Roch Kubatko

Guthrie through the third (updated)

April 21, 2011, 3:45pm

Orioles

Jeremy Guthrie has made one mistake tonight, and he's trailing, 1-0, because of it. Jim Thome homered to center field with one out in the second inning, upping his career total to 591. Thome was batting .163 with one homer, five RBIs and a .279 slugging percentage. Guthrie also allowed a two-out single to Denard Span in the third. He's thrown 38 pitches, 26 for strikes, and his fastball has topped out at 94 mph. Twins starter Scott Baker, looking for his first victory of 2011, retired the...

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Taking a walk with Lee

April 21, 2011, 2:47pm

Orioles

Derrek Lee has two RBIs this season, and they both came on April 6, when he hit his only home run of the season. He's carrying a .206 average that's been dragged down, in part, by his 2-for-11 stretch in this series. At least he's been patient. Lee has nine of the Orioles' 42 walks to lead the club in that category. Is Lee going through an adjustment period after switching leagues? "I think there's some of that, too," manager Buck Showalter said. "I think we lose sight of that, but...

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Matusz on the mend

April 21, 2011, 12:54pm

Orioles

Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz says he's been pain-free for six or seven days after a minor setback, and he's ready to take the next steps in his progression toward a return to the rotation. Matusz reported to Camden Yards today after a stint at the minor league complex in Sarasota, where he's been rehabbing a strained intercostal muscle. He'll remain here for the rest of the homestand. What happens next is anybody's guess. "I feel really good," he said. "I played catch three days in a...

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Orioles lineup against Twins

April 21, 2011, 11:20am

Orioles

The Orioles are trotting out a familiar lineup for tonight's series finale against the Twins at Camden Yards. They've scored 16 runs in the last two games, so they're not going to shake it up. For the Orioles: 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 Jeremy Guthrie RHP

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Second look at second guesses

April 21, 2011, 2:46am

Orioles

After scoring 20 runs during their eight-game losing streak, the Orioles have totaled 16 in the last two nights. That's why it doesn't pay to panic. It's a 162-game season. The bats were bound to heat up. Nick Markakis went 2-for-4 after falling into a 1-for-20 slump. Vladimir Guerrero became the first Oriole to homer in consecutive games. Just when I started to get used to Matt Wieters producing loud outs and looping base hits, he's now producing loud hits. He's driving the ball with...

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Postgame Showalter

April 20, 2011, 6:14pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter had no doubt that Denard Span's fly ball with two outs in the ninth would stay on the right side of the fence. He just wasn't sure whether it would actually hit the fence. "I thought at the very worst it would be off the wall," Showalter said following the Orioles' 5-4 victory over the Twins. "I'm glad he didn't hit it two hours earlier. The ball was flying. It was a weird wind earlier, so we were fortunate." Buck Showalter meets with the media to discuss the...

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Gregg saves the night

April 20, 2011, 5:27pm

Orioles

Kevin Gregg entered in the ninth inning with the Orioles ahead, 5-4. Save situation. He's the closer. Gregg ran the count to 3-1 on leadoff hitter Steve Holm and induced a pop up in front of the mound. The crowd cheered. Yes, cheered. Matt Tolbert stepped to the plate and fell behind, 1-2. More applause. Tolbert swung through an 84 mph splitter for the second out. The ovation grew louder. Fans rose to their feet and kept cheering. Denard Span took a ball, fouled off a 93 mph fastball...

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Johnson removed after one inning (updated)

April 20, 2011, 5:03pm

Orioles

Johnson removed after one inning (updated)

Jim Johnson retired the Twins in order in the top of the seventh on only eight pitches, six of them strikes. He got two ground balls and struck out Denard Span. With the Orioles clinging to a two-run lead, I would have let Johnson pitch the eighth, as well. And a few reporters here are in agreement. However, Koji Uehara has entered the game, and you have to figure that Kevin Gregg will pitch the ninth if it's a save situation. Gregg hasn't turned in a clean outing in five tries, and he...

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Choosing between Andino and Izturis (updated)

April 20, 2011, 4:33pm

Orioles

Choosing between Andino and Izturis (updated)

Derrek Lee dug out another ball in the dirt tonight, sparing Robert Andino a throwing error. Lee crouched and backhanded the ball in a sweeping motion. Sir Smooth. I asked manager Buck Showalter earlier today if he had a tough decision choosing between Robert Andino and Cesar Izturis. Andino had reached base nine times in his last 10 at-bats. Izturis was 3-for-7 with two RBIs lifetime against Twins starter Nick Blackburn. "Yes and no," he replied. "Every day's a little different. What are...

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Wieters rakes with RISP (updated)

April 20, 2011, 3:55pm

Orioles

It happened again. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters stepped to the plate in the second inning with a runner in scoring position and launched a home run to center field off Twins starter Nick Blackburn, increasing the Orioles' lead to 4-1. Wieters is now 6-for-6 with a double, two home runs and 10 RBIs with RISP this season. Adam Jones' two-run double gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead. Mark Reynolds flied out, and Wieters produced a big fly. Zach Britton got a big 6-4-3 double play to end the top of...

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Matusz and Hardy updates

April 20, 2011, 1:43pm

Orioles

As if you haven't received enough already... Brian Matusz is scheduled to throw off flat ground from 120 feet on Friday, take Saturday off and throw from 120 feet again on Sunday. Assuming there are no setbacks, he could throw a bullpen session early next week at Camden Yards. Matusz would throw at least two bullpen sessions before the Orioles consider sending him on an injury-rehab assignment in the minors. Right now, they seem more inclined to take him on the road after the current...

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Pregame notes and Showalter quotes

April 20, 2011, 1:06pm

Orioles

The Orioles snapped an eight-game losing streak last night with 11 runs after scoring a total of 10 in their previous four games. According to Elias, over the last 50 years, the only other team to end a losing streak of eight or more games with a shutout win of 11-0 or more was the 1993 San Francisco Giants, who beat the Cincinnati Reds, 13-0, on Sept. 17. After beginning the year 33-158 (.209) with 14 RBIs when batting with two outs, the Orioles went 8-16 and scored 11 runs (10 RBIs) with...

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Matusz coming to Baltimore tomorrow

April 20, 2011, 12:38pm

Orioles

Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz will join the Orioles at Camden Yards tomorrow, take the day off and throw Friday on flat ground or in the bullpen. It's another step in the right direction for Matusz, who has been rehabbing his strained left intercostal muscle at the minor league complex in Sarasota. The Orioles have three options with Matusz next week. He can return to Twin Lakes Park, accompany them on a road trip that begins April 29 in Chicago or go on an injury rehabilitation...

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Andino stays in lineup

April 20, 2011, 12:05pm

Orioles

Robert Andino has reached base in nine of his last 10 plate appearances, and he'll stay in the lineup tonight. Cesar Izturis is 3-for-7 with two RBIs lifetime against Twins starter Nick Blackburn, but Andino gets the nod. He's never faced Blackburn. Here's the lineup: 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

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Orioles would not with Wood

April 20, 2011, 7:30am

Orioles

Don't look for the Orioles to make a run at infielder Brandon Wood, who was designated for assignment Tuesday by the Angels. I'm told they're "not likely" to pursue Wood, a one-time minor league Player of the Year who hasn't been able to carry that success to the majors. Wood is 26 and out of options. The Angels have 10 days to trade or place him on waivers. Any team acquiring Wood would have to keep him on the 25-man roster or attempt to pass him through waivers before outrighting him....

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About last night ...

April 20, 2011, 2:37am

Orioles

The losing streak is over and Zach Britton is pitching tonight. Good times have returned to Camden Yards. "We got the monkeys off our backs," Adam Jones said last night. And all it took were 11 runs scored with two outs. "That's something we haven't been doing, late two-out hitting and hitting with runners in scoring position," Jones said. "We got all 11 runs with two outs. That's a good stat. Now we have to keep building on it. "We've got a winning streak of one right now....

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Battery of Arrieta, Wieters charges Orioles

April 19, 2011, 7:05pm

Orioles

I'll admit that I love that title. It's downright inspired. Let's hear from Jake Arrieta, who blanked the Twins on four hits over six innings and lowered his ERA to 5.06. Starter Jake Arrieta discusses picking up his second win of the season against the Twins "I think overall it was really good. When we score runs offensively, I think the biggest thing to do is not give up rebound runs. I think those are the biggest innings for guys, when your team puts some runs on the board for you,...

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Showalter: "I like our club, I like our people."

April 19, 2011, 6:49pm

Orioles

Showalter: "I like our club, I like our people."

Manager Buck Showalter finally got to meet with reporters tonight after a win. It took long enough, but it happened. The eight-game losing streak has gone the way of the dodo bird. Buck Showalter talks with the media after the Orioles snap their eight-game losing streak Here are a few quotes from Showalter: "We strung a lot of good at-bats together, a lot of big two-out hits. Wieters had a good night. Matty had a clutch hit. Really, two of them. I thought the single to center kind of...

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A few updates

April 19, 2011, 5:55pm

Orioles

Robert Andino is 3-for-3 with a walk tonight. He has seven hits and two walks in his last 10 trips to the plate. Is that good? Derrek Lee singled twice tonight, but he fell to 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position after flying out in the eighth inning. Vladimir Guerrero followed with a three-run homer off former Twins closer Joe Nathan, making him 4-for-15. The Orioles have four extra-base hits this season with two outs and RISP. Three of them came tonight. Jason Berken tossed two...