August, glorious August

August, glorious August
It's September first. Really? Do we have to start a new month? Can you blame an O's fan for not wanting August to end? The Orioles are in first place in the AL East. No, not yet; not even Buck is that good. But they had the best record in the division in August. AL East standings for August: Balt......17-11 TB.......17-12 NYY.....16-13 Bost.....15-13 Tor.......15-13 These things also happened in August: *Buck Showalter took over as manager. *The O's went 17-10 under Buck and went 8-1...
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Matusz masters Boston again

Matusz masters Boston again
Brian Matusz didn't face Boston last year. He's seen them four times this year and the Red Sox are still trying to figure him out. Tonight he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings plus one batter as the Orioles beat Boston 5-2 to start a three-game series. The O's improved to 8-1 in series-opening games under Buck Showalter. Brian Matusz talks about his outing following the O's 5-2 win over the Red Sox Matusz is now 2-0, 2.55 on the year vs. Boston. Sox batters are hitting...
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Matusz with the win and Scott, Pie homer as O's top Boston

Matusz with the win and Scott, Pie homer as O's top Boston
The Orioles did not post another shutout, but they did post a pleasing victory over an AL East rival that was desperate for a win. Luke Scott hit his 26th homer, that's a new career high and Brian Matusz pitched well again vs. Boston as the Orioles beat the Red Sox 5-2 at Camden Yards Tuesday night in the opening game of a six-game homestand. Matusz improved to 7-12, 4.72 as he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings plus a batter. When he gave up a two-run homer in the fifth to Jed...
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30 Rocked

30 Rocked
The Orioles scoreless streak, dating back to Brad Bergesen's first-inning balk at Anaheim Friday night, ended at 30 innings tonight when Jed Lowrie hit a two-run homer off Brian Matusz in the fifth inning. After 30 straight, Lowrie rocked one out to left as Matusz found too much of the middle of the plate on a 3-1 pitch. That cut the O's lead to 3-2 and was Lowrie's fourth homer. Matusz has fanned David Ortiz twice tonight and Big Papi is now 0 for 8 with 7 strikeouts vs. the...
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Can O's take season series from Boston?

Can O's take season series from Boston?
After winning just two of 18 games vs. Boston last year, the Orioles are 6-6 vs. the Sox this year with six games remaining in the season series. They last took a season series from Boston in 2004, going 10-9. That is the only time since 1997 that the O's won the season series vs. the Red Sox. Boston is 34-12 in its last 46 games vs. the Orioles and is 40-21 at Camden Yards since 2004. The Orioles are 4-2 at home vs.Boston in 2010, which included a three-game sweep here at the Yard from...
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Buck in Aberdeen (Showalter comments added)

Buck in Aberdeen (Showalter comments added)
This time he didn't have to rush to the game and show up in full O's uniform, as he did when he went to Bowie. But O's manager Buck Showalter was at Aberdeen Monday night for Manny Machado's IronBirds debut and his first look at Ripken Stadium. "He came in prior to the game and he spoke with the staff. I was really impressed he stayed for nine innings. It was even tough for our fans tonight to do that," Aberdeen manager Gary Kendall said after his club lost 11-5 to Vermont. "He's...
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Saying goodbye to Bluefield

Saying goodbye to Bluefield
The news became official on Saturday. After 53 years as the Bluefield Orioles' parent club - the current longest running relationship between a minor league team and a Major League organization - the Orioles are moving on. The O's will leave Bluefield, which first hosted an O's farm team in 1958. The Orioles, who have had three short-season teams, are cutting back to a more workable two clubs. It was a hard day for Tripp Norton, the Orioles assistant director of player...
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Post-game notes and quotes from Aberdeen

Post-game notes and quotes from Aberdeen
It was a night where Aberdeen pitchers gave up 17 hits and it made a long game seem even longer in an 11-5 Ripken Stadium loss to Vermont. But still, the IronBirds' debut of Manny Machado, the Orioles' first-round pick, was a success. He went 1 for 3 at bat, with a third-inning single, and had an excellent play in the field, ranging up the middle to his left to record an out in the top of the fifth. He played five innings as he is still knocking off the rust from a summer where he didn't...
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Manny looked good

Manny looked good
Now that the internet connection is back here in the Ripken Stadium press box, I can tell you that Manny Machado's first game in Aberdeen was a success for him, even though the IronBirds are getting trounced. Vermont leads 11-2 in the 7th. Machado went 1 for 3 with a single to center in the third. He crushed a ball in the fifth that was caught by the left fielder. In the field at short, he had just one ball hit to him but he made a highlight play out of it. It ended the Vermont fifth as...
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Machado's Aberdeen press conference (Henson out for year)

Machado's Aberdeen press conference (Henson out for year)
After spending most of this summer not playing on a team, O's first-round draft pick Manny Machado admits he is still knocking some rust off. He's played two games as a DH in the Gulf Coast League and tonight he debuts for the Aberdeen IronBirds here at Ripken Stadium, where he will bat third and play shortstop vs. Vermont. "I've definitely been rusty, but you've got to adjust. I'm getting back into shape. "(This is) Very different. Gulf Coast League was hot. This is nice here, I...
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Reporting from Aberdeen

Reporting from Aberdeen
With a starting lineup that includes Mychal Givens at second, Manny Machado at short and Conner Narron at third, it should be an exciting night here in Aberdeen. I'll cover Manny Machado's latest press conference, which is set for about 5:15 today and file posts from here at Ripken Stadium during the night. Most of the O's top minor league brass is here and they may even be joined by O's manager Buck Showalter later. Glad I got here early to beat the rush. Machado went 1 for 7 with a...
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The back story on the O's signing of Glynn Davis

The back story on the O's signing of Glynn Davis
It probably doesn't happen very often, but last week the Orioles agreed to terms with a player that did not get taken in the June draft, but one they feel has a lot of talent. They came to terms with 18-year-old Glynn Davis of Catonsville Community College, a player with great speed that played shortstop in junior college but will move to center field in the O's minors. The right-handed hitting Davis hit .430 with ten homers and 35 steals, but went almost totally un-scouted at Catonsville. ...
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A dominant Guthrie pitches O's to win and sweep over LA

A dominant Guthrie pitches O's to win and sweep over LA
In an amazing pitchers duel on Sunday afternoon, Jeremy Guthrie out-dueled Jared Weaver as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 to complete a three-game sweep. O's pitching allowed just one run on 16 hits in this series as LA went scoreless over the last 26 innings. Guthrie, who improved to 8-13, 3.94, gave up just four hits over 8 1/3. He walked one, fanned five and threw 107 pitches, 73 for strikes. Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter about the O's 1-0 win over the Angels O's...
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Jordan on Machado

Jordan on Machado
O's scouting director Joe Jordan said he will not put too much importance into the stats for Manny Machado in his first few games with the Orioles. The O's top draft pick went 1 for 7 the last two days for the Gulf Coast League O's with a two-run homer there on Saturday. "I just think it's important to get on the field. Be a part of our practice routine, our hitting routine and progression. Being around the instructors and coordinaters. There is an orientation that needs to take place...
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A few random notes and thanks Bluefield

A few random notes and thanks Bluefield
Some notes to ponder as the O's and Angels play this afternoon in the final game of the series and the Orioles six-game road trip to Chicago and LA. *The Orioles today are looking for their fifth series sweep of the year. They swept three from Boston at home at the end of Aprill and took three from the Nats in June. They swept four at Texas right before the All-Star break and took three from this Angel team August 3-5 in Buck Showalter's first games as manager. The Orioles have been swept...
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Millwood with eight scoreless as O's top LA

Millwood with eight scoreless as O's top LA
Who would have thought that it would be August 28th this year before Kevin Millwood got his first win of the season vs. an American League team? But he beat the Los Angeles Angels tonight for his third win. He is 2-1 in four starts vs. the National League this year and was 0-13, 5.36 in 21 starts vs. AL clubs. But Millwood allowed six hits over eight innings as the O's beat the Angels 5-0 and they've taken the first two in this series. Millwood is now 3-14, 5.34. He walked just one and...
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In the minors tonight

In the minors tonight
Triple-A Norfolk rallied from 4-0 down to beat Gwinnett 5-4. It gives the Tides their first four-game win streak of the year. They had won three in a row eight times, but never got to four. Rhyne Hughes and Brandon Snyder homered and Lou Montanez went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Montanez is 12 for 31 (.387) during a seven-game batting streak. New Britain scored an unearned run in the last of the ninth to beat Bowie 6-5. The Baysox are a game and a half out of an Eastern League playoff berth after...
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O's end relationship with Bluefield

O's end relationship with Bluefield
After this year, the Orioles will end their long relationship with the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League. Here is a statement from Andy MacPhail: "On behalf of the Orioles, I wish to express our deepest appreciation to the town and residents of Bluefield for their support of the Orioles organization and over a thousand players who have worn the Bluefield Orioles uniform in the last 53 seasons. While extremely difficult, we believe the decision to end our affiliation with Bluefield...
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Josh Bell: Some good and not so good right now

Josh Bell:  Some good and not so good right now
So, is Josh Bell a nugget or not? Too early to know. He really needed a hit and got two big ones on Friday in the O's win over the Angels. He didn't start, but came on when Brian Roberts left with a hip strain. I thought Bell would take off a bit after his two-homer game a week ago today vs. Cliff Lee. But he was 1 for 14 with seven strikeouts after that, before Friday's game. On the plus side, Bell looks more comfortable now in the field. He made a real nice backhand stop last night....
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Bergesen shuts down LA as O's take series opener

Bergesen shuts down LA as O's take series opener
Brad Bergesen has been pitching well in many of his recent starts and tonight was one of his best. He held Los Angeles to one run and four hits over eight innings, throwing 102 pitches, as the Orioles beat the Angels 3-1 in the weekend series opener. Bergesen is now 6-9, 5.55 in 22 starts. Over his last six starts, the right-hander is 3-0, 2.70. The O's played solid defense behind Bergesen with Cesar Izturis making several solid stops. Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter his thoughts on the...
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