O's tell Sano "we want you to be an Oriole"

O's tell Sano "we want you to be an Oriole"
Orioles director of international scouting, John Stockstill, is back from the Dominican Republic tonight. In recent days he has met with the representatives for Dominican shortstop Miguel Angel Sano. "We certainly expressed an interest in him becoming a Baltimore Oriole," Stockstill said. During a week or so in the country, Stockstill met Sano's representatives and officials from Major League baseball. Stockstill would not comment when asked if the O's have begun contract negotiations...
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Sox score early in win over O's

Sox score early in win over O's
David Ortiz hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Boston was on its way to a 7-2 win over the Orioles Saturday night. The Sox have taken the first two games of this series. The Orioles, who are 1-8 this year vs. Boston, have lost 11 in a row at Fenway Park and are 1-16 on the road this season vs. AL East clubs. Jacoby Ellsbury added a pair of RBI doubles for Boston, which improved the Majors best record at home to 33-14. The O's have now lost five in a row, scoring a total of 12...
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Post-game Notes: Sox win again vs. O's

Post-game Notes:  Sox win again vs. O's
Nolan Reimold went 2 for 3 with a double and run scored in Saturday's loss. Reimold is 5 for 6 in this series with two doubles, two runs and two walks. He has increased his average from .259 to .277 the last two days. David Ortiz started the Boston scoring with a three-run homer in the first inning. His 13th of the year came on a 1-0 pitch from Jeremy Guthrie. It was his 25th career homer vs. Baltimore pitching. He has homered more vs. only three teams. He has 34 homers vs. Tampa, his...
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Sunday baseball: Orioles vs. Red Sox

Sunday baseball:  Orioles vs. Red Sox
Game Preview Orioles (41-55) at Boston (57-39) The road trip that has featured just one win and dropped the Orioles 14 games under the .500 mark comes to an end this afternoon. Boston can sweep three straight from the O's with a win today at 1:35 p.m. David Hernandez (2-2, 3.55) will pitch for Baltimore vs. 42-year-old right-hander John Smoltz (1-3, 6.31) The Orioles win last Sunday at Chicago was their only win so far on this trip. They are 1-7 on the trip and 15-34 on the road this...
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Today's pitchers: Hernandez vs. Smoltz

Today's pitchers:  Hernandez vs. Smoltz
RHP David Hernandez (2-2, 3.55) today makes his 7th start of this season, his 5th on the road and the 1st of his career vs. Boston. Hernandez allowed just one run over six innings but did not get a decision last Monday at New York. He gave up just three hits, throwing 103 pitches. Over his last three starts, Hernandez is 1-0, 2.89 (6ER in 18 2/3IP). Right-handed batters are hitting .286 vs. Hernandez while lefties bat .257. He has allowed an average of just .158 when pitching with runners...
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Hernandez pitches O's past Boston, 6-2

Hernandez pitches O's past Boston, 6-2
David Hernandez picked up his third win and Nick Markakis went 2 for 4 with a homer and 3 RBI as the Orioles beat Boston 6-2 Sunday to salvage the final game of the series. Dave Trembley talks with Buck Martinez after the O's 6-2 win With the win, the Orioles ended a five-game losing streak and 11-game losing streak at Boston. They end their road trip with a 2-7 record. Hernandez followed up an excellent outing in New York with another at Fenway Park. Over seven innings he gave up just...
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Post-game Notes: Hernandez pitches O's past Sox

Post-game Notes:  Hernandez pitches O's past Sox
O's Player of the Game - Pitcher David Hernandez. He followed up an excellent outing at Yankee Stadium with one today at Fenway Park. This afternoon he pitched a career-high seven innings and allowed just five hits with one run. He did not walk a batter and fanned two. In the two starts at New York and Boston he gave up two runs and eight hits over 13 innings for an ERA of 1.38. Over his last four starts, Hernandez is 2-0, 2.45. Those four starts all came on the road at Los Angeles,...
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One reason to like Yankee Stadium

One reason to like Yankee Stadium
On May 19th, Brad Bergesen took the mound at Yankee Stadium. His record was 1-1 and his ERA 5.27. For most of the night, Bergesen dueled with CC Sabathia pitch for pitch. When he left in the 7th he was trailing by just 2-1. Two of his inherited runners would score and his final line showed four runs allowed over 6 1/3 and his ERA increased to 5.35. But that may have been Bergesen's breakout game. He showed he could go pitch for pitch with the Yankees' ace in New York. Since that night,...
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The homestand begins: KC at O's

The homestand begins:  KC at O's
Game Preview Kansas City (38-59) at Orioles (42-55) After completing a grueling 2-7 road trip with a win on Sunday, the Orioles return home to Camden Yards. Tonight the Birds begin a seven-game homestand with the start of a four-game series vs. Kansas City. Tonight's pitching matchup features Rich Hill (3-3, 7.64) pitching for Baltimore vs. former Oriole lefty Bruce Chen (0-5, 6.58). The O's ended their road trip with Sunday's 6-2 win at Boston. That snapped Baltimore's five-game...
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Taking time to enjoy success

Taking time to enjoy success
He now has the best ERA among all O's starters. And in the last week, David Hernandez pitched back-to-back games at New York and Boston, giving up just two runs and eight hits over 13 innings. "It's a real positive to go into Boston and New York and get two quality starts. It will help me in future starts. You know you can compete," Hernandez said. What's been the key to his recent outings? "For me it was my fastball command. I was able to command it yesterday and in New York. I...
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Interesting Trembley comment

Interesting Trembley comment
While the Orioles were just 2-7 on the last road trip, within those nine games, mostly losses, they saw some solid performances from young players. For instance, Nolan Reimold went 7 for 10 in the Boston series and hit .429 on the trip. David Hernandez gave up just two runs in back-to-back starts at New York and Boston. Matt Wieters has quietly put some hits together and now has a four-game hit streak. I asked Dave Trembley today how does he put all that in perspective. The team suffers...
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Tonight's starters: Hill vs. Chen

Tonight's starters:  Hill vs. Chen
LHP Rich Hill (3-3, 7.64) tonight will make his 13th start of this season, his 5th at home and his 2nd this year vs. Kansas City. Over his last five starts, Hill has pitched to an ERA of 10.64 (26ER in 22IP). Hill took the loss Tuesday at New York, giving up five runs and four walks over three innings. He threw 82 pitches. Hill has recorded just three quality starts and has pitched more than six innings just three times. Right-handed batters hit .301 vs. him and lefties hit .256. Hill...
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Bass-man not gas-man

Bass-man not gas-man
It's a thankless job, that of the long reliever. Tonight O's fans should thank Brian Bass for restoring order to this game. After Rich Hill left trailing 3-2 in the third, Bass came on and got out of that mess. He got Pena and Freel to strand two and keep the O's down one. They have since tied the game. Bass tonight pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of four-hit ball. He had allowed 7ER in 8IP in July, but tonight he restored order to this game and the O's have a chance to win. If they...
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Royals win series opener, 5-3

Royals win series opener, 5-3
Billy Butler had his first career five-hit game and added 3 RBI as Kansas City beat the Orioles 5-3 Monday night. It was game one of the series and a seven-game homestand. Butler was 5 for 5 with three singles, two doubles and two runs. The Royals broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh. Butler led off with a double, his fourth hit of the night. He was on third with two outs when Brayan Pena hit a slow roller to third. He beat it out for an RBI infield hit and the lead. Dave Trembley...
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Hill dealing with shoulder issues

Hill dealing with shoulder issues
After giving up three runs in just 2 1/3 innings tonight, Rich Hill told reporters he's been dealing with shoulder soreness throughout the season. "I don't know what to say really. I've been having some issues with the shoulder. We've been doing a good job of keeping the fire down a bit. Unfortunately it's something where I haven't been able to maintain any consistency. I haven't given help to this team. I apologize to the front office and the guys in this clubhouse. "It's not...
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Post-game Notes: Royals take series opener

Post-game Notes:  Royals take series opener
The Orioles have now lost six of the last seven games. They have scored a total of 21 runs in those games and are batting just .252 as a team with 16 extra-base hits in that stretch. They have scored four runs or less six times in the last seven games. Six of the Orioles last seven losses have been by one or two runs. Starter Rich Hill pitched just 2 1/3 innings tonight. He gave up four hits and three runs with three walks. He is 3-3, 7.80 on the year. After the game he told reporters he...
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Tuesday baseball: KC at Orioles

Tuesday baseball:  KC at Orioles
Game Preview Orioles (42-56) at Kansas City (39-59) The Orioles offense started to hit the skids beginning in the recent series at New York and that trend continued when the O's began a seven-game homestand Monday vs. Kansas City. The O's were held to three runs by Bruce Chen and two relievers in a 5-3 loss to the Royals. Over their last seven games, the O's have scored just 21 runs and are hitting .252 as a team. Six of the last seven Orioles' losses have been by two runs or...
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Once again, Sherrill is riding out trade rumors

Once again, Sherrill is riding out trade rumors
It's one year later, late July and George Sherrill is again hearing his name mentioned in trade rumors. He says it's flattering, but that he would still prefer to stay an Oriole. "Same take as last year. I don't want to go anywhere, but that's not my call," Sherrill said. "If somebody is willing to give them something they feel they can rebuild with, that's a choice they are going to make. If I'm here, I'd love to be, if I'm not then I'll go help whoever. "It's flattering. ...
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The day after for Gonzo

The day after for Gonzo
New O's closer Mike Gonzalez looked pretty relaxed at his locker just a few minutes ago. He handled his interview with a group of reporters probably better than his first two save chances. Just like the fans, he was relieved when Ben Zobrist's fly ball settled into Nick Markakisis' glove last night to end a shaky bottom of the ninth. Mike Gonzalez talks with the media about his two appearances this season "It's definitely a monkey off my back and a good feeling to be able finish the...
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Tonight's starters: Berken vs. Bannister

Tonight's starters:  Berken vs. Bannister
RHP Jason Berken (1-8, 6.55) tonight makes his 12th start of 2009, his 7th at home and the 1st of his career vs. the KC Royals. Berken won his Major League debut on May 26th vs. Toronto, but is 0-8 in ten starts since. The Orioles are just 2-9 in Berken's 11 starts, losing the last six. In six home starts, Berken is 1-4, 4.54 and the O's are 2-4 in those outings. In his last two starts, at Chicago and at New York, Berken is 0-2, 9.58. (11ER in 10 1/3IP). Right-handed batters hit .274...
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