ANAHEIM, Calif. - When the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night, they improved to 25-15. That was a nice round number. The team had played 40 games - about one-quarter of the full season - and was on a pace to win 100 games. Not a bad start to the 2016 season. It got better last night when Matt Wieters hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning as the Orioles beat the Angels 3-1. Today they go for their first three-game sweep in Anaheim since Aug. 27-29, 2010. When...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Orioles catcher Matt Wieters celebrated his 30th birthday with a game-winning homer in the top of the ninth inning tonight. His three-run shot with two outs gave the Orioles a dramatic 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on a night they seemed headed for a 1-0 loss. "I think I'll remember this one," Wieters said of the birthday blast. "It was good to get a win. Gaus (Kevin Gausman) threw the ball great and at least we took him off the hook for a loss. He threw the ball too...

MIAMI - Nationals right-hander Joe Ross deserved better on his 23rd birthday. And despite falling 3-2 to the Marlins, he really stood toe-to-toe with Marlins ace Jose Fernandez for most of the game. Manager Dusty Baker had said in pregame the one way they could stay in the game against Fernandez is if Ross could hang with him. He pretty much did. "His total outing was outstanding," Baker said. "He was matching, other than the strikeouts. Every time Fernandez got a 3-2 count it was either out...

MIAMI - Pretty much everything went right for the Nationals as they attempted a spectacular comeback in the ninth inning - until it all went wrong with one quick swing. Down 3-1 in the top of the ninth and facing Marlins closer A.J. Ramos, the Nationals put men on first and third thanks to singles by Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy. A Wilson Ramos pinch-hit single scored Harper and suddenly the Nationals had cut the Marlins' advantage to 3-2. Anthony Rendon worked A.J. Ramos for a walk to load...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Los Angeles Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker has struggled this year, but he retired the first nine Orioles in order tonight. Shoemaker recorded three straight 1-2-3 innings to start his night. He retired the Orioles on 11 pitches in the first, 16 in the second and just eight in the third. He got Ryan Flaherty out on a play scored 1-2-3 to end that third inning. Flaherty, batting ninth, hit a hot smash back to the box and Shoemaker deflected it with his foot. The ball...

While the Orioles were in Minnesota earlier this month, players killed time in the visiting clubhouse at Target Field by playing chess. Sharpen the mind before the batting eye. Manager Buck Showalter challenged reporters in his office to name the best of the bunch, or at least someone who could give the king a run for his money. Dylan Bundy's name wasn't brought up. To be honest, he wasn't a consideration. He just didn't seem to fit the profile. Big mistake. The guy's apparently got...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Can the often homer-happy Orioles bash more homers tonight against a pitcher that has allowed seven this year over 29 2/3 innings? The Orioles and Angels play the second game of a three-game series with Kevin Gausman (0-1, 3.00 ERA) facing right-hander Matt Shoemaker (2-5, 8.49 ERA). While Shoemaker got the win in his last start, allowing three runs in five innings versus the cross-town Dodgers, he is 0-3 with an ERA of 14.40 in three home starts. He has pitched just three,...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said left-hander T.J. McFarland is heading to Baltimore for an MRI on his left knee tomorrow. He was injured in a start for Triple-A Norfolk last night and left that outing after allowing two runs in the first inning. "He'll see Dr. (Michael) Jacobs afterward and we'll be on the safe side and see what we're dealing with," Showalter said. "T.J. texted with Brady (Anderson) last night and felt he would only need to miss two or three days....

MIAMI - Manager Dusty Baker said during his pregame media session that the best way to have a shot at beating a really good pitcher is to pitch well yourself. Right-hander Joe Ross has certainly done that. Although Ichiro Suzuki worked him for nine pitches and a single to lead off the game, it didn't faze Ross. He went on to finish that inning and then had a 1-2-3 second. As expected, that "really good pitcher," right-hander Jose Fernandez, who has surrendered only two runs in 13 innings...

Ryan Flaherty is at third base for the Orioles tonight in their game in Anaheim. Pedro Alvarez is the designated hitter and Mark Trumbo is in right field. Matt Wieters is behind the plate again tonight. For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Manny Machado SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo RF Matt Wieters C Pedro Alvarez DH Jonathan Schoop 2B Ryan Flaherty 3B Kevin Gausman RHP For the Angels Yunel Escobar 3B Kole Calhoun RF Mike Trout CF Albert Pujols DH C.J. Cron 1B Johnny Giavotella 2B...