With his first start, and all the hype that went with it, now out of the way, Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight in Detroit for his second Major League start.
"I feel like I'll be a lot more comfortable," Tillman said. "That first outing had a lot to do with nerves, trying to do too much. Now that I got my feet under me a little, I should do better.
"I need to get my off-speed stuff over for strikes. Last outing, my changeup was okay early but fell off late in the game. I didn't...
Game Preview
Orioles (44-60) at Detroit (54-49)
With Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz expected to start the next two nights for the Orioles, the pressure is on that pair to restore order to Orioles' pitching.
They'll take the mound in Detroit where tonight the O's and Tigers begin a four-game series.
The Red Sox hit .395 over the weekend vs. O's pitchers with 28 runs on 47 hits. They capped a three-game sweep with Sunday's 23-hit, 18-10 victory.
O's starters worked to an ERA of 10.22...
RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 5.79) tonight makes his second career Major League start.
Wednesday vs. Kansas City in his big league debut, Tillman gave up seven hits and three runs over 4 2/3 innings. He walked one with two strikeouts and threw 93 pitches.
A late O's rally led to a 7-3 win and took Tillman off the hook for a loss. He gave up three solo homers to KC after allowing just one homer in his last six Triple-A starts.
The 21-year-old right-hander was acquired by the O's from Seattle...
Another night and another frustrating loss for the Orioles.
Tigers outfielder Clete Thomas hit a solo homer to center with two outs in the last of the ninth off Danys Baez to give Detroit a 6-5, walk-off win over the Birds to start this four-game series.
The O's and rookie Chris Tillman could not hold a 5-0 lead they gained in the top of the first inning.
Gary and Buck interview Dave Trembley after the O's 6-5 loss to the Tigers
For the second straight start, Tillman did not get a...
The O's current stretch of losing close games continued with Monday's 6-5, bottom of the ninth loss at Detroit. Nine of the Orioles last 12 losses have come by one or two runs.
The O's fall to 11-14 in one-run games and have lost their past five one-run decisions.
The Rookie - Rookie Chris Tillman did not get a decision again in his second Major League start. He gave up three runs in the first inning, but on the night allowed seven hits and five runs over six innings. Tillman threw 100...
I'll pass along some thoughts here on Brian Matusz who will make his Major League debut for the Orioles tonight.
I have seen Matusz pitch several times this year at both Frederick and Bowie.
I don't see the game with the critical eye of a scout and can't quite project if what I saw of Matusz at Bowie will translate vs. big league hitters. I can just tell you what I saw first-hand.
First off, don't expect Matusz to light up any radar guns. He throws 90, 91 mostly and I don't remember...
Game Preview
Orioles (44-61) at Detroit (55-49)
It was a promising start followed later by a deflating finish.
The Orioles took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first against Justin Verlander Monday night. But Detroit battled back to tie the game in the 5th and win it 6-5 on a Clete Thomas homer off Danys Baez in the last of the ninth.
That's how the Orioles began a four-game road series and seven-game road trip.
Tonight in game two at Detroit, Brian Matusz will make his Major League debut...
LHP Brian Matusz, who has had a brilliant season in the Orioles minor leagues this year, tonight makes his Major League debut.
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 with Bowie than he had at Frederick. In eight Baysox starts, he went 7-0, 1.55.
In 46 1/3 innings he allowed...
By that I don't mean more hits and runs, but Brian Matusz would take that.
But after Matusz threw 27 pitches and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the last of the second, the O's hitters in the third came up and made three outs in about 30 seconds. I exaggerate a bit. But how about stalling a bit, taking a few pitches, going back to the on deck circle for the towel, anything to give Matusz a short break.
He had to work hard in the last of the third and the O's went out quickly in the top...
Not a bad start.
Brian Matusz out pitches Jarrod Washburn, who is second in the league in ERA and had pitched to an ERA of 0.74 over his last five starts.
And for most of the night, the kid was a two-pitch pitcher, fastball and change.
His last pitch of the night, when he struck out Raburn in the 5th was the slider I mentioned earlier today that ends up at a right-handed hitters foot. For most of tonight Matusz was struggling with his breaking pitches.
Wonder what it will look like when...
Brian Matusz became the latest O's pitcher to win his Major League debut, pitching five solid innings, as the Orioles beat the Tigers, 8-2 Tuesday night.
The 22-year-old lefty, called up from Double-A Bowie earlier in the day, gave up just one run and six hits. He walked three and fanned five, throwing 99 pitches.
Matusz finished with a flourish, getting two strikeouts to end the last of the fifth with men on second and third and one out.
Matusz followed Koji Uehara, Brad Bergesen, Jason...
O's lefty Brian Matusz retired the side in order on just 11 pitches in the first inning. He got out of jams in the second, third and fifth innings and picked up a win in his Major League debut.
Matusz tonight: 5IP, 6H, 1R-ER, 3B, 5K....99 pitches.
Matusz struck out Marcus Thames and Ryan Raburn with runners on second and third and just one out in the last of the 5th to preserve what was then just a 3-1 lead.
Pick Six - The Orioles have had six pitchers make their Major League debuts this...
When Brian Matusz left the Bowie Baysox for the Major Leagues, a rotation spot became open with the Double-A club.
The O's could have promoted lefty Zach Britton from Frederick. Britton, a real up and coming prospect, is 7-5, 2.68 this year with the Keys.
But instead, 22-year-old right hander Pedro Beato was moved up to Bowie and will make his first Double-A start tonight at New Hampshire.
David Stockstill, the O's Director of Player Development, said Beato has an experience edge over...
Game Preview
Orioles (45-61) at Detroit (55-50)
One night after Brian Matusz pitched the Orioles past the Tigers to provide the club a big lift and end a four-game losing streak, the O's meet the Tigers tonight in game three of this four-game series.
The series is even at a win each after Tuesday's 8-2 Baltimore victory. Matusz won his Major League debut, allowing one run and six hits over five innings. He threw 99 pitches.
The O's are 6-0 this season in games started by O's pitchers...
RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-10, 5.37) tonight will make his 22nd start of this season, his 11th on the road and the 3rd of his career vs. Detroit.
Guthrie has lost his last two starts, both vs. Boston. He is 0-2, 7.43 in those outings. In the start before that, on July 19th at Chicago, he held the White Sox to just three hits in eight innings as he picked up his 7th win.
Guthrie has allowed an American League-leading 26 homers and with 10 losses, he is tied for the league lead.
AL Leaders, home...
Jeremy Guthrie came up with one of his best starts in what has been a frustrating season for him.
But, Edwin Jackson pitched better.
For the second time in five weeks, Jackson produced a dominant performance vs. the Orioles as the Tigers topped the Birds 4-2 on Wednesday night.
Jackson took a two-hit shutout to the ninth, but hit Nolan Reimold leading off the inning and gave up a two-run homer to Adam Jones. He allowed just three hits, throwing 117 pitches. Jackson improves to 8-5,...
Jeremy Guthrie had a strong outing in a losing cause Wednesday night. He allowed six hits and three runs over 7 1/3 as he falls to 7-11, 5.28. Two of the runs charged to Guthrie scored after he left the game.
It was his 10th quality start of this season. The Orioles fall to 8-14 in his 22 starts. Guthrie allowed his AL-leading 27th homer, a solo shot by Magglio Ordonez in the fifth inning.
Guthrie is now 3-6, 6.08 in 11 road starts.
Not much action vs. Jackson - Detroit right-hander...
Game Preview
Orioles (45-62) at Detroit (56-50)
It's beginning to become an all too familiar story. The Orioles will play hard, be in the game to the final out, but in the end, lose a close one.
It happened again Wednesday night, when Detroit beat the Orioles 4-2. The Tigers lead the four-game series, two wins to one.
In the series finale today, at 1:05 p.m. the O's send right-hander David Hernandez (3-3, 3.28) to the mound vs. 20-year-old righty Rick Porcello (9-7, 4.36).
Edwin...
RHP David Hernandez (3-3, 3.28) today makes his 9th start of this season, his 6th on the road and his 2nd of the year vs. Detroit.
Hernandez won his Major League debut in Baltimore on May 28 vs. the Tigers. That night, he allowed five hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings.
Hernandez took a loss last Saturday vs. Boston, allowing two runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 4-0.
In his two previous starts, at New York and Boston, Hernandez pitched to an ERA of...
Brandon Inge hit a two-run homer during a four-run second inning that gave Detroit an early lead. The Tigers went on to a 7-3 win over the Orioles Thursday afternoon, to take three of four in the series.
O's right-hander David Hernandez, who had pitched to an ERA of 2.70 over his last five starts, today lasted just three innings. He gave up seven hits and five runs.
Hernandez had allowed six runs total over his last four starts. He is now 3-4, 3.96.
The O's scored on a Felix Pie RBI...