Manager: John Gibbons (10th season) Record: 66-77 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 1B Justin Smoak (.278/.358/.550 with 37 HR, 85 RBIs), 3B Josh Donaldson (.254/.378/.519 with 25 HR, 64 RBIs), DH Kendrys Morales (27 HR, 78 RBIs), RHP Marcus Stroman (11-7, 3.18 ERA), RHP Roberto Osuna (3.66 ERA, 35 saves, 0.93 WHIP) Season series vs. Orioles: 5-11 Pitching probables: Sept. 11: RHP Ubaldo Jiménez vs. RHP Marco Estrada, 7:07 p.m., MASN Sept. 12: RHP Dylan Bundy vs. RHP Joe Biagini, 7:07 p.m.,...

CLEVELAND - Austin Hays didn't know that he'd in today's lineup for his first major league start, batting ninth and playing right field, until he arrived this morning at Progressive Field and checked the lineup card. No advance warning, no whispers. "I wasn't sure what was going to be going on. I'm excited to get out there and play," he said. "I knew there was a possibility of me being in the lineup under any circumstance, so I'm not surprised." Manager Buck Showalter has been waiting...

CLEVELAND - Austin Hays will make his first major league start this afternoon when the Orioles attempt to halt the Indians' 16-game winning streak. Hays is batting ninth and playing right field. Welington Castillo is behind the plate after being a late scratch from Friday's lineup. A reminder: Today's game is on FOX. For the OriolesTim Beckham SSManny Machado 3BJonathan Schoop 2BAdam Jones CFTrey Mancini LFChris Davis 1BMark Trumbo DHWelington Castillo CAustin Hays RFGabriel Ynoa RHP For the...

How many times this year has it looked like the Orioles were in big trouble in the standings? Well, the latest is now after the club's 5-0 loss last night in Cleveland. They are facing nine more games on this road trip and now they are three games behind Minnesota for the second American League wild card with 21 games to go. They are 27-40 on the road where they will play 14 of those remaining 21 games. So yeah, it could be looking better and they could be positioned better. The Orioles won...

It was about as uncharacteristic a pitching display as Max Scherzer is capable of displaying. Three walks in one inning? He had only issued three or more walks in four games this season. Yet there it was Friday night for all to see. During a laborious, 28-pitch top of the first, Scherzer gave free passes to Odúbel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins and Hyun Soo Kim of the Phillies. Oh, there also was a three-run homer served up to Nick Williams. But that was secondary to the walks in Scherzer's...

Michael A. Taylor remembered what happened two years ago tonight, Sept. 8, 2015, when he singled to center field with the bases loaded against the Mets and watched Yoenis Cespedes let the ball get past him for what officially was ruled a single and three-base error. Taylor did not remember what happened 2 1/2 weeks later, Sept. 25, 2015, when he couldn't make a diving catch of Aaron Altherr's sinking liner with the bases loaded and had to chase down the ball and watch the Phillies outfielder...

CLEVELAND - If Gabriel Ynoa is going to make his first start for the Orioles, and only his sixth appearance, why not pitch him in September with his team badly in need of a quality outing? His team going in the wrong direction in the wild card chase. It has the feel of a reverse lock, with the Indians carrying a franchise-record 16-game winning streak and Ynoa an unexpected addition to a rotation that's undergoing another makeover. Someone needs to step up and manager Buck Showalter is open to...

Max Scherzer didn't look quite like his normal self in his return from a bruised calf, but the Nationals lineup made sure that didn't matter with another well-rounded offensive explosion to move this team one step closer to a division title. Michael A. Taylor's four-hit night that included an inside-the-park grand slam - more on that shortly - highlighted the Nationals' 11-10, too-close-for-comfort win over the Phillies and gave Scherzer the win on a night when the ace didn't look his...

BOWIE, Md. - Double-A Bowie center fielder Cedric Mullins had three hits, including a homer, but three Baysox pitchers had a rough night as Altoona beat Bowie 8-4 tonight to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern League playoff series. After two straight losses at Prince George's Stadium, the best-of-five series moves to Altoona tomorrow night. Bowie will now have to win three straight on the road to advance to the championship series for the second time in three seasons. Altoona No. 7 hitter Elvis...

CLEVELAND - Ambushing the Orioles early is becoming the game within the game. Starters can't get away clean. The Indians are especially prone to leaving streaks. Wade Miley surrendered a three-run homer to Edwin Encarnacion in the first inning and the Orioles couldn't solve right-hander Mike Clevinger, who pointed the Indians toward their 16th consecutive victory, 5-0, before an announced crowd of 30,090 at Progressive Field. Clevinger held the Orioles to three hits and struck out seven...