Tied no more (updated twice!)

Tied no more (updated twice!)
Willy Aybar's two-out single in the 12th inning scored Carlos Pena to give Tampa Bay a 10-9 lead. Pena stole second base as Gabe Kapler struck out, and he took third on catcher Craig Tatum's throwing error. Aybar jumped on the next pitch from Alfredo Simon and lined it into right field. Simon gave the Orioles 2 2/3 innings tonight, his highest mark of the season, after pitching one inning last night. I guess that elbow is holding up. Simon's previous high was 1 2/3, which he reached...
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Free baseball

Free baseball
The first three batters reached against Rays closer Rafael Soriano in the ninth inning, with Miguel Tejada's double scoring Cesar Izturis (single) and Felix Pie (double) to tie the game. Pie and Tejada both clapped their hands vigorously upon reaching second base. Tejada crouched slightly and looked like he might draw blood from his palms, except he didn't want to steal A.J. Burnett's idea. Nick Markakis struck out, making him 0-for-5, with pinch-runner Julio Lugo on second base. Corey...
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Great Scott

Great Scott
Luke Scott picked up his third RBI tonight with a two-out single in the seventh inning that scored Miguel Tejada and reduced Tampa Bays lead to 8-7. Scott is running as if he dumped a box of thumb tacks in his shoes. He told me a few days ago that he would be smart and not risk reinjuring his hamstring. David Hernandez started the eighth inning and served up a home run to Reid Brignac. Rays 9, Orioles 7. Craig Tatum has three hits and one close call. He appeared to injure his right foot or...
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Back-to-back-to-back - Part II (updated)

Back-to-back-to-back - Part II (updated)
It happened at Double-A Bowie, too. Joel Guzman, Joe Mahoney and Brandon Waring homered in succession in the fourth inning at Prince George's Stadium. Has such a thing ever occurred at two levels of the same organization on the same night? Guzman hit his 20th, Mahoney his fourth and Waring his 17th. Unreal. Brian Roberts, serving as the designated hitter tonight, is 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. He's batting .556 with the Baysox. Steve Johnson has allowed two unearned runs and...
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Back-to-back-to-back (updated twice)

Back-to-back-to-back (updated twice)
Three straight Orioles homered in the second inning, the first time it's happened in 15 years. Luke Scott led off the inning with a 352 foot shot off Rays starter Matt Garza. He rounded the bases carefully, making sure his hamstring held up. Up stepped Ty Wigginton, who launched a ball 382 feet. Up stepped Adam Jones, who beat them all with a 408-foot shot. Scott Moore grounded to second and was booed. That's the first time the Orioles have hit back-to-back-to-back homers since Jeff...
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That'll leave a mark

That'll leave a mark
Orioles starter Jake Arrieta picked off Tampa Bay left fielder Carl Crawford in the first inning. If given the choice, Crawford wouldn't have picked this particular method. Arrieta's throw nailed Crawford in the, um, protective cup. And I mean flush. Crawford collapsed to the ground, no longer worried about keeping his foot on the bag. Ty Wigginton applied the tag, and Rays first base coach George Hendrick frantically motioned for the head athletic trainer to come out of the...
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Tillman optioned (updated)

Tillman optioned (updated)
Well, that didn't take long. The Orioles just optioned pitcher Chris Tillman to Triple-A Norfolk. A corresponding move will be announced tomorrow. I'm heading down to the clubhouse. More to come. Here it is: Kevin Millwood will be activated tomorrow and start on Thursday. Tillman wasn't available for an interview, but I joined The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec in interim manager Juan Samuel's office. "Tillman isn't going to pitch for five days, so why not do it now and get him on his way?"...
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Weekday Update (w/quotes added)

Weekday Update (w/quotes added)
Brian Roberts isn't expected to come off the disabled list during this homestand. The Orioles are deciding whether to let him play in Toronto or Kansas City. "Brian Roberts has stated that he wishes to come with us on the road trip, so we'll see what the medical people say and when they turn it over to the baseball people and see what the decision's going to be," interim manager Juan Samuel said. "For me, the ideal place for him is Kansas City. I don't know if we want him coming back...
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Tonight's lineups

Tonight's lineups
For the Orioles: Felix Pie LF Miguel Tejada 3B Nick Markakis RF Luke Scott DH Ty Wigginton 1B Adam Jones CF Scott Moore 2B Craig Tatum C Cesar Izturis SS Jake Arrieta RHP For the Rays: Zobrist 2B Crawford LF Longoria 3B Pena 1B Joyce RF Aybar DH Jaso C Upton CF Brignac SS Garza RHP
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Sales pitch for Arrieta

Sales pitch for Arrieta
I need to feel better about the cavalry tonight, so I'm counting on rookie right-hander Jake Arrieta. No pressure, kid. Just give me somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball. Will Ohman retires a left-hander to carry the game into the eighth. David Hernandez serves as the bridge to closer Alfredo Simon, who locks up a 4-2 victory. Nothing to it. Mark Hendrickson still isn't available after throwing a season-high 4 1/3 innings on Sunday. Matt Albers also can't be...
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Staying down, cleaning up

Staying down, cleaning up
The Tigers need a third baseman. Brandon Inge broke his hand and will miss the next four to six weeks. The Orioles have a third baseman, Miguel Tejada, who is drawing interest from a few teams, including the Padres. I'm not above playing matchmaker. Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer last night at Triple-A Norfolk, and Single-A Frederick's Xavier Avery came within a triple of the cycle. The Orioles were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position last night, but I doubt that many people...
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Post-game Samuel and Tillman

Post-game Samuel and Tillman
Not surprisingly, pitcher Chris Tillman was a popular subject after tonight's 8-1 loss. "For a couple nights in a row, we haven't seen good pitching from our young guys. Very inconsistent," said interim manager Juan Samuel, also referencing left-hander Brian Matusz. "Tillman tonight missed his spots tremendously. His command was very, very bad. He was a different guy than what we saw in Texas. We were hoping that he would build on that, but we did not see that tonight. "It's getting to...
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More random thoughts

More random thoughts
Wednesday afternoon is "Foam Finger Day" at Camden Yards. Which finger? Need a positive from tonight? Nobody was killed. Also, Matt Albers shut out the Rays on one hit over 3 1/3 innings. The one hit was Evan Longoria's single that scored Carl Crawford and completed Chris Tillman's line. Tillman has made six starts this season. In three of them, he's lasted 1 1/3, two and 2 2/3 innings. Cesar Izturis has two more hits tonight. And you wanted to pinch-hit for him! Brian Roberts is...
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Tillman toppled (updated twice)

Tillman toppled (updated twice)
Chris Tillman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his last start. He took a beating tonight. Tillman gave up a run in the second inning and six more in the third before leaving the game with two outs. He allowed seven hits, walked four and hit a batter. The Rays loaded the bases with no outs in the second after Matt Joyce's RBI double, and B.J. Upton walked to force in a run and increase their lead to 3-0. Jason Bartlett followed with a two-run single, and Upton scored on Sean...
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The waiting is the hardest part (updated twice)

The waiting is the hardest part (updated twice)
Michael Gonzalez is supposed to start tonight's game at Triple-A Norfolk, but rain has delayed the first pitch. Brian Roberts is supposed to play second base and bat leadoff for Double-A Bowie, but rain has delayed the first pitch. Update: They finally got started at Bowie. Eddie Gamboa gave up a solo home run in the top of the first to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead, but Roberts doubled and later scored on Tyler Henson's single. Check Steve Melewski's blog on MASNsports.com for updates. The...
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Rays lineup and other stuff (updated twice)

Rays lineup and other stuff (updated twice)
Update: It's not raining, but the grounds crew is putting the tarp on the field. A storm is headed this way. Update II: And now the tarp's coming off the field. As storms go, this one was very overrated. First pitch is scheduled for 7:28 p.m. For the Rays: Ben Zobrist RF Carl Crawford LF Evan Longoria 3B Carlos Pena 1B Matt Joyce DH John Jaso C B.J. Upton CF Jason Bartlett SS Sean Rodriguez 2B Wade Davis RHP Tampa Bay has the best road record in the majors at 29-16. The Orioles own the...
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A few pre-game notes

A few pre-game notes
Corey Patterson is expected to be available tomorrow. He worked out on the field earlier today. Brian Roberts also worked out here before heading to Double-A Bowie. "He thought I was going to have him in the lineup," interim manager Juan Samuel said. The Orioles must decide whether to activate him next week when the team is in Toronto, and risk playing him on the hard artificial surface, or wait until the series in Kansas City that begins July 29. They could activate him here over the...
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Orioles lineup

Orioles lineup
Felix Pie LF Miguel Tejada 3B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Luke Scott DH Adam Jones CF Scott Moore 2B Craig Tatum C Cesar Izturis SS Chris Tillman RHP
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Scott back, Mata down

Scott back, Mata down
The Orioles activated Luke Scott from the disabled list today and he's expected to be in the starting line up. As expected, the Orioles optioned reliever Frank Mata to Triple-A Norfolk. They're back to a four-man bench, but Corey Patterson may not be available tonight.
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Tillman vs. Davis

Tillman vs. Davis
The Orioles will try to notch their first second-half win tonight against Tampa Bay right-hander Wade Davis. Davis is 6-9 with a 4.69 ERA. Not too intimidating. Davis has allowed two earned runs in three of his last four starts, and is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two career starts against the Orioles. Not too promising. The Orioles have totaled one run against Davis in 16 innings. He owns a complete-game shutout against them. The players on the active roster are a combined 2-for-15 against...
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