Steve Melewski

The Frederick Keys beat Potomac in game one of the playoffs

September 07, 2011, 6:22pm

Orioles

The Frederick Keys beat Potomac in game one of the playoffs

FREDERICK, Md. - The Single-A Frederick Keys took advantage of a defensive mistake by Potomac and another good start from Jake Pettit to beat the Nationals 5-1 tonight in a game shortened to six innings by rain. The Keys take a one game to none lead in the best-of-five Carolina League semi-final series and host Game Two Thursday at 7 p.m. Pettit, who entered with a record of 7-0 and 1.62 ERA in 10 Keys starts, did not have his usual fastball command tonight and needed to rely more on his...

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Potomac takes early lead on Keys (updated, Keys lead, game now delayed)

September 07, 2011, 3:56pm

Orioles

Potomac takes early lead on Keys (updated, Keys lead, game now delayed)

FREDERICK, Md. - After three innings of Game 1 of the Carolina League playoffs, the Potomac Nationals lead the Single-A Frederick Keys 1-0 at Harry Grove Stadium. After a scoreless first inning, Potomac first baseman Steven Souza hit a solo homer to left in the second to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. It was his 12th homer of the year. Keys starter Jake Pettit, who is 7-0 with an ERA of 1.62 in 10 Keys starts, has allowed just the one run on two hits through three innings. Pettit has no walks...

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Checking in with Frederick manager Orlando Gomez

September 07, 2011, 2:03pm

Orioles

Checking in with Frederick manager Orlando Gomez

FREDERICK, Md. - In baseball, good pitching and defense will carry you a long way. That has been a successful formula for the Single-A Frederick Keys this year, who host Potomac tonight in Game One of the Carolina League playoffs. While Frederick's offense ranks near the bottom of the league in a few categories, the Keys' team ERA ranks first at 3.22 and Frederick is tied for first in the league in fielding percentage and in fewest errors. Frederick finished with the best record in the...

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Tonight's starting lineup as Frederick begins the playoffs

September 07, 2011, 12:05pm

Orioles

Tonight's starting lineup as Frederick begins the playoffs

FREDERICK, Md.- Tonight's scheduled playoff game between the Single-A Frederick Keys and the Potomac Nationals remains very much on. The rain has just about stopped as of just before 4 p.m. at Harry Grove Stadium and right now the tarp is not on the field. Frederick is set to begin its best-of-five Carolina League semifinal series against Potomac. The same teams met in the semifinals last year with Potomac winning that series, three games to one. If there is any change in the status of...

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The Matusz mystery

September 07, 2011, 5:08am

Orioles

I can't think of a player that has had a bigger swing in his performance from very good to very bad quite as dramatically as Brian Matusz. Over his last eight starts last year, he went 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA. In 10 starts this year, he is 1-7 with a 9.84 ERA. His ERA is 11.42 over his past four starts since he returned from the minor leagues. The question that doesn't seem to have a clear and definitive answer is this: What the heck happened to Matusz? Maybe it's one mass of a combination of...

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After long delay, O's fall to New York in water-logged game

September 06, 2011, 10:15pm

Orioles

After long delay, O's fall to New York in water-logged game

In a game that began at 11:08 p.m. after a four-hour plus rain delay and ended at 2:15 a.m., the Yankees beat the Orioles 5-3 to take the first two games of this series. The game was played in a steady rain and the grounds crew had to enter the field often in the later innings to work on the wet surface. The Orioles fell behind 2-0, but tied it up on a Matt Wieters two-run homer in the sixth. They fell behind again 3-2, but a Nick Markakis RBI double tied it in the seventh. Buck Showalter...

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Wieters bat remains hot tonight/this morning

September 06, 2011, 9:07pm

Orioles

Wieters bat remains hot tonight/this morning

Proving he can hit even at 1 a.m. Matt Wieters two-run homer in the top of the sixth tied this game at 2-2. The game that began at 11:08 p.m. continues to be played in a rainstorm at Yankee Stadium. Wieters is 2-for-3 tonight. Over his last 15 games, he is batting .382 (21-for-55) with six homers, five doubles and 17 RBIs. He has now driven in at least one run in 11 of his last 15 games. Wieters has three homers on the year against New York. Vlad Guerrero has two hits in the game, but Chris...

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Wait ... this is still East Coast baseball, right?

September 06, 2011, 6:57pm

Orioles

Wait ... this is still East Coast baseball, right?

If an East Coast baseball game starts at 11 p.m. will anyone still be up to watch it? Or blog about it? Is this really in the best interests of the fans? You know the answer to that, so don't even worry about answering that one. Hey, got to protect the integrity of the pennant face, even if it comes at the expense of everyone's sanity. Since it seems they are going to try and play this game, here are some stats to ponder. Orioles' starting pitchers have given up 14 earned runs in 11 1/3...

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Frederick gets set for the start of the playoffs

September 06, 2011, 11:05am

Orioles

Frederick gets set for the start of the playoffs

Even though they lost eight of their last 10 regular season games, the Single-A Frederick Keys are back in the playoffs and will host Potomac tomorrow night in Game 1 of a best-of-five league semifinal series. Frederick finished with the best record in the Carolina League at 80-59 and that is also Frederick's best record ever. The Keys are in the playoffs for the fifth time in seven seasons and are looking for a fourth championship after winning Mills Cup titles in 1990, 2005 and 2007. The...

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Bowie notes on Hoes, Bascom and Florimon

September 05, 2011, 7:28pm

Orioles

Bowie notes on Hoes, Bascom and Florimon

It was kind of a strange day, the final day of the regular season in the Double-A Eastern League. Bowie entered Monday a half-game behind Richmond for a playoff berth. Richmond took the lead in its game, 2-1 at Altoona with an eighth-inning homer that was followed by a rain delay. At that point, observers in the press box at Bowie figured if the game got stopped by rain there, it would revert to the previous inning and remain tied at 1-1. That would open the door for Bowie to win its game and...

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In Bowie, Davis on rejoining the O's and Florimon on his callup

September 05, 2011, 2:05pm

Orioles

In Bowie, Davis on rejoining the O's and Florimon on his callup

BOWIE, Md. - The Orioles confirmed after today's game that Chris Davis will come off the disabled list and rejoin the team tomorrow in New York. After playing two injury rehabilitation games at Double-A Bowie, Davis said his strained right shoulder is doing very well. "I feel great," Davis said after going 1-for-3 for the Baysox today and 2-for-3 Sunday. "I think today was the bigger test, playing third base. I had a bunt play where I had to throw across my body and use my arm without my...

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Richmond wins and Bowie is eliminated from playoff race

September 05, 2011, 11:38am

Orioles

Richmond wins and Bowie is eliminated from playoff race

BOWIE, Md.- Even though the Double-A Baysox are winning here against Erie by a 2-1 score, the word has come in from Altoona that the game there has been called by rain and Richmond wins 2-1 in eight innings. The Richmond win sends the Flying Squirrels to the Eastern League playoffs and eliminates Bowie. Wes Hodges hit a homer for Richmond in the top of the eighth just a few moments before a rain delay halted play. Even though Atltoona did not bat in the last of the eighth, Richmond is declared...

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Baysox get early lead on Erie

September 05, 2011, 10:59am

Orioles

BOWIE, Md. - Facing a must-win situation today to have a chance to get in the playoffs, the Double-A Bowie Baysox took a 2-0 lead in the last of the first this afternoon versus Erie. After right-hander Tim Bascom retired Erie with a 1-2-3 top of the first, Bowie came up with two runs on two hits in the home half. Xavier Avery led off with a walk against lefty Jay Voss and went to third on a Pedro Florimon double. Chris Davis, in the second day of his injury rehab stint with the Baysox, was...

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Today's Bowie Baysox lineup and Frederick notes

September 05, 2011, 7:46am

Orioles

Today's Bowie Baysox lineup and Frederick notes

BOWIE, Md.- Here is today's starting lineup for the Double-A Bowie Baysox as they try to make the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Bowie hosts Erie at Prince George's Stadium at 2 p.m. Chris Davis, in his second game on an injury rehab assignment, will start at third base and is batting third. He went 2-for-3 for Bowie on Sunday. CF - Xavier Avery SS - Pedro Florimon 3B - Chris Davis LF - LJ Hoes 1B - Joe Mahoney DH - Brandon Waring C - Caleb Joseph 2B - Buck Britton RF -...

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Jim Johnson: Will it be the rotation or the 'pen?

September 04, 2011, 7:13pm

Orioles

Jim Johnson: Will it be the rotation or the 'pen?

We keep hearing talk that Jim Johnson could get some starting pitching assignments before this season ends, but we haven't seen that yet. Johnson clearly seems capable of handling that role. He has three very good pitches with his sinking fastball, curve and changeup. He may have the best changeup on the team. And Johnson's power sinker has produced a ratio of 2.15 groundouts to air outs that is the best on the team among those that have pitched 20 innings or more. Johnson has had a very...

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Bowie wins to keep its flickering playoff hopes alive (updated)

September 04, 2011, 3:38pm

Orioles

Bowie wins to keep its flickering playoff hopes alive (updated)

Before I mention the Bowie Baysox's key win today, I should point out that in the last day or two, whatever I write about, the opposite seems to happen. On Saturday morning, I pointed out the Orioles pitching staff had an ERA of 1.60 leading the O's to a 6-1 record this year at Tropicana Field. Then they went out and gave up 14 runs in losing the last two days there. This morning, I pointed out Adam Jones was in a 3-for-36 slump over his last 11 games and he went out and went 2-for-3 with a...

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Jones' bat cools off and Bowie's playoff chances takes a big hit

September 04, 2011, 4:49am

Orioles

Jones' bat cools off and Bowie's playoff chances takes a big hit

That great second half Adam Jones was having has been slightly derailed in recent games. Jones picked up a hit in last night's game against Tampa, but is just 1-for-18 over his last five games and is batting .083 (3-for-36) over his last 11 games without a homer and just two RBIs. This has all dropped Jones' batting average from .299 to .284. Maybe Jones could use a day or two of rest. Perhaps he is still hampered by the chest muscle injury that sent him to the hospital in Minnesota. He has...

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Markakis homers, but Simon struggles as Rays even series with victory

September 03, 2011, 4:58pm

Orioles

Markakis homers, but Simon struggles as Rays even series with victory

Coming into tonight's game the Orioles had given up just 11 runs to Tampa Bay in seven games this year at Tropicana Field. Tonight, B.J. Upton drove in five runs by himself. Upton's big night - he had a two-run double and three-run double - led Tampa Bay to a 6-3 win over the Orioles on Saturday night. The loss was the O's 82nd and clinched a losing record for the Orioles for the 14th consecutive season. Jim Hunter talks with Buck Showalter about the Orioles' 6-3 loss to the Rays The...

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Looking at the amazing performance this year by Orioles pitching at the Trop

September 03, 2011, 12:26pm

Orioles

The Orioles have put some together some rather stunning pitching stats this season at Tropicana Field. It is the place where they gave up just three runs total in sweeping a three-game, season-opening series. It is a place where they are 6-1 this year and have outscored the Rays there 30-11. The Orioles' team ERA at the Trop is 1.60 on the season and the ERA of the starting pitchers there is 1.47. Tampa Bay batters have just 36 hits in the seven games and are batting just .168 against...

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Any room left on the Britton bandwagon?

September 03, 2011, 5:07am

Orioles

Just about a month ago, some Orioles fans were jumping off the Zach Britton bandwagon. Now some of the same fans are probably looking to get back on. Britton began this year pitching very well and now it seems he is ending his season in the same fashion. Thanks to that seventh-inning rally Friday night, the Orioles' young gun lefty outdueled one of the top young lefties in the game in David Price. I know some fans jumped off the Britton bandwagon because I heard them do so in recent weeks...