Steve Melewski

Moreau pitches no-hitter in his Keys debut

June 30, 2010, 4:48pm

Orioles

Moreau pitches no-hitter in his Keys debut

Lefty Nate Moreau pitched a no-hitter tonight in his first start as a Frederick Key. He got the last out on a strikeout on a 2-2 pitch, as the Keys won 7-0 at Salem. It's the 6th no-hitter in Keys history, but first complete-game, nine-inning no-hitter since John Maine vs. Winston-Salem on July 3, 2003. The 23-year-old Moreau fanned six without a walk in his first Carolina League start. In the ninth, he got a strikeout for out number one, then a fly out and then a strike out to end the...

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Pretty much a disaster

June 30, 2010, 4:38pm

Orioles

That describes the top of the fourth inning where Oakland used an infield single, a bloop single, two O's errors and a three-run homer to score six times vs. Kevin Millwood and take a 6-3 lead. So much for playing from ahead. The O's led 3-0 after three. But Miguel Tejada made an error on the first hitter of the inning. One out later, Corey Patterson not only could not catch Ryan Sweeney's bloop single, but then let it get behind him for an error as the first run scored. Later in the...

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O's agree to terms with Vader

June 30, 2010, 2:13pm

Orioles

The Orioles have agreed to terms with their 18th-round draft pick. They have come to terms with RHP Sebastian Vader from San Marcos High in San Marcos, California. He is an 18-year-old hurler that goes 6'4" and 170 pounds and was the 538th overall selection. He turned 18 on June 3rd. The O's have now come to terms with 27 of 49 selections and the highest pick they have signed to date is fourth-rounder Trent Mummey. Here is the entire list of players that have agree to terms at this...

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Another lefty on the move on the farm

June 30, 2010, 1:08pm

Orioles

The movement of left-handed starting pitching upward in the O's farm system continued today when southpaw Nate Moreau moved from Delmarva to the Frederick Keys. Moreau will be make his Keys debut tonight when he starts at Salem. He is taking the rotation spot of Rick Zagone, who as we reported last night, has moved to Double-A Bowie and will start for the Baysox at home tonight vs. Erie. Zagone moved to Bowie when Zach Britton moved to Triple-A Norfolk, where he will make his first start on...

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Two Tides make the All-Star game

June 30, 2010, 9:59am

Orioles

Norfolk Tides pitcher Chris Tillman and outfielder Jeff Salazar have made the International League All-Star team. They will be on the 30-man squad that will take on the Pacific Coast League on July 14 at Lehigh Valley in the 23rd Triple-A All-Star game. Tillman is 7-4, 3.07 in 12 Triple-A starts on the year over 70 1/3 innings. He pitched a no-hitter on April 28 vs. Gwinnett. Tillman is 2-0, 2.84 in two starts since leaving the O's and going back to Triple-A. Salazar is batting .284-13-34...

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Admiring Matusz

June 30, 2010, 4:11am

Orioles

For Brian Matusz, it was another night like a lot of the others on Tuesday vs. Oakland. He pitched pretty well, but not great, he got little run support and he lost. I have heard fans term his 2010 season as "disappointing." Matusz is now 2-9, 4.90 in 16 starts this year. He is tied for the AL lead in losses. I see Matusz's performance this year as encouraging not disappointing. I admire the fact that the kid still has his sanity and hasn't wavered much amidst all the losing by his...

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More stats and notes from Oakland's 4-2 win over the O's

June 29, 2010, 8:48pm

Orioles

More stats and notes from Oakland's 4-2 win over the O's

Here are more notes and stats to ponder from the Orioles 4-2 loss to the Oakland A's Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series. Not this time: After scoring 37 runs and batting .330 over the last six games, and after scoring 17 runs in the series vs. Washington, the O's were held to two runs on five hits by Oakland. The O's went 5 for 29 at bat with four doubles. The O's had the leadoff runner on base in seven of nine innings but left nine on base and went just 2 for 9 with runners...

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Lugo and Matusz post-game comments

June 29, 2010, 7:04pm

Orioles

After Brian Matusz hit Daric Barton in the top of the fifth inning on Tuesday night, the O's Julio Lugo got plunked by Vin Mazzaro leading off the last of the fifth. Lugo said he didn't object to getting hit, but it was where the ball hit him that got him a bit hot after the play. "I didn't like that, it was too close to the head. If they want to hit me, hit me below the waist. Don't throw at people's heads. Don't throw high and in. "It was a crucial run (for us), but you know...

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Zagone is headed for Double-A (Josh Bell note)

June 29, 2010, 5:25pm

Orioles

Zagone is headed for Double-A (Josh Bell note)

It looks like it's one lefty replacing another at Double-A Bowie. With Zach Britton moving up to Triple-A Norfolk, lefty Rick Zagone will move up and join the Baysox from Frederick to make Wednesday night's start for Bowie. Zagone is 5-6, 3.20 on the year with Frederick in 15 starts. He has pitched 78 2/3 innings, allowing 79 hits, including seven homers. He has walked 22 with 54 strikeouts and Carolina League hitters were batting .261 vs. him. Zagone, a sixth-round draft pick in 2008...

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Trailing again & tempers flare (update)

June 29, 2010, 4:45pm

Orioles

The Orioles are trailing again and look rather listless tonight. There is time to come back again, but one of these nights, they won't be able to. According to Elias, the O's are the first Major League team to win four straight games while erasing a deficit of at least three or more runs in each game since Detroit did it in the first four games of its franchise history. That was April 25-28 of 1901. That is 1901. That was even before blogging and texting. Tonight the O's trail 2-0 as...

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Does Fox have revenge on his mind vs. Oakland?

June 29, 2010, 1:45pm

Orioles

Does Fox have revenge on his mind vs. Oakland?

He wasn't with the Oakland A's that long, and then Jake Fox was traded from Oakland to the Orioles just eight days ago. He was in the starting lineup vs. the A's for a time here yesterday, but then when Dallas Braden was scratched as Oakland starter, the Orioles changed thier lineup and Fox didn't start. He is not in tonight's starting lineup either. But he will be in the dugout opposite the A's team he feels gave up on him too soon. If he gets in the game, he says it will be a...

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Minor league roster news and notes (Baysox all-stars)

June 29, 2010, 1:27pm

Orioles

Minor league roster news and notes (Baysox all-stars)

In roster news from the minors today, Bowie has activated lefty pitcher Chad Thall from the temporary inactive list. He is 1-0, 4.32 in 12 Baysox games this season with five walks and 14 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. The Delmarva Shorebirds have put first baseman Tyler Stampone on the disabled list with a left hand injury and received IF Mike Mooney from the Gulf Coast League. Stampone was batting .249-0-28 in 59 games and is second on the Delmarva club in RBI. With Pat Egan and Zach...

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Hernandez brings the heat in relief

June 29, 2010, 12:57pm

Orioles

If it seems like David Hernandez is getting better with each relief appearance, that may be the case. Hernandez is 2-1, 2.13 with two saves in 11 relief outings. And, over his last three games, he has pitched no-hit ball over 3 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Sunday, he entered the game with the Nats and blew away Josh Willingham and Roger Bernadina on eighth-inning strikeouts. He threw six pitches at these speeds: 94, 95, 95, 95, 97 and 94. "I go out there and I don't really feel...

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Despite winless year, Erbe staying confident

June 29, 2010, 8:49am

Orioles

Despite winless year, Erbe staying confident

If part of being a pitching prospect is learning to deal with adversity, than the 2010 season is becoming Brandon Erbe's personal classroom. He and Kevin Millwood have something in common. They both made 14 starts this year without getting a win. Millwood got the elusive first win in his 15th start. Erbe is not quite sure yet when his 15th start will take place. A few days after his last start, June 20 vs. Toledo, he felt some right shoulder soreness and went on the disabled last Friday,...

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Britton gets the call to go to Triple-A

June 28, 2010, 9:09pm

Orioles

It was a Monday of good news for O's pitching prospect Zach Britton. First he was named the latest Eastern League pitcher of the week. Then, late Monday night, after a Baysox doubleheader, Britton got the word from O's director of player development John Stockstill that he was being promoted to Triple-A Norfolk. He will join the Tides on Tuesday in Charlotte and is set to make his first start on Thursday in Norfolk against Charlotte. "I was just sitting in the stands sweating. John...

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On the DL now, Erbe hopes to return soon (Britton honored & Egan note)

June 28, 2010, 7:43am

Orioles

On the DL now, Erbe hopes to return soon (Britton honored & Egan note)

Roster move in the minors: Righty Pat Egan, who has had a great year for Double-A Bowie, today moved up to Norfolk to join the Tides roster. The 25-year-old Egan is 6-1, 2.12 with five saves. Over 46 2/3 innings, he has allowed 29 hits with seven walks to 25 strikeouts. Eastern League batters have hit just .177 vs. Egan. He was drafted in round 36 in 2006 out of Quinnipiac University. Meanwhile, it has been a trying season for Baltimore native Brandon Erbe. The right-hander remains...

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Talking about the hitters with Terry Crowley

June 28, 2010, 6:05am

Orioles

Talking about the hitters with Terry Crowley

O's hitting coach Terry Crowley gave a short, but honest answer to the question. I asked him if he thought Nick Markakis' comments about players needing a better approach at the plate had anything to do with the improved O's offense in recent games. "Um, probably not," Crowley said. So what is the difference with the offense in the past week? "I think they all basically look the same to me. We always have tried to practice patience on balls that are not ones we want to swing at and...

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The pen has been mightier

June 27, 2010, 3:04pm

Orioles

During a weekend when the O's starters pitched to an ERA of 8.16, the performance of the Baltimore bullpen was a real key in the O's three-game sweep of Washington. Here is the game-by-game rundown: Friday: 4 2/3IP, 4H, 0R, 0B, 3K Saturday: 5IP, 1H, 0R, 1B, 2K Sunday: 3IP, 2H, 0R, 1B, 4K Totals: 12 2/3IP, 7H, 0R, 2B, 9K. That is 12 2/3 shutout innings over the last three games. Mark Hendrickson and Jason Berken pitched twice in the series while Alfredo Simon and Will Ohman pitched in...

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Samuel on Atkins getting designated for assignment

June 27, 2010, 7:56am

Orioles

Samuel on Atkins getting designated for assignment

The Orioles have activated Koji Uehara and to make roster room Garrett Atkins has been designated for assignment, ending his tenure with the club. Here is what interim manager Juan Samuel said about Atkins removal from the roster. "The decision was made a few minutes ago to designate Atkins for assignment with Koji coming off the DL and the possibility of Felix Pie and other guys arriving here soon. "Unfortunately things didn't work out for him here. It was getting kind of tough to get...

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Minor league notes on Henson, Hoes and Mummey

June 27, 2010, 4:09am

Orioles

Minor league notes on Henson, Hoes and Mummey

The Bowie Baysox have won back-to-back games at first-place Altoona and won Saturday night there by a 5-3 score. Baysox left fielder Tyler Henson went 3 for 5 with an RBI and continues to kind of quietly have a very solid first full year at Double-A. The 22-year-old, fifth-round pick out of an Oklahoma high school from 2006, is now batting .295-7-36. Henson is fifth in the league in hits and just outside the top ten in the Eastern League in batting average. He is batting .375 in June and...