After poor 10-game run on offense, O's bats need to get going fast

After poor 10-game run on offense, O's bats need to get going fast
TORONTO - In losing four straight games against Boston the Orioles scored just eight runs. In sweeping Arizona three straight they won games scoring three and two runs. Once they won in 12 innings with three solo homers and once they won with an early two-run homer that their pitching made stand up. The starting rotations in Boston and Toronto are going well now and the Orioles hitters can't seem to figure them out. But it goes beyond just those teams. The Orioles have hit just .204 with 24...

Chris Davis on ejection and more from the clubhouse

Chris Davis on ejection and more from the clubhouse
TORONTO - Even at a ballpark where they have averaged five runs a game this year and hit 15 homers in seven games, the Orioles offense could not break out. When Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer in the last of the first tonight, the Toronto Blue Jays had all the offense they would need. They beat the Orioles 5-1 as the O's fell two games back of Toronto for the first American League wild card. The Orioles had eight hits, just one for extra bases, and were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring...

Orioles drop series opener 5-1 at Rogers Centre

Orioles drop series opener 5-1 at Rogers Centre
TORONTO - With a chance to move into a tie for the first American League wild card tonight, the Orioles instead fell behind early, struggled again on offense and never caught up. They lost 5-1 to Toronto in front of 44,762 at Rogers Centre to fall two games back of the Blue Jays with five to play. The Orioles are 85-72 overall and 2-6 in this building this season. Wins by either Detroit or Seattle tonight would move those teams to within one game of the Orioles for the second wild card. Two...

Showalter on Givens and the bullpen (O's fall 5-1)

Showalter on Givens and the bullpen (O's fall 5-1)
TORONTO - No doubt the Orioles bullpen will get a few chances to shine in this series at Rogers Centre. And the Orioles relievers have been doing that most of this season. In fact, over the club's last 13 games, the Orioles bullpen has pitched to an ERA of 0.74, allowing nine runs (four earned) over 48 2/3 innings. With Darren O'Day back from the disabled list to join Mychal Givens, Brad Brach and Donnie Hart to set up for closer Zach Britton, manager Buck Showalter has a few options to...

Showalter pregame on Miley, Jimenez and more

Showalter pregame on Miley, Jimenez and more
TORONTO - As the Orioles play six big games in their final two series of the 2016 regular season, will Buck Showalter manage any differently? He knows the standings show his team just one game behind Toronto for the American League's first wild card as a three-game series with the Blue Jays begins tonight. "We'll see what the game dictates," Showalter said this afternoon in the visitors' dugout. "The game usually tells you what you should do and not do. But we understand the sense of...

Mark Trumbo and Adam Jones on playing at Rogers Centre

Mark Trumbo and Adam Jones on playing at Rogers Centre
TORONTO - For a visiting player, Rogers Centre in Toronto can be a tough place to play. And that goes beyond simply facing a tough opponent. As the Orioles open a big three-game series here tonight, a couple of players say the crowd here is as tough on visiting players as any place they play all year. "You know, at least as a defender, you will hear a fair amount of taunts," Mark Trumbo said this afternoon. "That is just part of the deal here. It is going to be extremely loud. The energy is...

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman gets start in Toronto series opener

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman gets start in Toronto series opener
TORONTO - The Orioles' last road trip of the 2016 season begins tonight at Rogers Centre as the Orioles (85-71) and Toronto Blue Jays (86-70) start a big three-game series. It could possibly be a preview of the American League wild card game a week from today. The Orioles were off Monday and moved to within one game of Toronto for the first AL wild card spot when the Blue Jays lost to the Yankees. The Orioles are 7-9 against Toronto on the year, going 5-4 at home and 2-5 at Rogers Centre where...

Will O's pitching step up at Rogers Centre?

Will O's pitching step up at Rogers Centre?
Well, that was one productive off-day for the Orioles. While the players got some much-needed rest, they gained ground on the teams in front of and behind them in the wild card race. The Yankees scored five runs in the top of the ninth and then held off Toronto (86-70) in the last of the ninth to beat the Blue Jays 7-5. That result moved the Orioles (85-71) to within one game of Toronto for the first American League wild card spot. Moments later Cleveland concluded a 7-4 win at Detroit. That...

Britton focused on the playoffs, not awards (plus other notes)

Britton focused on the playoffs, not awards (plus other notes)
Orioles closer Zach Britton is focusing on trying to get his team into the playoffs and not his chances to contend for a Cy Young Award after this season. But that doesn't stop reporters from asking him about it and he was asked yet again during the 11-game homestand that ended yesterday. After his 14-pitch save Sunday, Britton is now 46-for-46 in save opportunities. According to STATS, LLC., with that save, Britton extended his stretch of consecutive save opportunities converted to 48. The...

A few notes on today's win and sweep of Arizona

A few notes on today's win and sweep of Arizona
The Orioles pitching staff made an early two-run home run stand up today as they beat Arizona 2-1 on a four-hitter to complete a three-game sweep. It was a big win for the Orioles (85-71), who swept Arizona after being swept in four straight by Boston. If Detroit loses against Kansas City, the O's will open a lead of 1 1/2 games for the second AL wild card spot. Toronto beat New York to remain 1 1/2 games up on the Orioles for the first AL wild card. The Orioles begin a three-game series...

Mancini on getting great support and Hardy and Trumbo on Mancini

Mancini on getting great support and Hardy and Trumbo on Mancini
Here is something Trey Mancini hasn't done yet - hit a single. So the O's 24-year-old prospect from Notre Dame is not perfect. But he is putting his name in the major league and team record books. When he hit a three-run homer off Boston's David Price on Thursday night, Mancini became the first Orioles player to homer for his first two major league hits. Last night featured another Mancini home run. According to STATS, LLC., he is the third player in major league history (since 1913) to...

Wade Miley on his outing, plus other clubhouse quotes

Wade Miley on his outing, plus other clubhouse quotes
Earlier this year, Orioles left-hander Wade Miley heard some boo birds as he struggled here at Camden Yards. Tonight, as he lost a shutout with one out in the ninth, he left the mound to a huge ovation from 40,610 as the Orioles beat Arizona 6-1. "That is kind of what we play for," Miley said. "You want to do good and do your job and it worked out tonight. Just had good command of the fastball tonight, which set up off-speed pitches. Wheaty (Matt Wieters) did a great job. Might have shook...

Wade Miley pitches a gem as O's beat Arizona 6-1

Wade Miley pitches a gem as O's beat Arizona 6-1
Orioles left-hander Wade Miley was dealing and Trey Mancini was swinging. Both helped the Orioles to an important 6-1 win over the Diamondbacks tonight in front of 40,610 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards This win moved the Orioles (84-71) a half-game ahead of the Tigers (83-71) for the second American League wild-card spot with seven games to play. They remain 1 1/2 games behind Toronto, which holds the first AL wild card spot. Miley lost a shutout bid with two outs in the ninth on Brandon...

O's game blog: O's can move into second AL wild card spot with win

O's game blog: O's can move into second AL wild card spot with win
The Detroit Tigers allowed five runs in the top of the ninth this afternoon and lost to the Kansas City Royals 7-4 at Comerica Park. That loss provides the Orioles a chance to move back into the lead for the second American League wild card spot if they can beat the Diamondbacks tonight at Camden Yards. Toronto beat the New York Yankees 3-0 and the Orioles would stay 1 1/2 games back of the Blue Jays for the first wild card with a win tonight. The Orioles (83-71) beat Arizona (64-89) 3-2 in 12...

Oliver Drake improves pitch efficiency and finds better results

Oliver Drake improves pitch efficiency and finds better results
Orioles reliever Oliver Drake has probably reached that point in his career where he is looking to show the major league staff that he can be more than an occasional call-up player from Triple-A Norfolk. After two years of some back and forth between the minors and majors, Drake is having a strong September for the Orioles. And his manager Buck Showalter is noticing. Drake got his first major league win last night, pitching a 1-2-3 top of the 12th on just eight pitches. Over his last four...

A look at the recent strong performance by the Orioles bullpen

A look at the recent strong performance by the Orioles bullpen
They no longer lead the American League in bullpen ERA (fourth), but the Orioles bullpen has been big for the team lately. Last night was the latest example, as six pitchers combined for six scoreless innings in the 3-2 12-inning walk-off win over Arizona. While the Orioles were waiting for a few runs to come - and they had a long wait after being shut out through seven innings - the Orioles bullpen held Arizona at bay long enough for the O's offense to do just enough. The Orioles got solo...

O's get walk-off win on Trumbo's home run

O's get walk-off win on Trumbo's home run
On a night they failed repeatedly with runners in scoring position, the Orioles got an important win thanks to two team strengths - power and their bullpen. Mark Trumbo led off the last of the 12th with a solo homer to left to give the Orioles a 3-2, walk-off win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Orioles (83-71) needed to win as the two teams ahead of them in the wild card race had posted wins also. They stay a 1/2-game behind Detroit for the second wild card and 1 1/2 games back of Toronto...

Notes and quotes with Mancini, Worley and on the Boston series

Notes and quotes with Mancini, Worley and on the Boston series
In the series with the Boston Red Sox, Trey Mancini hit two homers and drove in four runs. But Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Manny Machado, Mark Trumbo, Jonathan Schoop, J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters combined for one homer and four RBIs. That was a problem. In the Boston series, Ubaldo Jimenez made a start and allowed two unearned runs over 5 1/3 innings. But in the other three games, Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman and Chris Tillman pitched a combined 13 innings, allowing 21 hits, including four homers,...

Chris Tillman on the loss and more, plus other clubhouse quotes

Chris Tillman on the loss and more, plus other clubhouse quotes
The Tigers beat the Twins 4-2 tonight to complete a sweep of a day-night doubleheader. That win in the nightcap moves the Tigers (82-70) past the Orioles (82-71) for the second American League wild card. After allowing three early runs tonight and pitching just 1 2/3 innings - his shortest outing of the year - Chris Tillman said he struggled with his mechanics and his command. But not with his shoulder. He was on the disabled list from Aug. 24-Sept. 11 with right shoulder bursitis and he...

Mancini first Oriole to homer for first two hits, but O's lose to Sox

Mancini first Oriole to homer for first two hits, but O's lose to Sox
Trey Mancini made some Orioles history tonight and he got his team right back in this game as well. They got even, but could not go ahead, as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 5-3 to complete a four-game sweep in front of 26,788 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Detroit beat Minnesota earlier today and is leading its game with the Twins tonight. A Tigers win in the nightcap would put them past the Orioles in the American League's second wild card spot. The Orioles fall to 82-71 for the season and to...