The Orioles just put on a clinic on how to lose a lead.
Take notes, if you must.
Miguel Tejada opens the fourth with an error. Corey Patterson overruns a single in left field, allowing a run to score. Tejada fails to make a clean backhand stop of a ground ball, but is spared his second error. Kevin Milwood surrenders an RBI single. Mark Ellis steals home while catcher Matt Wieters throws to second, unaware that plate umpire Marty Foster has awarded a walk to Cliff Pennington, the No 9 hitter....
Kevin Millwood made it through the first inning without allowing a run, ending his scored-upon streak at seven games.
Millwood has given up two hits and struck out one in his first two innings. He's thrown 39 pitches.
Adam Jones gave him a 2-0 lead with a home run onto the flag court in right. That's No. 13 for Jones, who's pushing for an All-Star berth.
Jones has hit safely in 18 of his last 22 games, with seven homers, 18 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
Update: The push continues. Jones'...
Kevin Millwood will make his 400th major league appearance tonight, including his 392 start, becoming the 52nd active pitcher to reach that level of games. His 391 starts rank seventh among active pitchers, and his 1,889 strikeouts are fifth.
Among active pitchers with 350 or more starts, Millwood's 4.08 ERA is second only to Andy Pettitte's 3.87.
Millwood has allowed at least two runs in the first inning in each of his last seven starts, raising his total to 20, after not allowing a...
Though a final decision hasn't been made, it's becoming more likely that Felix Pie will join the Orioles on the second leg of their road trip in Detroit.
There's still a chance that Pie will be activated Friday, when the Orioles begin a three-game series in Boston, but team officials want him to receive more starts in left field on his injury rehab assignment before removing him from the disabled list.
Pie will be re-evaluated after tonight's game at Double-A Bowie. He went 4-for-5 with...
For the Orioles:
Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Scott Moore 2B
Cesar Izturis SS
Kevin Millwood RHP
A team official confirmed that reliever Cla Meredith cleared waivers and will report to Triple-A Norfolk.
For the Athletics:
Crisp CF
Barton 1B
Jackson LF
Suzuki C
Kouzmanoff 3B
Sweeney RF
Ellis 2B
Gross DH
Pennington SS
Sheets RHP
If Sheets is knocked out early, should I write that the Orioles short-sheeted the...
Left-hander Troy Patton held Charlotte to one earned run over six innings, but it wasn't good enough to pick up a win.
Patton also was tagged with an unearned run in a 2-1 loss. He allowed five hits, walked two and struck out two, as his record fell to 5-9 with a 4.84 ERA.
The unearned run scored when catcher Michel Hernandez dropped a pop up with two outs in the second inning.
Josh Bell, who homered twice and drove in six runs last night, went 2-for-4 to leave his average at...
I'm not sorting through a collection of fond memories from last night. I can name two, and one of them involves talking to Cal Ripken on the phone, which has nothing to do with the game.
It doesn't hurt to step back once in a while and recognize that I've talked to three Hall of Famers in a span of four days - Ripken, Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer. And that doesn't include standing within a few feet of Earl Weaver and Frank Robinson.
I usually take it all for granted because I'm jaded...
Brian Matusz turned in his ninth quality start of the season, but the bats bailed on him again.
"If you just look at him pitch, you wouldn't think he's that young," interim manager Juan Samuel said. "He's got an idea. He knows what he wants to do on the mound, so when he needs to make good pitches, he's been able to make good pitches and get out of potentially big innings for the other club. He's been able to control the damage very well, so that was very nice. He's been doing that...
Luke Scott's second double of the night, a shot that cleared right fielder Gabe Gross' head, reduced Oakland's lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth. Gross had just replaced Rajai Davis in right.
Scott's hit came after Nick Markakis doubled and Ty Wigginton swung at the next pitch and flied out.
A fan sitting in front of the press box yelled, "Way to work the count!"
Koji Uehara got into his first game since May 19 and allowed a leadoff double to Coco Crisp. Conor Jackson singled...
Triple-A third baseman Josh Bell has homered twice, including a grand slam, to raise his total to 10 on the season. He's driven in six runs.
Chris Tillman has held Charlotte to one run and four hits over six innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. He's thrown 87 pitches, 53 for strikes.
Felix Pie is 3-for-4 with a run scored in his first game at Double-A Bowie.
Chorye Spoone allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, with four walks and six strikeouts.
Mike Flacco is 2-for-3...
Oakland starter Vin Mazzaro drilled Julio Lugo in the back with his third pitch of the fifth inning, obvious retaliation for Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz hitting Daric Barton. It's not like Mazzaro tried to hide it.
Lugo took a few steps toward the mound before his path was blocked. I thought we might have a brawl.
It didn't go unnoticed that interim manager Juan Samuel was the first person out of the Orioles dugout. Luke Scott stood beside him, hands on hips.
Ty Wigginton and bench...
Cal Ripken confirmed tonight that talks are ongoing with owner Peter Angelos and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail about a future role in the front office, but he isn't prepared to place a timeline on his return to the organization.
"I love the fact that it's an open exploration and we're talking," Ripken said in a phone interview with MASNsports.com and The Sun.
"My goal truly was to be available to (son) Ryan, my kids, but you start to look at it and it's a short period...
Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Adam Jones CF
Craig Tatum C
Julio Lugo 2B
Cesar Izturis SS
Brian Matusz LHP
So much for Jake Fox facing his former team.
Dallas Braden was scratched because of stiffness in his left elbow.
Update: Dallas Braden has been scratched from tonight's start. Vin Mazzaro (2-2, 4.71 ERA) will replace him. The Orioles' lineup could change. More to come.
Tonight's game pits two teams with the longest winning streaks in baseball. The Orioles have won four in a row, and Oakland has won three straight.
The Orioles have won their last four one-run games, improving their record to 13-11. They've scored 28 runs in the last four games after totaling 27 in the previous seven.
Oakland leads...
Michael Gonzalez will pitch out of the bullpen tonight at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. Gonzalez has been working the first inning on his injury rehab assignment, but the Orioles want him to get more accustomed to his normal role.
Gonzalez probably will take tomorrow off and pitch again on Thursday. It's not known when the Orioles will activate him.
Gonzalez gave up a two-run homer in his last outing against Brooklyn, but interim manager Juan Samuel noted that the unfortunate pitch was a...
For the Orioles:
Julio Lugo 2B
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Jake Fox DH
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis SS
Brian Matusz LHP
For the Athletics:
Crisp CF
Barton 1B
Jackson LF
Suzuki C
Kouzmanoff 3B
Rosales 2B
Ellis DH
Davis RF
Pennington SS
Braden LHP
Did the Phillies pick up Garret Atkins today, or is it just a rumor? I haven't seen it confirmed.
Former Orioles catcher and coach Rick Dempsey had his scheduled interview for the full-time managerial position postponed until Thursday.
The interview had initially been scheduled for this afternoon.
The interview has been moved to Peter Angelos' law office. The delay will allow certain members of the organization to attend who wouldn't have been available today.
As I wrote earlier, Felix Pie will continue his injury rehab assignment tonight at Double-A Bowie after working out yesterday. He could return to the Orioles on Friday when they begin a three-city road trip in Boston.
They'll need to figure out how to use him.
Does Pie become the starting left fielder and leadoff hitter, with Corey Patterson taking a seat on the bench?
Patterson has provided a spark at the top of the order, batting .272 and going 10-for-28 in his last seven games, but he...
Felix Pie took batting practice and shagged fly balls at Double-A Bowie before retreating indoors because of the rain. He'll officially join the Baysox for tonight's game against Erie.
Pie's injury rehab assignment began with the Gulf Coast League team and continued at Single-A Frederick. He's 6-for-20 with two RBIs, two walks and four runs scored.
Once he's done with the Baysox, he could be activated from the disabled list this weekend.
Pie played left field on Sunday and will continue...
Nolan Reimold hit his fourth home run tonight for Triple-A Norfolk, which is trailing Louisville, 7-2, in the ninth inning. Reimold started at first base, where he's seeing regular action.
Robert Andino, starting at shortstop, is 1-for-3 with a double and his 15th error.
Ryan Adams hit a three-run homer in Double-A Bowie's 10-9 win over Erie.
Steve Johnson didn't get the decision after allowing eight runs in 4 2/3 innings. He walked four, struck out six and surrendered two home...