Steve Melewski

Tigers hit four homers as O's lose 2011 road finale

September 25, 2011, 12:08pm

Orioles

Tigers hit four homers as O's lose 2011 road finale

The Detroit Tigers produced nine runs on four swings today in beating the Orioles 10-6 at Comerica Park as the clubs split a four-game series. It was the Orioles final road game of the year. They went 5-3 on this road trip and finish with a 30-51 road record. Brian Matusz gave up six runs and seven hits over five innings to take the loss, falling to 1-9 with a 10.69 ERA. He gave up a two-run homer to Miguel Cabrera and a three-run shot to Victor Martinez in the fifth that broke a 3-3...

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Reynolds moves into O's top 10 homers list

September 25, 2011, 9:42am

Orioles

Reynolds moves into O's top 10 homers list

When Mark Reynolds hit his 37th homer on Saturday against Justin Verlander, he moved into a tie with Albert Belle and Boog Powell for ninth most homers by an Oriole in one season. Powell hit 37 in 1969 and Belle did it in 1999. Reynolds may not add to his total today as he is not in the lineup this afternoon in Detroit. He has now hit five homers over his last seven games and if he can add one or more in the remaining games, he can continue to move up the single-season homer charts. If he...

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Some Orioles news and notes before the season's final road game

September 24, 2011, 7:42pm

Orioles

Some notes to ponder as the Orioles play their last road game of the year today at Detroit. The Orioles are 67-91. If they can go 3-1 or better in the remaining games, they will have their first 70-win season since 2006, when they were 70-92. * The Orioles have been playing a lot of close games lately. Of their past 19 games, 13 have been decided by two runs or less and the Orioles are 9-4 in those games. Eight of the club's last 13 games have been decided by one run and they are 5-3 in those...

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Orioles use homers to get the lead, then little ball to win against Detroit

September 24, 2011, 5:52pm

Orioles

In a game where the Orioles used two homers to take an early impressive lead against likely Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, the Orioles used little ball to win the game. The game was tied 5-5 starting the ninth when Detroit's Daniel Schlereth came on and gave up a leadoff single to Chris Davis. Kyle Hudson came on to pinch run. He advanced all the way to third base on a wild pitch, third strike to Robert Andino. Matt Angle gets a shaving cream pie to the face after he hits his first career...

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Angle and Reynolds homer as O's take early lead against Verlander

September 24, 2011, 3:55pm

Orioles

Angle and Reynolds homer as O's take early lead against Verlander

Detroit's Justin Verlander has not suffered a loss since July 15 against the Chicago White Sox, but he trails the Orioles tonight 5-0 in the third inning. Verlander, who is 24-5 with an ERA of 2.29, gave up a homer to Matt Angle leading off the game. It was Angle's first major league homer after 69 at-bats without one. He hit four homers in 424 at-bats this year at Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles added three runs off Verlander in the second on a J.J. Hardy two-run single and a Nick Markakis...

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There is still time for the AL wild card race to get wild

September 24, 2011, 8:09am

Orioles

There is still time for the AL wild card race to get wild

No major league team has ever overcome a deficit of nine games in the standings in September to make the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Rays were nine games behind Boston in the wild-card race on Sept. 2 and they are 2 1/2 games back going into today's games. Since then, Tampa Bay is 12-8 while Boston is 5-14. Boston hasn't won a game over the last three days and actually has gained a 1/2 game with Tampa Bay losing a doubleheader on Wednesday and losing last night when Boston was rained...

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"Moneyball" was OK, I guess

September 23, 2011, 8:49pm

Orioles

I certainly didn't hate "Moneyball." I didn't dislike it, so I guess I liked it. A little anyway. I don't think it's a great movie by any stretch and certainly not a great baseball movie. Bull Durham and Eight Men Out, those are great baseball movies to me and this is not in that class. It is still very much worth seeing and sure better than a lot of movies I've seen recently, which, in the confines of baseball season, is not very many. I would have loved to see the movie get even...

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Victor Martinez wins it in 11 as Tigers tame the O's, 4-3

September 23, 2011, 6:29pm

Orioles

Victor Martinez wins it in 11 as Tigers tame the O's, 4-3

The Orioles got some early offense tonight, but they didn't score after the third inning and finally lost the game at Detroit, 4-3, in 11 innings. In the last of the 11th, Brandon Inge drew a leadoff walk against Willie Eyre and Danny Worth came in to pinch run. He reached second on a one-out single and scored the winning run on a Victor Martinez basehit down the left-field line. The hit came on an 0-2 pitch against lefty Zach Phillips. Jim Hunter catches up with Buck Showalter after the...

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Picking up the pace on offense

September 23, 2011, 3:34pm

Orioles

The Orioles began play tonight ranked eighth in the American League in runs scored. They have been even better than that, going 19-13 over the last 32 games. They are averaging 4.9 runs per game during that 32-game stretch. If you scored that many over the entire season, they would rank fourth in the AL in runs scored. Scoring 4.9 per game is an upgrade for the Orioles but still not as good as the big boys. Boston, leading the league in runs, averages 5.45 runs per game and New York is second...

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Just like last year, the Orioles are winning again late in the season

September 22, 2011, 7:45pm

Orioles

The Orioles are doing it again. They are playing well late in the season. They went 34-23 in the last 57 games last year for a winning percentage of .596. After Thursday's win at Detroit, they are 19-13 in their last 32 games this year for a winning percentage of .594. They just started a bit later this season. In 2010, they began the 57-game run to end the year with Buck Showalter's first game on Aug. 3. Their current 32-game winning run began Aug. 22 with a four-game sweep at...

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O's lost lead, but won game at Detroit

September 22, 2011, 5:41pm

Orioles

The Orioles lost a 5-0 lead, but not the game on Thursday night at Detroit. After the Tigers rallied to tie the Orioles at 5-5 on Delmon Young's three-run homer in the fifth, the Orioles reclaimed the lead an inning later on a Nolan Reimold RBI infield single and went on to a 6-5 win. With the victory, the Orioles have now won eight of their last 10 and 11 of their last 16 games. They are 19-13 since August 22 and 66-90 on the year. Zach Britton tells Jim Hunter how his team bailed him out...

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Some notes on the Orioles and Tigers

September 22, 2011, 3:16pm

Orioles

Checking in with some notes on both clubs as the Orioles and Tigers begin a four-game series tonight. * The Tigers clinched the AL Central title last Friday and it was their first division title since they won the AL East in 1987. Detroit is 25-7 since August 19. * Any team going to the playoffs probably has pretty good pitching and Detroit does. Over the last 18 games, Tigers' starters have pitched to an ERA of 3.04. Over the last 45 games, the Detroit bullpen has worked to an ERA of...

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After another tough season, Billy Rowell has a few things to say

September 21, 2011, 8:36pm

Orioles

After another tough season, Billy Rowell has a few things to say

In a wide-ranging telephone interview Wednesday, Billy Rowell discussed his 2011 season, said he felt the Orioles failed to live up to their word to bring him back to Double-A Bowie after a midseason injury and said he had no interest in being converted to a pitcher. Rowell also admitted he turned down an assignment to short-season Single-A Aberdeen, said his power potential is still strong and said he expects to remain in the O's organization. Rowell was the Orioles' first-round draft pick...

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Reynolds with two homers and Guerrero with two RBIs in win over Sox

September 21, 2011, 6:10pm

Orioles

Reynolds with two homers and Guerrero with two RBIs in win over Sox

For the second night in a row, the Orioles posted a come-from-behind win over the slumping Boston Red Sox. This time it was a Vladimir Guerrero single to center in the eighth that scored two runs to break a 4-4 tie as the Orioles beat Boston 6-4 at Fenway Park. Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter his thoughts on the O's 6-4 win over the Red Sox The Orioles took three of four in the series, winning a four-game series at Boston for the first time since August 8-10, 2003. It's also the first...

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Reynolds homer notes

September 21, 2011, 3:48pm

Orioles

When the Orioles acquired power hitting Mark Reynolds, some suggested he could become the first Oriole with 35 homers since Albert Belle hit 37 in 1999. Tonight, Reynolds hit No. 35. It was a solo shot in the second off Josh Beckett that gave the O's a 1-0 lead. That is three homers in the last four games for Reynolds and four in 16 games this month. He has hit 27 of 35 against right-handed pitchers. He has hit 17 at home and 18 on the road. He has 15 since the All-Star break after hitting...

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Winning is nice, but enough about the spoiler's role already

September 20, 2011, 9:20pm

Orioles

Winning is nice, but enough about the spoiler's role already

This is just the way an Orioles fan probably envisioned it several weeks ago. Rick VandenHurk would not make it into the fourth inning. But Willie Eyre would come on to get the win. Pedro Strop would pitch a shutout eighth inning. Jim Johnson would get a save and, of course, Jo-Jo Reyes would pitch three key shutout innings. To top if off, Robert Andino would end Jonathan Papelbon's 22-inning scoreless streak and 25 straight saves run with a three-run double. To the off field. Yeah, that's...

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Andino's clutch three-run double gives O's a come-from-behind win over Boston

September 20, 2011, 6:46pm

Orioles

Andino's clutch three-run double gives O's a come-from-behind win over Boston

The Boston Red Sox asked Jonathan Papelbon, a pitcher that had converted a career-best 25 straight save chances since May 13, to try and get a five-out save on Tuesday night against the Orioles. He couldn't do it. With Boston leading 5-4, Papelbon came in with two on and one out in the top of the eighth. He fanned Chris Davis for the second out, but Nolan Reimold's single to left loaded the bases. Robert Andino came up and the count went full. Andino then ripped a three-run double down the...

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Two Orioles prospects make top 20 list in the Gulf Coast League

September 20, 2011, 3:53pm

Orioles

Two Orioles made the list of the top 20 prospects in the Gulf Coast League as selected by Baseball America, which released the list today. Outfielder Roderick Bernadina was ranked 12th and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez 18th. Both were international signings. Bernadina, who turned 19 on Aug. 10, is from Curacao and the 18-year-old Rodriguez is from Venezuela. Bernardina hit .239 in 51 games for the GCL Orioles with 14 doubles, three triples, four homers and 28 RBIs. He had an OPS of...

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Just the stats

September 20, 2011, 12:16pm

Orioles

Checking in with some stats and notes before the Orioles and Red Sox meet in Game 3 of their series tonight. * Over his last six games, Chris Davis is 9-for-24 (.375) with a homer and four RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Davis is batting .395 (15-for-38) with six doubles, a homer, seven RBIs and five multi-hit games. * Vlad Guerrero is batting .406 (13-for-32) during an eight-game batting streak. Over his past 14 games, Guerrero is 25-for-58 for an average of .431 with five doubles, one triple,...

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A few random thoughts

September 20, 2011, 6:07am

Orioles

A couple of random thoughts while pondering another poor night for Brian Matusz. Hard to believe what we saw from him this time last year and contrast that with how he is pitching now. * Chris Davis has some impressive power. He has hit some balls to left field lately that really show his strength. A scout mentioned to me how impressed he is with Davis' power potential. As it stands now, I can clearly see Davis as an everyday player on next year's team. I hope his recent DL trip due to his...