Steve Melewski

Weekend preview: Orioles at Toronto

April 07, 2010, 5:47pm

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (45-63) at Toronto (51-56) After losing three of four games vs. first-place Detroit, the O's road trip moves on to Canada where tonight the Orioles meet fourth-place Toronto. The O's have lost six of seven, 13 of 17 and 26 of the last 39 games. They are 17-37 on the road on the year and have lost 17 of their past 23 road contests. Pitching Matchups at Toronto: Fri, 7:22p - Jason Berken (1-9, 6.93) v. Ricky Romero (10-4, 3.53) Sat, 1:07p - Chris Tillman (0-0, 6.75) v....

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steve melewski orioles

Tonight's pitchers: Berken vs. Romero

April 07, 2010, 5:46pm

Orioles

RHP Jason Berken (1-9, 6.93) tonight will make his 14th start of the season, his 6th on the road and his 3rd of the year vs. Toronto. Berken remains winless since beating Toronto in his Major League debut on May 26th. That night he gave up seven hits and two runs over five innings. His most recent start was his worst of the year. Sunday he took the loss vs. Boston and gave up six runs and seven hits in just 1 1/3 innings, throwing only 53 pitches. Berken is 0-9 over his last 12 starts and...

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steve melewski orioles

Looking around the Minor Leagues

April 07, 2010, 5:45pm

Orioles

Some news and notes around the O's Minor Leagues. With all the players that have made their way from Norfolk to Baltimore this year, the Tides still have a good record at 61-51 and are three games out of first place. Brandon Snyder is hitting .424 with 13 RBI over his last 15 games. He has seven multi-hit games in that stretch. Justin Turner is batting .347 over 34 games. Jeff Fiorentino is 4th in the IL in OBP and 5th in batting and slugging. Joey Gathright is batting .389 during an...

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steve melewski orioles

Berken gets his second win as O's top Jays

April 07, 2010, 5:43pm

Orioles

Berken gets his second win as O's top Jays

The Orioles rallied from a mid-game 3-0 deficit and Jason Berken finally got that elusive second Major League win as the Birds beat Toronto 7-5 Friday night to start a three-game series. Berken won his big league debut May 26th vs. Toronto but then went 0-9 over 12 starts - until tonight. Dave Trembley talks with Gary and Buck after the O's 7-5 win Berken, now 2-9, gave up five hits and three runs over six innings. He allowed back-to-back solo homers to Vernon Wells and Alex Rios in the...

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steve melewski orioles

Post-game Notes: Berken and O's top Toronto

April 07, 2010, 5:42pm

Orioles

Post-game Notes: Berken and O's top Toronto

Two starts ago Jason Berken left his start vs. Kansas City with a lead after giving up two runs over six innings, only to see his potential win go by the board when the Royals tied the game. Tonight, when he got the lead the O's kept it and Berken got his second win of the year as the Orioles beat Toronto. Berken beat the same team May 26th in his Major League debut. He was 0-9 over his last 12 starts until getting this win. It was his third quality start of the year as he allowed five...

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steve melewski orioles

Afternoon baseball: Tillman takes on Toronto

April 07, 2010, 5:41pm

Orioles

Afternoon baseball: Tillman takes on Toronto

Game Preview Orioles (46-63) at Toronto (51-57) For most of this season, the Orioles have struggled when playing AL East opponents. But not vs. Toronto. The O's have 15 division wins on the year and are 6-4 vs. Toronto. The Birds are 9-23 vs. the three other AL East teams. Today at 1:07 p.m. in game two of this three-game series, Chris Tillman (0-0, 6.75) pitches for the Orioles vs. former University of Maryland pitcher Brett Cecil (5-1, 4.36). Nolan Reimold and Nick Markakis knocked in...

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steve melewski orioles

Today's pitchers: Tillman vs. Cecil

April 07, 2010, 5:40pm

Orioles

RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 6.75) today will make his third Major League start of this season and the first of his career vs. Toronto. In his Major League debut, July 29 vs. KC, Tillman gave up three runs in 4 2/3. Monday at Detroit, he allowed five runs over six innings. Through those two starts, right-handed batters are hitting .304 vs. Tillman and lefties are batting .333. The Orioles are 1-1 in the two starts. In 18 starts earlier at Triple-A Norfolk, he went 8-6, 2.70 and allowed 2ER or...

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steve melewski orioles

Lind wins it in 10th for Jays

April 07, 2010, 5:39pm

Orioles

Adam Lind's RBI double to left with one out in the last of the tenth gave Toronto a 3-2 win over the Orioles on Saturday afternoon. The series is even at a win each. Joe Inglett led off the 10th with an infield hit, and, after a fielders choice and single by Aaron Hill, Lind hit one off the left field wall to end the game. Chris Tillman started and produced the best of his three starts so far for the Orioles, but did not get a decision. Mark VIviano talks with Danys Baez about the Orioles...

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steve melewski orioles

Post-game Notes: O's fall in ten vs. Jays

April 07, 2010, 5:37pm

Orioles

Post-game Notes: O's fall in ten vs. Jays

The Orioles fall to 4-4 in extra-inning games and are now 11-15 in one-run games and have lost six one-run decisions in a row. Tillman time - Chris Tillman pitched 6 2/3 innings, the longest outing of his three starts to date. The only runs he allowed came on an Alex Rios two-run homer in the second. He gave up four hits, those two runs, with three walks and four strikeouts. He threw 110 pitches, 66 for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 5.19. Through three starts, Tillman is still without...

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steve melewski orioles

Sunday baseball: O's at Jays

April 07, 2010, 5:32pm

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (46-64) at Toronto (52-57) The Orioles inconsistent offense was in down mode on Saturday in a 3-2, 10-inning loss vs. Toronto. The O's left 10 men on base and went 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles scored 13 runs in the first two games of their series at Detroit, then plated just five runs in the series final two games. They scored seven in Friday's win at Toronto and just two in yesterday's loss. Today they'll play the third and deciding game...

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steve melewski orioles

Today's pitchers: Matusz vs. Halladay

April 07, 2010, 5:30pm

Orioles

LHP Brian Matusz (1-0, 1.80) today makes his second Major League start of this season. He got the win Tuesday at Detroit. In five innings, he gave up six hits and one run with three walks and five strikeouts. Matusz threw 99 pitches. In 19 starts this year between Frederick and Bowie, the 22-year-old Matusz went 11-2, 1.91 and fanned 121 in 113 innings. He began the year at Frederick, going 4-2, 2.16 in 11 starts. Matusz made his first Double-A start on June 17th and pitched even better...

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steve melewski orioles

The home run problem

April 07, 2010, 5:29pm

Orioles

Giving up the longball continues to be a problem for the O's pitching staff. The Orioles entered play today with 138 homers allowed, the most by any staff in the American League. Brian Matusz gave up three homers today in his 2 2/3 innings outing. O's pitchers have now allowed at least one long ball in 12 of the last 13 games, giving up 23 in that stretch. Chris Tillman and Matusz have combined to allow eight homers in 25 innings so far. Meanwhile, the Orioles have hit 108 homers on the...

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steve melewski orioles

Jays use longball to win series finale

April 07, 2010, 5:28pm

Orioles

Brian Matusz could not follow up his winning Major League debut at Detroit with another strong outing. Matusz got rocked for three homers today as his outing lasted just 2 2/3 innings as Toronto beat the Birds, 7-3, to win the series, two games to one. Kevin Millar hit a solo homer in the second while Vernon Wells and Marco Scutaro hit two-run shots in the third off the 22-year-old left hander. Matusz allowed five runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings to fall to 1-1 on the year. Brian Matusz...

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steve melewski orioles

Props to Guthrie

April 07, 2010, 5:28pm

Orioles

Jeremy Guthrie certainly gave the Orioles a solid start tonight. After giving up 17 ER in 20 2/3 in spring games, he pitched quite well at the Trop. His pitches looked to have good movement and he seemed to mix some good changeups in as well. For now, he may have silenced a nervous fan base. He was good from the start, allowing just one hit and throwing only 37 pitches in the first three innings. He gave up three runs over the 4th and 5th frames. Too bad for him, Evan Longoria's drive...

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Post-game Notes: Jays take series finale

April 07, 2010, 5:26pm

Orioles

Post-game Notes: Jays take series finale

Roy Halladay today became a career 20-game winner vs. the Orioles. In eight innings he gave up nine hits and three runs (two earned) with one walk and four strikeouts. He threw 107 pitches, 79 strikes. He is 12-5, 2.73 on the year. Halladay improved to 2-0, 3.13 in three starts on the year vs. the O's and 20-4, 2.89 in 31 games, 27 career starts vs. Baltimore covering 193 innings. Halladay won for just the second time in his last nine starts and Toronto is now 12-10 in his 22 starts in...

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steve melewski orioles

Another take on Steve Johnson

April 07, 2010, 5:24pm

Orioles

He never seemed to be atop anyone's top prospects list. He never blew up anyone's radar gun. But Steve Johnson just kept getting outs, impressing his coaches and just kept moving up the Minor League ladder. Just a few weeks ago, the Dodgers promoted him to Double-A Chatanooga and just days after that, Johnson got traded to the Orioles with Josh Bell for George Sherrill. Now the kid from St. Paul's School, the Baltimore native whose dad played for the Orioles and now broadcasts for the...

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The homestand begins: A's at O's

April 07, 2010, 5:22pm

Orioles

Game Preview Oakland (49-62) at Orioles (46-65) Home after a seven-game road trip where they went only 2 and 5, the Orioles look for more victories as they begin a seven-game homestand tonight vs. Oakland. The Orioles are 28-26 at home this year. After they play three with Oakland, the stand continues with a four-game series vs. the Los Angeles Angels. Here are the pitching matchups for the Oakland series: Mon, 7:05p - Jeremy Guthrie (7-11, 5.28) v. Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 6.31) Tues, 7:05p -...

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steve melewski orioles

Matusz talks about his rough start in Toronto

April 07, 2010, 5:16pm

Orioles

Matusz talks about his rough start in Toronto

Brian Matusz says a combination of less than stellar command, nerves and spending too much time focusing on the hitter rather than his own game, all led to his short outing on Sunday at Toronto. Matusz gave up seven hits and five runs, three homers, in just 2 2/3 innings vs. the Blue Jays. "I've learned a lot, a lot about myself. I know what my strengths are," the 22-year-old lefty said. "Yesterday, I didn't pitch to my strengths. We went over the scouting report before the game and...

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steve melewski orioles

Tonight's pitchers: Guthrie vs. Gonzalez

April 07, 2010, 5:15pm

Orioles

Tonight's pitchers: Guthrie vs. Gonzalez

RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-11, 5.28) tonight will make his 23rd start of the year, his 12th at home and the 5th of his career vs. Oakland. Guthrie is coming off a decent outing, but still took the loss on Wednesday night at Detroit. In 7 1/3 innings he gave up six hits and three runs, throwing 109 pitches. In four second-half starts, Guthrie is 1-3, 5.02. The right-hander leads the AL in home runs allowed with 27. He has given up at least one homer in 17 of 22 starts and has allowed ten homers...

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steve melewski orioles

If Guthrie knew why.......

April 07, 2010, 5:14pm

Orioles

He gave up so many runs in the first two innings of his starts this year, he'd fix the problem. Because it has been a season-long issue for him. Coming into tonight, where he allowed two runs in the second to Oakland, Guthrie had given up 36 runs in the first two innings of his starts and 46 in all other innings. That's 43.9 percent of his runs allowed in those two innings. Last year, he gave up 109 runs all year and 27 came in the first two innings. That's 24.7 percent. That still...