Pie leaves game injured

Pie leaves game injured
O's center fielder Felix Pie left tonight's game in Cleveland in the top of the 7th with a left leg injury. He was trying to beat out a double-play grounder, he did not, and he fell to the ground after hitting the first base bag. It was a possibly a quad injury as Pie was grabbing the front of his leg. Pie was 2 for 4 in the game with a single and double. Jeff Fiorentino went in for Pie in center in the last of the 7th.

O's can't get the clutch hit, lose at Cleveland

O's can't get the clutch hit, lose at Cleveland
It can't get much more frustrating for the Orioles. A pitcher with an ERA of 13.11 over his last three starts beat them. So did a team with an 11-game losing streak. The O's offense missed out on scoring chances throughout the night as Cleveland beat the Orioles 4-2 Friday night to snap their long losing streak. Gary Thorne talks with Dave Trembley after the O's 4-2 loss to the Indians The O's are 0-4 on this road trip and their own season-worst losing streak reaches eight games. The...

Post-game Notes: O's lose series opener at Cleveland

Post-game Notes:  O's lose series opener at Cleveland
Tough night at the office - The O's lost the game Friday night as much as Cleveland won it. They went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base. Melvin Mora's throwing error plated Cleveland's third run. A Matt Albers bases-loaded walk handed the Tribe their 4th run. The O's stranded two runners on base four times in the game, three times with Cesar Izturis making the third out. It's over now - Cleveland snapped an 11-game losing streak, picking up its...

Saturday night baseball: O's at Cleveland

Saturday night baseball:  O's at Cleveland
Game Preview Orioles (60-93) at Cleveland (62-91) When two baseball teams working on long losing steaks collided Friday night in Cleveland, the Indians ended their frustration while the Orioles must wait at least a few more hours. A loss Friday and Cleveland would have equaled its longest streak ever - 12 games in May of 1931. But the Indians took advantage of O's mistakes and Baltimore's lack of clutch hitting to post a 4-2 win on Friday. That was game one of a three-game...

Tonight's pitchers: Berken vs. Sowers

Tonight's pitchers:  Berken vs. Sowers
RHP Jason Berken (5-12, 6.41) tonight makes his 23rd start of the year, his 10th on the road and his 2nd vs. Cleveland. After a five-start stretch where Berken went 3-0, 4.23, the right hander took the loss Sunday vs. Boston. In three innings, he allowed ten hits and six runs. Right-handed hitters are batting .312 against him and lefties hit .337. The O's are 6-16 when Berken starts, but are 3-3 over the last six games. Berken, 2009 season: First half: 1-6, 5.87, 9 starts Second half: ...

Tribe with a walk-off win, 9-8 over O's

Tribe with a walk-off win, 9-8 over O's
Jhonny Peralta's RBI single in the last of the 9th gave Cleveland a 9-8 walk-off win over the Orioles Saturday night, after the Birds had rallied to tie it in the top of the ninth. Luis Valbuena singled off Jim Johnson leading off the 9th and advanced to second on a grounder. Peralta's 2nd RBI of the night was the game winner. The Orioles have now lost nine games in a row. Gary and Jim ask Dave Trembley about the O's 9-8 loss to Cleveland The O's went to the 9th down 8-6, but the first...

Post-game Notes: Tribe walks off to victory

Post-game Notes:  Tribe walks off to victory
The pen was not mightier - The O's struggling bullpen continue in that fashion on Saturday night. The Tribe rallied for four runs in the 7th vs. Sean Henn and Chris Ray and scored in the 9th to beat Jim Johnson. The O's pen tonight allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings. The bullpen ERA is 7.99 over the last seven games. The O's losing streak has reached nine in a row since a 4-2 win over Tampa on September 16th. For the second time in four games, the O's opponent won in...

Series finale: Orioles at Cleveland

Series finale:  Orioles at Cleveland
Game Preview Orioles (60-94) at Cleveland (63-91) After 4-2 and 9-8 losses the past two nights vs. Cleveland, the Orioles will need to win this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. to avoid a three-game sweep. Chris Tillman (2-4, 4.71) pitches for the O's vs. Cleveland's David Huff (10-8, 5.98). The Orioles are 0-5 on this ten-game road trip and are 24-52 in road games on the season. The Orioles have now lost nine games in a row since beating Tampa on September 16th. Four of the nine losses have come...

Today's pitchers: Tillman vs. Huff

Today's pitchers:  Tillman vs. Huff
RHP Chris Tillman (2-4, 4.71) today makes his 12th start of the season, his 7th on the road and his 2nd this year vs. Cleveland. Two starts ago, Tillman gave up just one run over 6 2/3 vs. Tampa. In his last start he gave up four runs and six hits in five innings Monday, in taking the loss at Toronto. In four September starts, Tillman is 1-2, 5.56. Right-handed batters are hitting .336 against him while lefties bat just .242. The Orioles are 4-7 when Tillman starts, 2-2 this...

Not Tillman's time

Not Tillman's time
Chris Tillman gave up six runs in the first inning today at Cleveland and lasted just two innings. His previous shortest start this year was his first start, July 29 vs. KC, when he went 4 2/3 innings. Tillman may have tired here at the end of the year. His ERA in September is 7.30 after it was 5.79 in July and 4.04 in August. Tillman today: 2IP, 6H, 6R-ER, 1B, 2K, 1HR......53 pitches. Brian Bass came on in the third. Meanwhile, David Huff has sailed through four innings for Cleveland on...

The final road series: O's at Tampa

The final road series:  O's at Tampa
Game Preview Orioles (60-95) at Tampa (79-76) After going winless at Toronto and Cleveland, the O's play at Tampa tonight. It's the start of the final week and final road series of the year. The Orioles are 0-6 on this trip and have lost ten games in a row. Tonight, the Rays host the Orioles in the opener of a four-game series at Tropicana Field at 7:08 p.m. Pitching Matchups - Tampa series: Mon, 7:08p - Mark Hendrickson (5-5, 4.37) v. Jeff Niemann (12-6, 3.81) Tues, 7:08p - Jeremy...

Do you know him now? (updated)

Do you know him now? (updated)
I just wrote about the Rays' video board displaying Craig Tatum's picture next to Luke Scott's name. Scott didn't seem to mind. And Tatum should be flattered. Scott launched a 90 mph fastball deep into the seats in right-center field, giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Matt Wieters followed with a single, and Felix Pie has doubled to put runners on second and third. Still no outs. Wieters also crushed a ball in the second inning, but center fielder B.J. Upton made a...
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Early impressions

Early impressions
You certainly can't draw many conclusions from the first few innings of the first game, but...... *Adam Jones told Gary Thorne before the game "if someone needs a kick in the butt this year, I'll do it. If I need a kick in the butt, I hope someone will do it." Minutes later, he went out and hit a Jamie Walker "rocket ship" off the center-field wall. Then he homered to right in the third. That's leadership. In his last five Opening Day at bats, Jones is 5 for 5 with a triple,...

Tribe blanks O's to complete three-game sweep

Tribe blanks O's to complete three-game sweep
The Cleveland Indians scored six runs in the first inning Sunday off Chris Tillman, on their way to 9-0 win over the Orioles and a sweep of the three-game series. The Orioles have lost ten in a row, matching their longest losing stretch since September of 2008. Asdrubal Cabrera had a two-run double in the 1st and Kelly Shoppach's three-run homer capped the inning. Cabrera went 4 for 5 with three RBI. Tillman lasted just two innings, allowing six runs and six hits. He falls to 2-5,...

Post-game Notes: The losing skid reaches ten

Post-game Notes:  The losing skid reaches ten
Tough time for Tillman - Chris Tillman took the loss Sunday, pitching just two innings, in his shortest start of the year. His previous shortest start was 4 2/3 vs. Kansas City in his Major League debut July 29th. Today he allowed six runs in the first inning and threw just 53 pitches in falling to 2-5, 5.40. Tillman has allowed 10ER in seven innings over his last two starts. In five September starts, he is 1-3, 7.30. Dave Trembley talks with the media after the O's 9-0 loss to the...

Another September swoon

Another September swoon
The O's can only hope the saying "it's darkest before the dawn" might apply to baseball as well. It's getting pretty dark around here lately. Until this ten-game losing streak, the Orioles were not only competing with but they were beating good teams. They took two of three from Texas and won back to back series over the Yankees (on the road) and vs. Tampa. That all happened in September, although it seems years away now. With some recent blowout losses, the teams' effort can be...

Tonight's pitchers: Hendrickson vs. Niemann

Tonight's pitchers:  Hendrickson vs. Niemann
LHP Mark Hendrickson (5-5, 4.37) tonight makes his 10th start of this season, his 5th on the road and his 4th vs. Tampa Bay. Hendrickson pitched well, but did not get a decision Tuesday at Toronto. Over six innings, he gave up four hits and two runs, throwing 68 pitches. Hendrickson, 2009 season: As starter: 1-5, 5.73, nine starts As reliever: 4-0, 3.44, 42 games The Hendrickson-Niemann pitching matchup tonight features a pair of 6'9" hurlers. Hendrickson pitched with Tampa from...

Previewing the opener (plus pitcher stats)

Previewing the opener (plus pitcher stats)
The Baltimore Orioles begin their 57th year of Major League Baseball tonight at 7:10 p.m. on the road vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. The O's are opening on the road for just the second time in 15 years. The O's went 64-98 last year while Tampa finished at 84-78, one year after winning the American League championship. Tampa sported baseball's best record in spring training games at 20-8 with two ties. In the last 13 years, the team that had the best spring training record in the Majors made the...

Mr. Jones and me (updated)

Mr. Jones and me (updated)
Tampa Bay Rays starter James Shields has been impressive tonight. He'd be unhittable if not for Adam Jones. Jones doubled to center field in the first inning, and he just homered to right with the count full in the third to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Jones kept battling Shields through a 10-pitch at-bat. It ended with Jones going into his home run trot as right fielder Ben Zobrist raced to the fence. Orioles 1, Tampa Bay 0. Jones has accounted for both Orioles hits. Shields has walked...
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Tejada tested early (updated)

Tejada tested early (updated)
It probably won't come as a shock to anyone that the first ball put in play by the Rays managed to find Miguel Tejada at third base. Tejada fielded Jason Bartlett's grounder and made a strong throw to first. It's all downhill from here. Carl Crawford showed bunt on the next pitch, but pulled back. Kevin Millwood threw 18 pitches in the first inning, 10 for strikes. He fanned Evan Longoria on a 91 mph fastball with the count full to strand Ben Zobrist at second base. The Orioles made...
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