Bryce Harper returned after more than two months on the disabled list and singled, took an extra base, drove in a run, scored a run and made two aggressive, on-the-money throws. Ryan Zimmerman went back to third base for the first time since April 12 and made a dynamite play on a line drive, turning it into a double play. He also went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Ian Desmond, who has been scuffling offensively of late, got brought to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth after the Rockies...

Ubaldo Jimenez had not won at home all year and finally he got one tonight. He gave up just four hits and one unearned run over eight innings, pitching the Orioles past Texas 7-1. He entered this start 0-6 with a 6.28 ERA in eight home starts. "It feels good, finally to get the first win at home and finally being there for the team. It feels really good," Jimenez said. The fans cheered him as he left the mound after the top of the eighth. "As a ballplayer, that's what you play for, to...

One day after Orioles manager Buck Showalter gave Chris Davis the start at third base, he's turning reliever T.J. McFarland into a starter against the Rangers. How far does Showalter want to carry this theme? He could give a player a different assignment every game. Who wouldn't want to see Adam Jones at shortstop, where he played 275 games in the minors? Or Nick Markakis take the mound, since he used to pitch? Showalter won't go to those extremes. The Orioles needed a starter tonight...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed tonight that left-hander T.J. McFarland will start Tuesday night's game against the Rangers at Camden Yards. Talk about having a tough act to follow. (And talk about a tired cliche.) Ubaldo Jimenez held the Rangers to an unearned run over a season-high eight innings in a 7-1 win over the Rangers - his first victory at Camden Yards this season. "He's had some good ones this year," Showalter said. "It's that time of year as far as track record and...

Joe Saunders entered his start tonight with a career 7-0 mark and 3.98 ERA in 10 starts against the Orioles. That was the most wins all-time without a loss against Baltimore. But Steve Pearce hit two of the Orioles' four homers off Saunders and Ubaldo Jimenez gave up just one unearned run over eight innings as the Orioles beat Texas 7-1 in the opener of a four-game series. They did pin a loss on their former teammate tonight. The Orioles improved to 4-4 on this homestand and to 43-39 for...

Ubaldo Jimenez has a legitimate chance to finally win a game this season at Camden Yards. Jimenez was 0-6 with a 6.28 ERA at home before taking the mound tonight against the Rangers. The Orioles hadn't scored more than two runs while he was still in the game. They were blanked in his last four outings and five of six while he was pitching. They weren't trying to diss him. It just kept working out that way. Jimenez had completed seven innings only twice this season, most recently May 13...

Adam Jones is close. He's real close. With three days left in online All-Star voting, Jones is one of three players vying for the final American League outfield starting spot on July 15. The Orioles outfielder trails the A's Yoenis Cespedes (1,941,553 votes) and the Blue Jays' Melky Cabrera (1,929,506), but currently sits in fifth with 1,853,268 votes. Jones has continued to produce in June, hitting .339/.371/.615 with 37 hits, eight home runs and 19 RBIs. In the most recent balloting, Jones...

Former Rangers are hitless in three at-bats tonight against left-hander Joe Saunders, with Nelson Cruz grounding out twice and Chris Davis striking out. If only Saunders could face seven more of them. Steve Pearce hit a long two-run homer before Cruz's grounder in the first inning, and Adam Jones homered before Davis struck out. The Orioles led 3-0 only four batters into the game. J.J. Hardy led off the second inning with his second home run of the season. The Orioles led 4-0 only seven...

It was subtle, but Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper made his presence felt early in his first game back in the lineup since April 25. Harper, who had missed 57 games with a torn ligament in his left thumb, fired a laser beam to first base after Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau connected on a base hit towards him in the first inning. The throw caught Morneau in no man's land, between first and second baseman. Because Jordan Zimmermann was covering home plate, Adam LaRoche had no one to...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette provided reporters with a briefing just before game time to discuss Manny Machado's suspension and Nolan Reimold's status. On Machado's appeal being upheld: "We were disappointed. We were hoping the suspension would be reduced and we thought there were good reasons it should have been reduced. Basically, we argued for equity and that we would have an even footing with other clubs that we're competing against. But that argument didn't seem to...