Roch Kubatko

Wieters wields big bat again in clutch (update)

September 23, 2011, 4:19pm

Orioles

Wieters wields big bat again in clutch (update)

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Vladimir Guerrero's RBI double, quickly fell behind, 2-1, and reclaimed the lead, 3-2, in the third. The second rally started with an infield hit by Robert Andino, the spark plug atop the order. Andino eventually scored on Nick Markakis' sacrifice fly, and J.J. Hardy crossed the plate as the go-ahead run on a single by Matt Wieters. Wieters is a monster with runners in scoring position. If Luke Scott lost MVO votes last year...

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This and that about Reynolds

September 23, 2011, 2:37pm

Orioles

Cincinnati's Drew Stubbs joined the 200-strikeout club last night. It's a very exclusive club. Total membership is two players. The meetings are really short. The "minutes" are actually seconds. Stubbs and Mark Reynolds are the only players in major league history to strike out 200 times in a single season. Reynolds has done it three straight years. Reynolds would have to strike out 15 times over the last six games to keep his streak alive. He'd rather avoid it if at all...

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Orioles and Tigers lineups

September 23, 2011, 12:09pm

Orioles

For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 3B Nolan Reimold LF Alfredo Simon RHP For the Tigers: Jackson CF Kelly 3B Young LF Cabrera 1B Martinez DH Avila C Peralta SS Dirks RF Santiago 2B Porcello RHP

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Getting your kicks by rooting for 66

September 22, 2011, 6:42pm

Orioles

The Orioles have won 66 games this season and they've got six more to play. They also won 66 games last season. I'm trying to appreciate the "progress" that they've made in 2011. I'm also trying to forget that last year's team was 2-16 and went through three managers. The Orioles will avoid 100 losses. They could win more games than last season. They won't have the worst record in baseball. They no longer have the worst record in the American League after winning eight of their last...

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Britton falters in fifth (O's win 6-5)

September 22, 2011, 4:44pm

Orioles

So much for that 5-0 lead. The Tigers scored once in the fourth inning and four times in the fifth to tie the game, 5-5. Delmon Young's three-run shot, off a 94 mph fastball from left-hander Zach Britton, erased the rest of the Orioles' lead. Well, it was fun while it lasted. Britton has won four of his last five decisions since coming off the disabled list. He had allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last six starts, and four earned runs or fewer in his last seven. In his...

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Guerrero gives Orioles early lead (Hardy and Jones build on it)

September 22, 2011, 3:26pm

Orioles

Vladimir Guerrero drove in the Orioles' final two runs last night, and he's produced their first run tonight. Guerrero's sacrifice fly off Tigers starter Jacob Turner scored J.J. Hardy in the top of the first inning and gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Hardy and Nick Markakis singled with one out and Guerrero flied to center field to provide an early lead for rookie left-hander Zach Britton. Guerrero has driven in seven runs in his last six games - including two in the eighth inning last...

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Orioles lineup against the Tigers

September 22, 2011, 12:32pm

Orioles

The Orioles finally posted their lineup. You can decide whether it was worth the wait. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 3B Nolan Reimold LF Zach Britton LHP Second baseman Brian Roberts will be featured on "Outside the Lines" at 10 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2 as part of a segment on athletes and concussions. You can check out a clip

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This, that and the other

September 21, 2011, 6:04pm

Orioles

The Orioles have taken their act to Detroit for the last four road games of the season. No mo' after Motown. Only three Orioles starters are listed for the series - Zach Britton tonight, Alfredo Simon tomorrow night and Jeremy Guthrie on Saturday night. Sunday's starter is TBA. Brian Matusz and Rick VandenHurk are available for the assignment. Jo-Jo Reyes tossed three scoreless innings in relief Tuesday night, which might sway manager Buck Showalter. Any preferences? The Tigers will...

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Reynolds' second homer ties game (O's win 6-4)

September 21, 2011, 5:20pm

Orioles

Reynolds' second homer ties game (O's win 6-4)

Mark Reynolds wasn't satisfied with hitting his 35th homer tonight. He also wasn't willing to let the Orioles trail by two runs. Reynolds homered again off Josh Beckett, his two-run shot in the seventh inning tying the game, 4-4. Matt Wieters singled and was forced at second on Adam Jones' fielder's choice grounder. Reynolds took a 93 mph fastball for a ball, fouled off another one and launched a curveball. Reynolds has 14 career multi-homer games, the most recent before tonight coming...

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Reynolds hits No. 35 (Boston leads 4-2)

September 21, 2011, 3:46pm

Orioles

Mark Reynolds homered off Josh Beckett with two outs in the top of the second inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Reynolds pulled a 91 mph cutter to left field, easily clearing the Green Monster after Beckett got ahead, 0-2, in the count. Reynolds sat out two games after being drilled in the helmet by an Ervin Santana pitch Saturday night, but he's 6-for-11 in his last four. He's homered in three of those games and driven in seven runs. He won't get much love in the Most Valuable...

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Did you know ...?

September 21, 2011, 12:21pm

Orioles

The Orioles are looking to win their first four-game series at Fenway Park since Aug. 8-10, 2003, when they took three of four. Their last series win in Boston was Sept. 20-22, 2010, when they took two of three. The Orioles are going for their fifth road series win of the season. A win tonight would give the Orioles their third consecutive series win, a feat they haven't accomplished since Sept. 3-15, 2010, when they won four straight series (vs. Tampa Bay, at New York, at Detroit and vs....

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Jones and Reynolds remain in lineup

September 21, 2011, 11:47am

Orioles

Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds are making back-to-back starts after returning to the Orioles' lineup last night. Matt Angle gets the start in left field. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 3B Matt Angle LF Tommy Hunter RHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Aviles 3B Gonzalez 1B Ortiz DH Pedroia 2B Reddick RF Crawford LF Scutaro SS Varitek C Beckett RHP

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Andino clears the bases in eighth (O's win 7-5)

September 20, 2011, 6:24pm

Orioles

Andino clears the bases in eighth (O's win 7-5)

Red Sox manager Terry Francona called upon closer Jonathan Papelbon to get a five-out save tonight. He got a blown save instead. Robert Andino lined a three-run double into the right field corner with two outs and the count full to give the Orioles a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning. Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds singled off Daniel Bard. Francona brought in Papelbon with one out, and the right-hander responded by getting a called third strike on Chris Davis. Plate umpire Mark Wegner's...

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VandenHurk not nugget-like tonight (Showalter ejected)

September 20, 2011, 4:59pm

Orioles

VandenHurk not nugget-like tonight (Showalter ejected)

Rick VandenHurk's second start with the Orioles this month didn't do much to enhance his standing within the organization. VandenHurk couldn't record an out in the fourth inning and he couldn't hold a 4-1 lead. Jo-Jo Reyes replaced him with runners on first and second, no outs and the Orioles ahead, 4-3. Jacoby Ellsbury singled to load the bases. Reyes struck out Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez appeared to bounce into a 3-6-3 double play, but first baseman Mark Reynolds missed catcher...

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Rethinking the MVO

September 20, 2011, 4:43pm

Orioles

It's tough to get a group of sportswriters and broadcasters to agree on anything, but I don't recall many divided opinions in the Most Valuable Oriole voting that takes place during the final month of every season. The second- and third-place finishers can bring a heated debate, but the winner usually takes the honor by a fairly wide margin. Luke Scott was the overwhelming choice last year, though at least two voters refused to pick him. Something about his .214 average with runners in...

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VandenHurk's latest audition starts poorly (O's lead, 4-3)

September 20, 2011, 3:39pm

Orioles

VandenHurk's latest audition starts poorly (O's lead, 4-3)

Rick VandenHurk fell behind, 1-0, tonight after facing three Red Sox batters. Back-to-back one-out doubles by Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez in the first inning gave Boston an early lead. Gonzalez is 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run lifetime against VandenHurk, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 10 in Toronto. That's what you would call extended rest. VandenHurk lasted only 2 1/3 innings in his last start, allowing three runs and three hits - including two home runs - and walking...

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Jones and Reynolds return to lineup (Adams update)

September 20, 2011, 12:35pm

Orioles

Jones and Reynolds return to lineup (Adams update)

Adam Jones is starting in center field tonight and Mark Reynolds is back at first base. The lineup looks fairly normal again. Jones hasn't started since Sept. 9 because of a sprained right thumb. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 3B Nolan Reimold LF Rick VandenHurk RHP VandenHurk hasn't pitched since Sept. 10 in Toronto, when he allowed three runs and three hits, including two...

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Case closed for Johnson

September 19, 2011, 7:20pm

Orioles

Should we believe that Jim Johnson is going to make a start before the 2011 season comes to a merciful end? It's not necessary. The Orioles can decide over the winter that Johnson belongs in the rotation. They can put him on a starter's schedule in spring training. They can change their minds at any time and return him to the bullpen. It's not like he'll be stretched out so far that he can't snap back to a short-relief role. He's not a rubber band. Johnson hasn't been formally named...

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Matusz makes wrong kind of history (it's really 18-9)

September 19, 2011, 5:56pm

Orioles

Matusz makes wrong kind of history (it's really 18-9)

Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz might not pitch again this season, which would deny him the chance to lower his ERA and avoid a most dubious distinction. According to STATSPASS, Matusz's 10.68 ERA is the highest in major league history for any pitcher with at least 10 starts. I'm providing the Top 10 below. I'm only including the number of starts, not relief appearances. Keep in mind that his record hasn't been updated. He's facing another loss unless the Orioles rally tonight. They...

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No more for Matusz? (O's trying to rally)

September 19, 2011, 4:35pm

Orioles

No more for Matusz? (O's trying to rally)

I predicted in spring training that left-hander Brian Matusz would emerge as the staff ace. Then I thought the Orioles would keep in at Triple-A Norfolk for an extended period, but they recalled him. Then I thought they would continue to send him to the mound every five days, but they pulled him from the rotation after his Sept. 5 start in New York. Then I thought they would keep him in the bullpen for the rest of the season, but they gave him the start tonight in Game 2 of a doubleheader in...