Roch Kubatko

Britton escapes another jam (and he's done)

April 26, 2011, 5:01pm

Orioles

Britton escapes another jam (and he's done)

The Red Sox put two more runners on base in the sixth, but Zach Britton retired Carl Crawford on a fly ball to center field on his 94th pitch of the night. Britton appears to be done. Jim Johnson is throwing with a purpose in the bullpen. Britton has four quality starts in five outings. He's held the Red Sox to one run and five hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. On the season, Britton has allowed 10 runs and 25 hits 31 2/3 innings. He's walked 12 and struck out 19. Johnson is...

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Gut-check time for Britton (updated)

April 26, 2011, 4:46pm

Orioles

Say this for Zach Britton: The kid doesn't pitch like he's scared. Britton loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth on a single, double and four-pitch walk. Adrian Gonzalez stepped to the plate. Britton had a crisis on his young hands. Rather than buckle, he got ahead, 1-2, and retired Gonzalez on a bouncer to second baseman Brian Roberts, who flipped to Robert Andino for the force. Britton has thrown 84 pitches, 51 for strikes. Derrek Lee is 2-for-3 tonight, with singles to left and...

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Machado homers again (updated)

April 26, 2011, 4:07pm

Orioles

Single-A Delmarva shortstop Manny Machado has hit his second home run in two nights. He's still not ready to replace the injured J.J. Hardy in Baltimore, but he's an exciting prospect. Mike Flacco, the brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, hit his first home run of the season, a three-run shot in the first inning against Savannah. Buck Britton, the brother of Orioles pitcher Zach Britton, has an RBI tonight for Single-A Frederick. Tyler Townsend has a double and RBI. Robbie...

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The approach against Buchholz (updated)

April 26, 2011, 3:37pm

Orioles

I suggested this morning that the Orioles might want to keep the bats on their shoulders and challenge Boston starter Clay Buchholz to throw strikes. He issued 14 walks in 20 innings this season. The plate tends to move on him. Three of the first four Orioles swung at the first pitch tonight. Buchholz needed only seven pitches to complete the opening inning, which included Nick Markakis' one-out single. Manager Buck Showalter hoped that his club would strike a balance between being patient...

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Matusz and Jakubauskas updates

April 26, 2011, 1:45pm

Orioles

Brian Matusz will throw a bullpen session Thursday, though manager Buck Showalter is hesitant to call it a conventional one because the left-hander might not use maximum effort. Matusz will throw 30-35 pitches from the rubber, and he won't be limited to fastballs. He'll be allowed to "spin" some balls, according to pitching coach Mark Connor. Matusz is still expected to report to the minor league complex in Sarasota this weekend. Chris Jakubauskas will throw another bullpen session...

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Will Showalter juggle lineup?

April 26, 2011, 12:53pm

Orioles

If Orioles manager Buck Showalter is considering major or minor changes to his lineup, he isn't going to publicize it. "I wouldn't tip my hand if I was," he said. "They certainly don't need to see it and read it and whatever. I trust them, but they understand that at some point we're going to have to be a little better. But to hand it on one person... "We've had periods where we've done well offensively, and we will again. I hope it starts tonight, but I'm certainly not going to be...

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Matusz: "The pain's gone"

April 26, 2011, 12:32pm

Orioles

The look on Brian Matusz's face earlier today made it obvious that he felt good throwing in the outfield and from the front of the bullpen mound. He was grinning and eager to talk about the sessions. He also gave teammate Chris Tillman an enthusiastic fist bump before heading back inside the clubhouse. Matusz and Tillman did some long-tossing from 120 feet. Matusz threw 15-20 light pitches in the bullpen before returning to his locker. "I felt really good. I felt good health-wise and I felt...

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Hardy increases workload

April 26, 2011, 12:23pm

Orioles

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy didn't report any discomfort after swinging a bat yesterday for the first time since going on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. Hardy increased the intensity of his activities today, which included running and throwing. Hardy eventually will go on an injury rehab assignment. The initial plan called for him to play at least two games in the minors. Brian Matusz (strained left intercostal) threw from a slight incline on the lower portion of the...

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Orioles and Red Sox lineups (with Matusz update)

April 26, 2011, 11:14am

Orioles

The Orioles are sending out their regular lineup again tonight against the Red Sox. Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Robert Andino SS Zach Britton LHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Pedroia 2B Gonzalez 1B Youkilis 3B Ortiz DH Lowrie SS Drew RF Crawford LF Varitek C Buchholz RHP Also, Brian Matusz played catch in the outfield and did some throwing in the bullpen, though it's impossible to...

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Trying to change these Sox (with Mahoney update)

April 26, 2011, 5:11am

Orioles

Trying to change these Sox (with Mahoney update)

If you need some good news to perk you up, the Yankee fans left Baltimore after Sunday's game. They had to make room for all the Red Sox fans. Didn't perk you up? Sorry. The Orioles have lost 11 of 13. The Red Sox have won five in a row and eight of nine. I'm really doing a lousy job of improving your moods. Again, sorry. As I mentioned yesterday, the Orioles have been outscored 10-2 in the first inning this season. Boston has pitched back-to-back shutouts. Probably not a good idea...

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Machado hits second professional home run

April 25, 2011, 5:38pm

Orioles

Machado hits second professional home run

I can't let you go to bed without a Manny Machado update. I'd never forgive myself if you tossed and turned all night. Machado hit his first home run in the South Atlantic League, and his second as a professional, in Single-A Delmarva's 7-3 victory over Savannah. Machado, who hit one home run in the Gulf Coast League last year, in his first at-bat on Aug. 28 after being the third-overall pick in the draft, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs to leave his average at .290. All three RBIs came on...

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Feeling left out so far (updated)

April 25, 2011, 11:25am

Orioles

The Orioles' shifted much of their winter focus to finding right-handed bats that would improve their record against left-handed pitching. Derrek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy were added to the 25-man roster via free-agent signings or trades. What could go wrong? Well, we're dealing with an extremely small sample size less than a full month into the season, but the Orioles are 1-4 against left-handed starters. They beat David Price in the season-opener at Tropicana...

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Summing it up in three words

April 25, 2011, 4:42am

Orioles

I tried to find a succinct way to sum up yesterday's 11-inning loss to the Yankees, but I decided to let catcher Matt Wieters do it. "It definitely stinks." Thanks, Matt. Wieters also could have been talking about the weather or this 2-11 stretch that is starting to look a lot like the 2-16 start last season, except it's been sugarcoated a bit because it's following a 6-1 start. Make sense? If the Orioles began this season 2-11, the anger and frustration would be dialed up even more....

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Postgame Showalter

April 24, 2011, 2:47pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter couldn't fault Matt Wieters' pickoff attempt on Robinson Cano at second base in the top of the 11th inning. Wieters had the right idea, but the wrong execution. Cano was credited with a steal of third base after Wieters' made a wide throw, and the Yankees scored three times in a 6-3 victory over the Orioles that completed a sweep of this abbreviated series. Buck Showalter meets with the media after the O's 11-inning loss to the Yankees "It was a good...

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Rain stops, along with Orioles' momentum

April 24, 2011, 1:55pm

Orioles

The Yankees have taken a 6-3 lead over the Orioles in the 11th inning after a 40-minute rain delay and another pitching change. Jason Berken replaced Jeremy Accardo with no outs and a full count on Robinson Cano, who lined a double to right field to extend his hitting streak to 16 games against the Orioles. With Nick Swisher batting, catcher Matt Wieters tried to pick off Cano at second base. Not a bad idea, except Cano broke for third as Wieters' throw to shortstop Robert Andino tailed to...

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Down on the farm

April 24, 2011, 1:24pm

Orioles

The game is expected to resume at 5:35 p.m. following a major downpour. We're in the top of the 11th with the score tied, 3-3. It's nice to see the tarp off the field. Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 11th to defeat Durham, 6-5. Nick Green led off the inning with a single and took third on Brendan Harris' double. Blake Davis lifted a sacrifice fly with one out, and Matt Angle followed with the game-winning single. Angle returned to the Tides'...

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Matt Wieters: Brick wall in shin guards

April 24, 2011, 12:48pm

Orioles

The Yankees thought they had the lead in the top of the 10th inning. So did just about everyone in the ballpark. Alex Rodriguez lifted a fly ball to medium center field against Orioles reliever Jeremy Accardo with one out and Derek Jeter tagging at third base. Jones unleashed the throw to the plate, where Matt Wieters reached up for it and slapped the tag on Jeter, who slide into the catcher's foot. Once again, Wieters demonstrated that he's a physical presence behind the plate, and when...

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Scott comes within inches of big hit (Roberts gets it)

April 24, 2011, 12:07pm

Orioles

Scott comes within inches of big hit (Roberts gets it)

Luke Scott was 2-for-13 with one home run lifetime against Mariano Rivera when the Yankees closer entered today's game with runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Scott drove the ball to left field, which the Yankees weren't expecting with speedster Brett Gardner playing so shallow. Gardner went into a full sprint, reached over his head and somehow made the catch for the final out. The game is definitely tied if the ball eludes Gardner's glove, and I like...

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Reynolds ends skid

April 24, 2011, 11:47am

Orioles

Mark Reynolds was hitless in his last 22 at-bats before launching an opposite-field, two-run homer off Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain in the seventh inning. Adam Jones singled with one out and Reynolds followed with a shot to right, his first homer since April 9 against the Rangers' Colby Lewis. Matt Wieters struck out, and manager Buck Showalter let Cesar Izturis bat, creating a spirited debate in the press box. One reporter agreed that Izturis should bat, which would allow Brian...

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Arrieta gives Orioles a chance

April 24, 2011, 11:21am

Orioles

Too bad the Orioles forgot again to unpack their bats. You'd think the anthem or the opposing pitcher's warmup tosses would provide a reminder. Jake Arrieta has allowed three runs and five hits, with three walks and a career-high nine strikeouts in six innings. He's thrown 97 pitches, and it appears that Koji Uehara will replace him in the seventh. Give Arrieta credit for holding the Yankees to one run after the first, but again, an Orioles starter put the team in an early hole. And...