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Brilliant Britton with his best start yet

May 12, 2011, 7:27pm

Orioles

Brilliant Britton with his best start yet

Zach Britton did everything but get a win tonight with his amazing nine innings of scoreless baseball. It's the first time this year Britton did not get a decision, but with a single run of offensive support, he could have easily been the Orioles' first six-game winner before May was over since Kris Benson in 2006. Britton is now 5-2 with an ERA of 2.42 through his first eight major league starts. That is the 7th best ERA in the American League and he is tied for 4th in the AL with five...

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Wieters' caught stealing rate now over 50 percent

May 12, 2011, 4:18pm

Orioles

Wieters' caught stealing rate now over 50 percent

Matt Wieters continues to throw out opposing base stealers at an amazing rate. When he threw out Luis Rodriguez trying to steal to end the top of the fifth tonight, Wieters moved over 50 percent on the year in throwing out runners. He has now thrown out 11 of 21 runners trying to steal. Here are the AL leaders by percentage among catchers coming into tonight: .514 - Kurt Suzuki of Oakland (18 of 35) .500 - Matt Wieters of Orioles (10 of 20) .500 - Kelly Shoppach of TB (5 of 10) .444 - Matt...

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Checking on some Zach Britton stats

May 12, 2011, 1:44pm

Orioles

When Zach Britton took the loss in his last start, last Friday versus Tampa, he allowed four hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings, throwing 95 pitches. It was the first time this season Britton has worked fewer than six innings in his seven starts. He has recorded five quality starts to date, and the Orioles are 5-2 when he takes the mound. That is his record also, as he has had a decision in every start. Tonight, Britton can pick up his sixth win. The Orioles did not have a pitcher record...

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B-Rob talks about his struggles on offense

May 12, 2011, 12:46pm

Orioles

B-Rob talks about his struggles on offense

Right now, Brian Roberts is going through perhaps one of the worst slumps of his career. He is hitless in his last 26 at-bats, dating to last Wednesday at Kansas City. He is batting just .209 in 34 games and he is a .283 career hitter. Roberts says it's as frustrating a stretch he has been through in recent years. "Yeah, probably," he said. "You go through slumps every year. There is really no escaping one at some point. This has probably been one of the more frustrating ones I've been...

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This time around, Caleb Joseph is doing better at Double-A Bowie

May 12, 2011, 6:42am

Orioles

This time around, Caleb Joseph is doing better at Double-A Bowie

After catcher Caleb Joseph hit .284 in 2009 at Single-A Frederick and made the Carolina League All-Star team, he had high hopes for the 2010 season with Double-A Bowie. But he got off to a slow start and never really got his bat going. He finished hitting .235 in 106 games and fell off some of those top prospects lists. But after his key two-RBI single helped Bowie beat Richmond on Wednesday, Joseph is now batting .289 with three homers, 14 RBIs, a .394 on-base average and an .828 OPS in 26...

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Orioles starters have outpitched Mariners in this series

May 11, 2011, 10:08pm

Orioles

Sometimes, a little pitching and a little offense can go a long way. You probably know that the Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in more than half their games this year and are 2-16 in those games. So they almost always lose when they score so little. But if they can get four runs, they almost always win. After Wednesday's 4-2 victory over Seattle, the Orioles are 14-3 when they score four or more runs in a game. The starting pitching has set the tone the past two nights and for two...

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Tale of the tape on Tillman's effort

May 11, 2011, 5:52pm

Orioles

Chris Tillman outpitched Felix Hernandez tonight to help the Orioles beat the Mariners 4-2 at Camden Yards. You would have gotten long odds of that happening back at 7 p.m. tonight. After being traded by Seattle to the Orioles on Feb. 8, 2008, it had to feel good for Tillman and Adam Jones to beat their former team tonight. Jones went 4-for-4 with a key two-run triple. Here is more on Tillman's night: * He rebounded from his previous start, when he gave up ten hits and eights runs over 3...

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Just the facts

May 11, 2011, 3:48pm

Orioles

* Derrek Lee is now the only Oriole to start every game. Nick Markakis and Mark Reynolds were on that list until today when neither is in the starting lineup. * After grounding out with the bases loaded to end the second inning tonight, Robert Andino is now 2-for-12 on the year batting with runners in scoring position. * Chris Tillman entered this game with an ERA of 11.57 in the first two innings this year, but pitched shutout ball in those frames tonight versus Seattle. * Adam Jones now...

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After rough outing at K.C., it's Tillman time again

May 11, 2011, 2:14pm

Orioles

After rough outing at K.C., it's Tillman time again

Contrary to popular belief, Chris Tillman has not been terrible for the Orioles this year. There have been two terrible starts, but four others that have been decent. Tillman gave up six runs in just 1 2/3 on April 13 versus the Yankees. In his last start, he gave up ten hits and eight runs in just 3 2/3 against Kansas City. Those were two terrible starts. In his four other outings, his ERA is 3.22. The Orioles are 3-1 in those four games, by the way. But Tillman's overall ERA of 7.16 is...

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Simon talks about his outing today at Bowie

May 11, 2011, 11:02am

Orioles

Simon talks about his outing today at Bowie

BOWIE, Md. - Before I leave Bowie where today's game was played in near-perfect weather, here are some quotes from Alfredo Simon, who was very pleased with his outing today. "I felt great," Simon said after throwing 94 pitches. "I just tried to work on all my pitches and everything is fine. My velocity, my two-seamer, my splitter and my breaking ball are fine. I'm ready to go right now and everything seems to be working pretty good. "My velocity on my two-seamer was really good. When I...

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John Stockstill comments on Simon's outing at Bowie (updated)

May 11, 2011, 9:53am

Orioles

BOWIE, Md. - O's director of player development John Stockstill got an up-close look at Alfredo Simon's outing today here at Bowie from right behind the screen in the first few rows at Prince George's Stadium. Simon allowed five hits and three runs, all earned over five innings, throwing 94 pitches. "He was a little improved with his overall performance from the other day," Stockstill said. "Threw 94 pitches and needs to get to the point where he can put people away with that split...

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Simon now out of the game at Bowie (updated with final line)

May 11, 2011, 8:53am

Orioles

Simon now out of the game at Bowie (updated with final line)

BOWIE, Md. - Right-hander Alfredo Simon has exited today's game at Double-A Bowie after giving up a double and walk to the first two batters in the top of the sixth. Lefty Pedro Viola has come on. Simon has given up just one run on five hits, but the runners on base are his responsibility. He walked three and fanned eight, throwing 94 pitches, 61 for strikes. Simon had his best inning when he struck out the side on 15 pitches in the fifth. He gave up a run on two hits in the fourth. The...

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Richmond gets on the board against Simon

May 11, 2011, 8:17am

Orioles

Richmond gets on the board against Simon

BOWIE, Md. - Alfredo Simon gave up one run in a 30-pitch, top of the fourth here today. The inning began with a Roger Kieschnick double on a 94 mile per hour fastball. Juan Perez then singled to get Richmond on the board and cut Bowie's lead to 2-1. Simon walked the next batter, but then got a ground out, strikeout and ground out to end the Richmond threat. He threw 19 strikes among his 30 pitches as he labored a bit in that inning. Simon is at 71 pitches through four innings today with a...

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Simon with three scoreless at Bowie

May 11, 2011, 7:55am

Orioles

BOWIE, Md. - Alfredo Simon, making his second start for Double-A Bowie here today, has pitched shutout ball through three innings and has a 2-0 lead on Richmond with Bowie batting in the third. Simon just threw 19 pitches in the third, 12 for strikes. He has allowed two singles and one walk in the game, and has four strikeouts. He has touched 94 on the radar gun and has thrown some nice off-speed pitches, as well. Simon gave up a single in the first and Richmond put the first two runners on...

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Simon's first inning

May 11, 2011, 7:16am

Orioles

BOWIE, Md. - Richmond leadoff batter, Justin Christian, led off the game with soft liner to left for a single on a 1-2 pitch from Alfredo Simon to get this game underway. He would advance to second on a Simon throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first. But Simon stranded him there in a scoreless top of the first. Simon got a line out to second and line out to left for the first two outs of the inning. He then fanned cleanup batter Roger Kieschnick swinging on an 0-2 changeup to end the...

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Baysox lineup

May 11, 2011, 6:30am

Orioles

BOWIE, Md. - Here is the Double-A Bowie Baysox lineup for today's 11:05 a.m. game with Richmond. After scoring twice with two outs in the last of the ninth to win 5-4 last night, the Double-A Baysox begin play today at 16-16, in second place in the Eastern League's Western Division, a half-game behind the Harrisburg Senators. CF - Xavier Avery LF - Kyle Hudson C - Caleb Joseph 1B - Robbie Widlansky RF - Ronnie Welty 3B - Brandon Waring SS - Pedro Florimon DH - Steve Lerud 2B - Carlos...

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Some quick takes on players that came up big in a four-hour win

May 10, 2011, 8:05pm

Orioles

Some quick takes on players that came up big in a four-hour win

It you made it through every pitch, every key play, every blown lead and all four hours and eight minutes, you can raise your hand and if I had a pair of free tickets here, they would be heading your way. A couple of quick thoughts after a dramatic win: Adam Jones had two huge hits. His two-run double in the sixth put the O's ahead 3-2 and his RBI single in the eighth put the O's up 5-4. He doubled in the tenth of a 5-5 tie. Jones is now 10-for-23 on the season batting with runners in...

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M's use a somewhat-rare homer to grab the lead on the Orioles

May 10, 2011, 3:49pm

Orioles

The Mariners don't hit many homers but they used a two-run shot from Adam Kennedy to take a 2-0 lead tonight against the Orioles. They hold a 2-1 edge in the third. Kennedy's homer came in the top of the second and just made it over the leaping attempt by right fielder Nick Markakis. It was his third homer of the year and first since he homered in back-to-back games on April 20 and 21. It's the sixth homer allowed by Jake Arrieta, who has now given up a homer in four straight...

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Machado update from John Stockstill

May 10, 2011, 2:46pm

Orioles

O's director of player development John Stockstill was just on O's Xtra on MASN2 HD and said it might be "a couple of weeks" in all before Manny Machado can get back in a game for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. Machado, who suffered a dislocated kneecap last Thursday, has remained with the Delmarva team which is in Hagerstown right now on a road trip. Stockstill said the club will take another look at Machado's injured left knee when the Shorebirds return home on Friday. He said there...

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Can Arrieta be a stopper tonight?

May 10, 2011, 1:04pm

Orioles

The Orioles have not won a game since last Wednesday at Kansas City. Jake Arrieta started that contest and he is back on the mound tonight for his eighth start of 2011. The Orioles have won just twice this year in the 18 games where they have scored three or fewer runs. One of those two was that last start for Arrieta where the Orioles won 3-2 at K.C. Maybe Arrieta will be the stopper tonight. While we all are so focused on the offense right now, let's not forget that Arrieta may be a young...