While the Orioles were outscored 21-6 by the Yankees the last two days, is was not all bad.
Yesterday's game seemed to featured big play after big play in the final innings. The O's matched the Yankees and looked like they would pull out a huge comeback win that was much needed.
After 11 losses in 13 games, fans are predictably down. There were a few things to take from the weekend, however.
* Jake Arrieta battled well again versus the Yankees. He has made four career starts against New...
Some postgame comments from the Orioles after their extra-innings loss to New York.
Jake Arrieta on settling down after giving up two runs in the first:
"Just made good pitches. Even the slider to Granderson (that he homered on) wasn't a bad pitch, he's swinging the bat well now. Had to bear down and make pitches when I needed to. I kept us in the game. The walks in the first was really the only thing I was upset about."
Arrieta on the pitch to Granderson in the first:
"It was a slider,...
On a day the Orioles rallied from three runs down to tie the Yankees when they were down to their last out, they still lost the game, falling 6-3 in 11 innings. New York wins both games here in the rain-shortened series.
The Orioles fall to 8-12 and are just 2-11 over the last 13 games.
Robinson Cano, who had been 0-for-4, doubled to lead off the 11th off Jason Berken and then stole third base when catcher Matt Wieters tried to gun him down straying off the bag at second. After a strikeout...
This game is now in a rain delay as of 4:56 with the O's and Yankees tied 3-3 in the top of the 11th.
The Orioles rallied from 3-0 down to tie it on a Mark Reynolds' two-run homer in the 7th and a Brian Roberts' two-out RBI double off Mariano Rivera in the last of the ninth.
While we wait out the raindrops, feel free to drop a question and/or Orioles comment right here right now.
The Orioles are still not scoring runs, oh by the way.
They trail today 3-0 after six innings. They have scored all three runs in this series on just one swing, an Adam Jones homer last night.
Through six today, they have just two hits off Freddy Garcia, both by Luke Scott. The rest of the lineup is a combined 0-for-18. New York's defense has helped him with solid plays afield by Mark Teixeira and A-Rod.
New York added to its lead on A-Rod's fielders choice RBI in the fifth. The O's had a...
Here's a stat for you:
Over the first 18 games of this season, Orioles' pitchers had allowed a total of five runs in the first inning. The Yankees have scored five first-inning runs in this series after taking a 2-0 lead in the first today versus Jake Arrieta.
Last night, New York took a 2-0 lead four batters into the game on its way to a three-run first inning. Today, Derek Jeter led off the game with a single to center and Curtis Granderson followed with a two-run homer to right on a 1-1...
Adam Jones took over the Orioles team home run lead with four with his three-run shot last night off CC Sabathia.
In recent games, we have seen Jones drop bunts for hits and also pick up key hits by driving the baseball to right and right center field. His homer last night went to right.
It provides perhaps a glimpse into a future where Jones realizes his vast potential and puts it all together at bat. He has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games and his six RBIs over the last six...
Well, at least the Orioles don't have long to stew over this loss.
They got hammered 15-3 by the Yankees last night. The beat down featured five New York homers including an A-Rod grand slam and two homers by catcher Russell Martin. Some observations as the Orioles get another chance at New York less than 16 hours after that loss.
*Josh Rupe stood at his locker and repeatedly said he did not throw at Martin, when he plunked him in the back in the top of the ninth. It could not have looked...
Orioles shortstop Robert Andino had words with Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira after Teixeira slid into second base with a double ahead of Andino's tag in the first inning of Saturday's game.
Andino was asked what happened and what was said on the field.
"He came up with like a little shoulder and I told him, 'Relax, I'm just putting down a tag on you.' We talked when I got to first base (in the sixth inning), but everything's cool. He just came up with a shoulder and I just said...
Minutes after tonight's game, Orioles pitcher Josh Rupe said it was not his intention to hit Yankees catcher Russell Martin with a pitch when he did just that in the top of the ninth inning tonight.
Martin had homered in each of his two previous at bats.
"Trust me, that's the last thing I want to do is go out there and make that situation look how it looked," Rupe told reporters in the Orioles clubhouse. "I pitch in. I am already out there and had given up a home run and, yeah, I'm a...
Alex Rodriguez hit his 22nd career grand slam and had a six-RBI night as the New York Yankees pounded the Orioles 15-3 in the first game of a rain-shortened, two-game series at Camden Yards.
His slam, which came on a 2-0 pitch in the eighth off Josh Rupe, was New York's fifth homer of the night and third of that inning. Rodriguez also had a two-run double in the first when New York took a 3-0 lead against Brad Bergesen.
Rodriguez moved past Manny Ramirez on the all-time grand slam list and...
After the Yankees' early offense, this game has settled into a pitchers' duel.
Brad Bergesen gave up four hits to the first five hitters he faced tonight and has allowed just two to the last 17 batters he has faced. Bergesen has really settled in and, after needing 26 pitches to get through New York's three-run first, has needed just 52 pitches from the second through fifth innings.
But the way C.C. Sabathia has pitched, those three runs in the first may be more than enough tonight.
He...
Brad Bergesen will make his fourth appearance and third start of the new season tonight versus the New York Yankees here at Camden Yards.
Bergesen said this week he continues to work on his sinking fastball and perfecting the pitch that was a key reason he went 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA over 19 starts in 2009.
He said that last year he struggled so much with the sinker that he turned more to his four-seam fastball as the year went on. Now he wants to get back to being more of a sinkerball pitcher...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter pointed out today how hard players like Derrek Lee and Nick Markakis are working behind the scenes to get out of batting slumps. He knows fans are wondering when his No. 2 and No. 3 hitters will get it going.
Markakis is batting .203 over 18 games with two homers, two doubles, six RBIs and a .327 slugging percentage.
So how is Markakis feeling about his swing right now?
"I've got mixed emotions about it," he said. "I'm definitely not where I want to be,...
Outfielder Matt Angle, who is on the Orioles' 40-man roster, will return to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides' lineup tonight.
Angle has not played since April 13. He tweaked his hamstring earlier against Gwinnett, but will be back in the lineup tonight. I know this because I just asked him on his live chat at NorfolkTides.com.
Angle is batting .167 at 4-for-24 through the first seven Triple-A games. Last year with Norfolk, he hit .260 in 87 games.
During the chat, Angle was asked by one fan when...
Some fans are already asking if the Orioles should consider dropping Derrek Lee in the batting order. He has had every at-bat this year at the third spot in the lineup and is batting just .209 with one homer, two doubles and two RBI over 18 games.
Lee has certainly not been productive in that third spot. He has gone 13 consecutive games without an RBI and is 0-for-12 on the year batting with runners in scoring position with eight strikeouts. His double in the eighth inning on Thursday ended a...
Checking in on a few Orioles and Yankees stats and notes as they begin a three-game series tonight at Camden Yards.
* CC Sabathia is 14-2 with an ERA of 2.86 in 20 career starts versus the Orioles. He went 5-1, 3.56 ERA against Baltimore last year. He is 8-1 with an ERA of 2.97 in 10 career Camden Yards starts, with his only loss coming in the 2009 season opener. The Yankees are 16-4 in his 20 career starts against the Orioles.
* The Birds' third and fourth hitters, Derrek Lee and Vladimir...
If Orioles fans want to get on new first baseman Derrek Lee for his lack of production right now, get in line. Behind Lee himself. Several times this year he has already said he takes responsibility for his lack of hits and RBIs.
Batting just .209 in 18 games with one homer and two RBIs, Lee readily acknowledges he has to get his bat going. He has now gone 13 games without an RBI since he drove in two on April 6.
"Obviously I'm not swinging the bat like I would expect to. So yeah, hopefully...
As the Orioles begin another series versus the New York Yankees tonight, O's fans are probably quite aware of the Birds' struggles against this club.
The Orioles are 0-2 this year and went 5-13 last season versus New York. They have lost 26 of the last 33 in this series and the Yankees are 16-6 in their last 22 games against the O's at Camden Yards.
The Yankees' winning percentage all-time at Camden Yards of .644 is the best by any visiting team.
If the Orioles are indeed improved this...
So we are now 18 games into the season and Nick Markakis is batting .203 with two homers and six RBIs. He has a slugging percentage of .319 and OPS of .592.
Last night he went 0-for-4 and twice failed to come up with the clutch hit when batting with two men on base. He has just three hits over his last 28 at-bats for an average of .107 and just eight hits over his last 55 at-bats for a mark of .145 since April 6.
Last night, reader Gerry O. left this comment about Markakis and his struggles...