at Norfolk, with 45 hits allowed, 13 walks and 17...

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Antonelli claimed by Yankees, O's win 5-3

May 17, 2012, 12:03pm

Orioles

Antonelli claimed by Yankees, O's win 5-3

The Yankees have claimed infielder Matt Antonelli off waivers from the Orioles, who designated him for assignment last week to make room for outfielder Xavier Avery on the 40-man roster. The writing was on the wall for Antonelli when the Orioles bypassed him twice at Triple-A Norfolk for non-roster players Steve Tolleson and Bill Hall. Antonelli, signed as a minor league free agent Nov. 21, batted .204/.351/.280 with four doubles, one homer and seven RBIs in 29 games with the Tides. Antonelli...

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Matusz falters in third (Jones homers in fourth)

May 17, 2012, 11:02am

Orioles

Matusz falters in third (Jones homers in fourth)

Brian Matusz retired the first six batters he faced today in Kansas City. The first three batters in the third inning conspired to create a 2-0 deficit for him and the Orioles. Alcides Escobar reached on an infield hit, Irving Falu singled and Humberto Quintero doubled over center fielder Adam Jones' head to score two runs. Escobar, Falu and Quintero. Not exactly Murderers' Row, but they killed any chance Matusz had of taking a shutout into the fourth. Quintero took third on the throw,...

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Orioles and Royals lineups (and notes)

May 17, 2012, 8:10am

Orioles

Rule 5 pick Ryan Flaherty is starting at third base today, as the Orioles go for the two-game sweep in Kansas City. And while attempting to do so in fewer than 20 innings. Matt Wieters gets the day off after catching 15 innings last night. For the Orioles: Xavier Avery LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Wilson Betemit DH Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Ryan Flaherty 3B Luis Exposito C Brian Matusz LHP For the Royals: Jarrod Dyson CF Johnny Giavotella DH Billy Butler...

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Orioles going for the sweep on little sleep

May 16, 2012, 8:55pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter most assuredly told reporters in Kansas City to "sleep fast." The Orioles have a day game after a night game that ended in the early morning. That's a quick turnaround. The Orioles were down by two runs in the top of the ninth inning, but they tied the game and won it in the 15th on Adam Jones' 12th home run of the season. The Orioles are 11-1 when Jones hits a home run. Nine of those homers have tied the game or given them a lead. Cha-ching! Didn't Tommy...

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Orioles going for the sweep today

May 16, 2012, 8:49pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter most assuredly told reporters in Kansas City to "sleep fast." The Orioles have a day game after a night game that ended in the early morning. That's a quick turnaround. The Orioles were down by two runs in the top of the ninth, but they tied the game and won it in 15 innings on Adam Jones' 12th home run of the season. The Orioles are 11-1 when Jones hits a home run. Nine of those homers have tied the game or given them a lead. Cha-ching! Didn't Tommy Hunter...

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orioles

Eveland deserves save tonight (Jones breaks tie, O's win in 15th)

May 16, 2012, 7:45pm

Orioles

Eveland deserves save tonight (Jones breaks tie, O's win in 15th)

The Orioles can't get enough of extra innings. They'll do 13, they'll do 17, they'll pretty much go all night. The bullpen is being stretched again, but massive amounts of credit go to left-hander Dana Eveland, who turned in three scoreless innings after replacing Darren O'Day. Eveland allowed one hit and struck out two. He retired the last seven batters that he faced. In his two previous outings, Eveland allowed four runs and seven hits, walked eight batters and hit four in 7 2/3...

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Your nightly Xavier Avery blog entry (game tied, 3-3)

May 16, 2012, 5:23pm

Orioles

Your nightly Xavier Avery blog entry (game tied, 3-3)

Xavier Avery laid down a bunt in the third inning. It didn't lead to a run, but I'm writing about it anyway. Robert Andino led off the top of the third inning with a single, and Avery advanced him to second base with his first major league sacrifice bunt. Yes, we also can cross that one off the list. Royals starter Felipe Paulino fielded the ball, spun and bounced his throw to second - probably because he was trying to throw a 100 mph fastball. Andino slid in safely and Avery reached first...

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Orioles haven't been road worriers

May 16, 2012, 1:40pm

Orioles

The Orioles are 11-5 on the road this season after going 30-51 away from Camden Yards in 2011. They haven't totaled 11 wins on the road in so few games since 2005, when they were 11-4 outside of Baltimore. Last season, the Orioles didn't pick up their 11th victory away from Camden Yards until playing their 28th road game on June 16. Their 12th road win came in their 31st game away from Camden Yards on June 19. The Orioles won the season series against the Royals, 5-4, in 2011, but they were...

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Avery leading off, Davis back at first base

May 16, 2012, 11:46am

Orioles

Avery leading off, Davis back at first base

Xavier Avery is batting leadoff tonight in the Orioles' series opener in Kansas City. Wilson Betemit is starting at third base and Chris Davis is starting at first. For the Orioles: Xavier Avery LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Nick Johnson DH Wilson Betemit 3B Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Tommy Hunter RHP For the Royals: Dyson CF Hosmer 1B Butler DH Gordon LF Francoeur RF Moustakas 3B Escobar SS Getz 2B Quintero C Paulino RHP

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Former Oriole Kevin Hickey dead at age 56

May 16, 2012, 10:09am

Orioles

Former Oriole Kevin Hickey dead at age 56

I can't believe that I'm passing along news concerning the death of another former Oriole. One-time left-handed reliever Kevin Hickey died Wednesday at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, according to

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Orioles could be OK in K.C. with better defense

May 15, 2012, 8:24pm

Orioles

So what nickname have we agreed upon for rookie outfielder Xavier Avery? X-Man and X-Factor seem like pretty obvious ones. I was mildly intrigued by X-Rated, but we won't delve too deeply into the reasons. X-Treme? X-Tacy? Exree Hipp? The Orioles will play their next two games in Kansas City, but my 8-2 road record will remain intact. I'm not on the trip. It's been so long since I've covered a game in Kansas City, I'm pretty sure 10-5 loss to the Royals. Trenidad Hubbard batted ninth...

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Getting a charge out of the Orioles' battery

May 15, 2012, 6:51pm

Orioles

Wei-Yin Chen improved to 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his first season pitching in the U.S. He retired 10 straight Yankees tonight. He's now gone seven innings or more in three of his last four starts. He's 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA in four starts at Camden Yards. Wei-Yin Chen talks about his strong outing in the Orioles' win over the Yankees "Compared with my last outing, I think this outing was just fine," he said through his interpreter. "I was just fine. But because I am doing good today,...

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Showalter speaks after 5-2 win

May 15, 2012, 6:33pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter has referred to Taiwanese left-hander Wei-Yin Chen as an unknown. So what exactly does Showalter know about Chen after seven starts? "He's got his feet on the ground a little bit. He's comfortable," Showalter said after a 5-2 victory over the Yankees that made the Orioles 9-6 in a brutal 15-game stretch. "Obviously, he's pitching as well as any of our starters, and very early in the season he's doing quite well for us. He seems very poised. But there will be...