Steve Melewski

Jays vs. O's: MLB's longest current win streak

September 13, 2010, 3:21pm

Orioles

Jays vs. O's: MLB's longest current win streak

Well, the Orioles did sweep three from Toronto in Baltimore to end last season. But this year, as most are well aware, the O's are 0-12 vs. the Blue Jays as they begin this series here tonight at Camden Yards. That is the current longest win streak in the bigs by one team over another. MLB's longest current win streaks: *Toronto with 12 straight vs. the Orioles. *San Diego with 9 straight vs. Pittsburgh. *Oakland with 9 straight vs. Pittsburgh. *Florida with 8 straight vs. Toronto. The...

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No injury for Hernandez

September 13, 2010, 1:28pm

Orioles

Well, it turns out that when David Hernandez was seen grabbing at his right elbow after being taken out of the game in Detroit Sunday, he was just doing that. He was not reaching for his elbow because it was sore or hurt in any way. "Everything is fine. My wife told me she saw me do that and she asked too." Hernandez is finally back with the Orioles after going on the DL August 5th with a sprained left ankle. He pitched twice in Detroit, but said he doesn't feel completely back to form...

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Snyder excited to make his first home start

September 13, 2010, 12:52pm

Orioles

Snyder excited to make his first home start

Brandon Snyder was with the Orioles for 10 games before he made his first Major League start. Now he will make two in a row as he's batting ninth and starting at first base vs. Toronto tonight at Camden Yards. "I was almost expecting to come in and kind of be sitting today. But I am extremely excited about getting a chance to get in there again. Yesterday was a good first step into trying to relax and just play the game. "After the third or fourth inning, I started to really fit in...

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Buck's to do list

September 12, 2010, 7:46pm

Orioles

I sense that on the wall in his office near the O's clubhouse, Buck Showalter has these items on his to do list. -Win more than we lose - Check -Motivate players - Check -Get solid starting pitching - Check -Convince Matt Wieters he's good - Check -Use Koji in the ninth, but don't call him closer - Check -Take in some minor league games - Check -Find some nuggets - Working on it, partial check -Remind the players to stop giving the other team too much credit - Check -Have my own T-shirt...

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No sweep: Tigers score 5 in the 8th to beat the Birds

September 12, 2010, 11:50am

Orioles

No sweep: Tigers score 5 in the 8th to beat the Birds

Just like on Wednesday at New York, the Orioles came within a few outs of sweeping a series, but could not get it today at Comerica Park. Miguel Cabrera's three-run double off David Hernandez in the last of the 8th gave Detroit the lead as the Tigers beat the Birds 6-2 this afternoon as the Orioles wasted a very strong start by Chris Tillman. Detroit came up in the inning down 2-1, but Will Rhymes singled and Ryan Raburn doubled to left vs. Mike Gonzalez putting runners on second and...

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Pitchers duel in Detroit

September 12, 2010, 10:19am

Orioles

Maybe I am watching this game through Orange and Black glasses, but I thought Chris Tillman was squeezed on some pitches early in this game today by home plate ump Derryl Cousins while Justin Verlander was not. Verlander blanked the O's through four, but they just scored two in the 5th to take a 2-1 lead. Jake Fox scored Felix Pie with a triple to right center and later scored on a wild pitch. It was the first career triple for Fox, who now has a double, triple and homer in this...

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Riding the Koji train

September 12, 2010, 5:56am

Orioles

Buck Showalter certainly has his ticket punched. He has used Koji in six of the last seven games and 10 of the past 16. Uehara has saved nine of the last 12 Orioles wins. He is two outs away from being 10 for 10 in save chances. Perhaps more surprising than his success, is how he does it. By pumping seemingly nothing other than 88 mile per hour fastballs that look pretty straight on a TV monitor. What is Koji's secret? His 88 MPH fastball seems to produce hitter's swings as if they are...

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Guthrie pitches the O's past Detroit, 5-3

September 11, 2010, 6:15pm

Orioles

Guthrie pitches the O's past Detroit, 5-3

Jeremy Guthrie continued his second-half pitching success tonight. Max Scherzer kept his going, for a while. The O's finally broke through with a four-run 6th to give Guthrie the lead and eventual 5-3 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday night. Down 4-0, the Tigers pulled within one, scoring three in the 8th vs. Matt Albers. Felix Pie came up with a big RBI single in the ninth for an insurance run as he went 3 for 5 with two RBI. Adam Jones went 4 for 4 with a double and run...

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Keys fall at Potomac to end their season

September 11, 2010, 5:31pm

Orioles

Keys fall at Potomac to end their season

After winning the first game of their playoff series with Potomac on Wednesday, Frederick lost the last three games of this series and the Keys season ended with tonight's 10-3 loss at Potomac. The Nationals advance to face Winston-Salem for the Carolina League championship after taking the series, three wins to one. Frederick starter Luis Noel gave up four runs over 2 2/3 and Keys starters allowed 17 earned runs over 11 1/3 in the series. Ronnie Welty hit a solo homer and Tyler Townsend...

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Guts and Max (update, O's lead)

September 11, 2010, 4:39pm

Orioles

It's Jeremy Guthrie vs. Max Scherzer tonight at Detroit. It's 0-0 after four innings, but each team has had scoring chances and they have combined to leave 11 on base. The O's just loaded the bases on three singles with one out in the fourth, but Scherzer fanned Josh Bell and Cesar Izturis to end that threat. Scherzer is 4-3, 2.15 in 11 second-half starts. Guthrie has allowed five hits in four innings, but no runs to the Tigers so far. Detroit is 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position...

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Keys now need two wins to advance

September 11, 2010, 10:24am

Orioles

After losing 7-1 at Potomac last night, the Frederick Keys need to win two games in two days to advance to the Mills Cup finals vs. Winston-Salem. Frederick trails the best-of-five series, 2-1, heading into tonight's game four at Potomac where Luis Noel (3-2, 6.18) pitches for the Keys vs. right-hander Marcos Frias (7-5, 5.69). Frias is 1-1, 7.31 in three starts vs. Frederick on the year. How some Keys hitters have fared in this series: Miguel Abreu: 3 for 12 Xavier Avery: 0 for 10 Pedro...

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Filling the Orioles with confidence

September 11, 2010, 2:56am

Orioles

I've heard some fans say one reason the Orioles are playing so much better under Buck Showalter is because he is not afraid to kick some players' butts if needed and they know that. While that may be true, it seems to me that, rather than confront players and get on them to make them play better, Buck has boosted the confidence of the players and convinced them they are pretty good, or they wouldn't be here. Check out this article from Peter Gammons where he talks about Buck improving the...

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O's score three late runs to top Tigers 6-3 in series opener

September 10, 2010, 6:00pm

Orioles

O's score three late runs to top Tigers 6-3 in series opener

Two innings after he dropped a foul pop that cost the Orioles, Matt Wieters hit a fly ball of his own that scored a run to give the Orioles the lead. Wieters came up with the bases loaded and one out in the 8th and his sac fly to right gave the O's a 4-3 lead. Adam Jones followed with an RBI single as the two-run 8th lifted the O's to a 6-3 win at Detroit. Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter about the O's 6-3 win over the Tigers The Orioles are now 10-2 in series openers under Buck...

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Orioles look to best Tigers at Comerica Park

September 10, 2010, 9:41am

Orioles

After missing out on their first three-game sweep at New York in 24 years, the Orioles' road trip resumes at Detroit tonight where the Tigers host the O's in game one of a three-game series. The Orioles were also looking for the season's first five-game winning streak, but didn't get it on Wednesday. They have won four in a row six times. The Orioles have won eight of the past 12 games and are 21-14 under Buck Showalter They are 6-4-1 in 11 series since Showalter took over after...

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Keys fall by one run in game two of the playoffs

September 09, 2010, 5:38pm

Orioles

Keys fall by one run in game two of the playoffs

The Potomac Nationals pushed across a run in the top of the 7th vs. Nate Nery to break a 4-4 tie as the Nationals beat Frederick tonight 5-4 at Harry Grove Stadium. The win evens their best-of-five Northern Division Championship Series at a game each. The Keys took a 1-0 lead in the second when L.J. Hoes doubled and scored on Miguel Abreu's single. Frederick took a 4-1 lead by scoring three runs in the 4th. Billy Rowell doubled and scored on an error and catcher Brian Ward added a two-run...

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Gomez gives his take on several Frederick Keys

September 09, 2010, 9:22am

Orioles

Gomez gives his take on several Frederick Keys

Frederick hosts Potomac tonight in game two of the Carolina League playoffs after last night's wild, 10-9 win. It was a game where the teams combined for 15 runs in the first inning, then each scored once in the ninth. The Nationals scored to tie the game and Frederick's run won it in walk-off fashion. Attempting to throw Miguel Abreu out on a sac bunt, league MVP, first baseman Tyler Moore of Potomac, hit Abreu with his throw and that allowed L.J. Hoes to score the game-ending run all the...

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A walk-off win for Frederick in game one

September 08, 2010, 6:05pm

Orioles

A walk-off win for Frederick in game one

After giving up a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, the Frederick Keys scored on a throwing error to win the game in the last of the ninth. They won a game in which they trailed 8-0 after the top of the first inning. L.J Hoes led off the ninth with a bloop single to right, his second hit. Then Miguel Abreu dropped a bunt and first baseman Tyler Moore threw toward first and the ball hit Abreu and went down the right-field line. Hoes scampered around all the way from first to score the...

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We're tied in the ninth

September 08, 2010, 5:59pm

Orioles

Frederick took a 9-8 lead on Potomac to the ninth tonight, but Derek Norris led off the inning with a homer to right off Will Startup and this game is tied 9-9 in the ninth. Potomac had not scored since its big first inning until that home run. Frederick had rallied from the first-inning 8-0 deficit to lead but now the game is tied. The Keys will bring up L.J Hoes, Miguel Abreu and Tyler Townsend in the last of the ninth to go for the walk-off win.

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After the 15-run first inning.....(update, Keys lead)

September 08, 2010, 4:47pm

Orioles

After the 15-run first inning.....(update, Keys lead)

This game has settled down. We have seen just one run scored since that explosion. So, Frederick and Potomac are tied 8-8 and we've now played four innings at Harry Grove Stadium. Here is the recap from the wacky 44-minute first inning. Lefty Cole McCurry, who replaced Keys starter Oliver Drake in the first, has pitched well. He has given up just one hit and no runs over 3 1/3 innings. Righty Pat Lehman came on for Potomac to start the second after starter Danny Rosenbaum was charged...

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Drake bounced out in the first frame, then Keys score seven (update, now tied)

September 08, 2010, 3:26pm

Orioles

Drake bounced out in the first frame, then Keys score seven (update, now tied)

Six batters into this game, Frederick was trailing Potomac, 5-0. Oliver Drake is struggling with his control. He walked three of the first four batters, gave up an RBI single and then a Grand Slam to Jamar Walton for the 5-0 edge. After a diving catch by left fielder Kyle Hudson, Robby Jacobsen hit a solo homer to center for a 6-0 lead. After two more walks, manager Orlando Gomez walked to the mound and Cole McCurry came on. Drake threw 41 pitches, just 18 for strikes. Drake's ERA in the...