Britton's next start pushed back (with quotes)

Britton's next start pushed back (with quotes)
Left-hander Zach Britton was scheduled to start Tuesday night's series opener in Toronto, but he's being pushed back to Friday or Saturday in Washington. Chris Jakubauskas will take Britton's turn. Jakubauskas will be followed in the rotation by Jake Arrieta on Wednesday and Jeremy Guthrie on Thursday. Britton isn't injured. The Orioles want to control his innings so he doesn't reach his limit before September. They want him to pitch during the final month of the season. Manager Buck...

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott 1B Mark Reynolds 3B Felix Pie LF Ryan Adams 2B Craig Tatum C Brian Matusz LHP For the Rays: Damon DH Zobrist RF Ruggiano LF Longoria 3B Upton CF Rodriguez 2B Kotchman 1B Johnson SS Shoppach C Davis RHP

Hearing from Guthrie, Gregg, Accardo and Reynolds

Hearing from Guthrie, Gregg, Accardo and Reynolds
Jeremy Guthrie talked about: His outing: "I think it turned out that the big home runs by Mark (Reynolds) made it so, yeah, we were in the game. Any other night, David (Price) is throwing the ball so well throughout his career that three runs could have been considered not keeping us in the game. But we had good at-bats all night, the offense took some good swings and even hit some long outs, so the credit's to the offense. That's why we were in the game. Ultimately, we're trying to win...

Showalter speaks after 7-5 loss in 11 innings

Showalter speaks after 7-5 loss in 11 innings
The Orioles failed to reach .500 tonight because they couldn't make some plays in the field and Kevin Gregg couldn't nail down the save. The Rays were better defensively - left fielder Justin Ruggiano robbed J.J. Hardy of a home run and shortstop Reid Brignac robbed him of a two-run single - and the Orioles fell to 3-5 in extra-inning games. Buck Showalter talks about what led to the Orioles giving up the lead to the Rays "We were battling a good club there," manager Buck Showalter...

Orioles lose another lead, Rays win 7-5 in 11 innings

Orioles lose another lead, Rays win 7-5 in 11 innings
Orioles closer Kevin Gregg blew his fourth save tonight, surrendering a two-out single to Casey Kotchman that scored Ben Zobrist and tied the game 5-5. It's not all Gregg's fault. Zobrist tripled with one out, but the ball deflected off Felix Pie's glove as he lunged for it in left field. Again, we're not talking about a routine play. Far from it. But if the ball hits the glove, it must be squeezed. Pie needs to make that catch. Isn't he normally a defensive replacement? He was a...

Reynolds homers twice tonight (O's take lead)

Reynolds homers twice tonight (O's take lead)
Mark Reynolds simply will not let Adam Jones stay tied with him for the team RBI lead. Reynolds has produced his 10th career multi-homer game tonight. He followed a 392-foot solo shot to right-center field in the fifth inning with a 421-foot two-run bomb to center in the sixth that gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead against Rays southpaw David Price. Reynolds wouldn't know a cheap home run if it invited him to dinner and skipped out on the check (I'm pretty sure that makes sense). Every ball he...

It's a glove story for Andino (updated)

It's a glove story for Andino (updated)
When did Robert Andino become a Gold Glove second baseman? His struggles at the position in spring training 2010 caused the Orioles to acquire Julio Lugo late in camp and outright Andino to Triple-A Norfolk. He doesn't look like he's struggling anymore. Andino made another fine play tonight, ranging up the middle to backhand Casey Kotchman's ground ball and flipping to J.J. Hardy for the force to end the third inning. Jeremy Guthrie had walked Evan Longoria with two outs, and he needed...

Statement from Brooks Robinson

Statement from Brooks Robinson
Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson has been hospitalized as part of a follow-up procedure related to an infection he developed more than two months ago. He prefers to keep his health a private matter, but that's virtually impossible. Rather than have rumors and speculation continue to swirl, Robinson released the following statement earlier today: "As you may recall, I was hospitalized in April for a routine procedure. I was recently hospitalized for a follow-up procedure, also...

Duchscherer scheduled to pitch next week (and more)

Duchscherer scheduled to pitch next week (and more)
Justin Duchscherer will make another attempt next week to go five innings in an extended spring training game. Manager Buck Showalter said Duchscherer will pitch Tuesday or Wednesday. According to the Orioles, Duchscherer left Tuesday's game in the third inning with spasms in his gluteus. He had completed four innings in his previous start despite being hit in the stomach by a line drive in the first, and he was scheduled to go five in his next outing. The spasms apparently began after...

Hardy leading off again, Snyder at first base

Hardy leading off again, Snyder at first base
J.J. Hardy will make his third career start tonight as a leadoff hitter. Pretty much a no-brainer there. And Brandon Snyder will start at first base against Rays left-hander David Price. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Nolan Reimold LF Mark Reynolds 3B Robert Andino 2B Brandon Snyder 1B Jeremy Guthrie RHP

Hardy leading off is the right thing

Hardy leading off is the right thing
A win tonight would put the Orioles back at .500 for the first time since May 26, right before that horrific West Coast trip. David Price is quite a hurdle, but the Orioles weren't supposed to clear Jeremy Hellickson last night. They didn't fall on their faces. They didn't even skin a knee. Manager Buck Showalter can break out his right-handed lineup against Price, and that has to include J.J. Hardy atop the order. Right? Felix Pie and Robert Andino used to be the leadoff options, but Pie...

Hearing from Markakis and Arrieta

Hearing from Markakis and Arrieta
Nick Markakis hadn't collected an extra-base hit since May 15 until hitting a grand slam and a two-run double tonight and setting a career high with six RBIs. Nick Markakis talks about his six-RBI night in the Orioles' 7-0 win over the Rays "I guess you could say it was a relief for me, but it was a relief for the whole team," he said. "We got a big hit in a big situation and we had great pitching and great defense. You play good defense and you pitch, most of the times you win the...

Showalter speaks after 7-0 win

Showalter speaks after 7-0 win
The Orioles posted their fifth shutout of the year and their second on this homestand. The three hits allowed were the fewest this season. The Orioles improved to 17-3 at home when scoring four runs or more. Overall, they're 24-8 when scoring four or more. The winning streak has reached four games, and the Orioles are only one below .500. Let's hear from manager Buck Showalter: Buck Showalter meets with the media following the Birds' 5th shutout of the season On Nick...

Orioles solve Hellickson riddle (Hardy and Markakis updates)

Orioles solve Hellickson riddle (Hardy and Markakis updates)
Tampa Bay pitcher Jeremy Hellickson was 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA lifetime against the Orioles before tonight. They were batting .205 against him. Hellickson allowed five earned runs in May. He was nothing short of dominant. Then he showed up at Camden Yards for tonight's game. The Orioles scored five runs off him in the first two innings, on J.J. Hardy's leadoff homer and Nick Markakis' grand slam. He exited after 5 2/3 innings with the Orioles leading, 5-0. Jake Arrieta was cruising until...

Markakis slams extra-base hit slump (updated twice)

Markakis slams extra-base hit slump (updated twice)
Nick Markakis collected his first extra-base hit since May 15. And yes, he did it in grand fashion. Markakis homered onto the flag court in right field with the bases loaded and two outs in the second inning, his first extra-base hit in 89 at-bats. The last one also came against the Rays, and it also was a home run - in the fifth inning at Tropicana Field. Markakis has three career grand slams, the most recent one coming on April 17, 2009 in Boston. That's the skinny on Markakis. (See what...

Hardy does it again

Hardy does it again
Is there any reason to drop J.J. Hardy from the leadoff spot? Maybe when Brian Roberts is activated from the disabled list. Otherwise... Hardy has made two career starts as a leadoff hitter. He's homered in the first inning in both games. If that isn't a pattern, I don't know what qualifies. Hardy jumped on a 1-0 pitch from Tampa Bay's Jeremy Hellickson tonight and drove it an estimated 388 feet into the left field seats. Three nights ago, he homered on an 0-1 pitch from Oakland starter...

Pregame tidbits, new Rays lineup (and quotes)

Pregame tidbits, new Rays lineup (and quotes)
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the reason he returned shortstop J.J. Hardy to the leadoff spot is "two-fold." Hardy's put together good at-bats, which will be needed against red-hot Rays pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, and Felix Pie seems more comfortable batting lower in the order. First baseman Derrek Lee is eligible to return to the Orioles on Sunday, but he's still expected to join them in Toronto for the series that begins Tuesday. Lee was extremely close to his grandfather, and he's...

Hardy leading off again

Hardy leading off again
J.J. Hardy is batting leadoff tonight for the second time. We'll see if he hits another home run in his first at-bat. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Luke Scott 1B Mark Reynolds 3B Felix Pie LF Robert Andino 2B Jake Arrieta RHP

Jake Fox clears waivers (Snyder recalled)

Jake Fox clears waivers (Snyder recalled)
Utility infielder Jake Fox cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk later today. The Orioles couldn't work out a trade for Fox, who hit .188 with two homers in 19 games. Fox was the talk of spring training after belting 10 home runs - 11 if you count the intrasquad game - and he beat out Craig Tatum for the backup catching job. The Orioles weren't satisfied with his work behind the plate and recalled Tatum, and Derrek Lee's return from the disabled list further cut into...

Orioles-Rays and other things

Orioles-Rays and other things
The Orioles' homestand continues tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who's 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA. Hellickson hasn't allowed a run against the Orioles in two starts this season covering 14 innings. He turned in five scoreless innings May 7 at Camden Yards, though he walked five batters, and tossed a four-hit shutout six nights later at Tropicana Field. Overall, Hellickson is 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in 21 2/3 career innings against the Orioles. They're batting...