NEW YORK - The Orioles gave left-hander Wei-Yin Chen a six-run lead today and he handed back three runs in the bottom of the fourth. It's never easy in the Bronx. Chen has allowed nine hits in five innings today, increasing his total to 21 over 10 2/3 frames. He's thrown 102 pitches, 65 for strikes. Josh Stinson had been warming in the bullpen with the Orioles holding a 7-4 lead, but he took a seat after Brian McCann grounded out to end the fifth and strand Jacoby Ellsbury at third. Chen...

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NEW YORK - The Orioles jumped on Yankees starter Ivan Nova for three runs in the first inning today, another fast start for a team that's lost five of seven games. The Orioles have scored six runs in the first inning and eight in the ninth. Nick Markakis and Delmon Young opened with singles and Chris Davis lifted a sacrifice fly. Adam Jones followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season, on a 92 mph fastball. Jones had been 7-for-35 against Nova. Young is 8-for-13 with two homers,...

The Orioles may have returned north to start their season, but the team's presence is still strong at the team's spring training home in Sarasota, Fla. This past Sunday, teams donning black and orange took the field at the Orioles' Ed Smith Stadium for the All-American Family Day & Concert softball game, hosted by the Baltimore Orioles. The Sarasota All Stars, made up of local celebrities including media members and politicians, squared off against the Manasota Military All Stars, and...

The Orioles are just 1-5 since winning on opening day and today they face right-hander Ivan Nova (1-0, 3.18 ERA) in New York. Wei-Yin Chen (0-1, 6.35 ERA) starts for the Orioles in the second game of the three-game series. We've talked a lot about the starting pitching here already in the first eight days of the season. Let's take a look at the offense so far. The Orioles have scored just 22 runs in seven games and have scored three runs or less in five of those games. They have hit just...

NEW YORK - The sun is out and the Orioles are taking batting practice and doing infield drills. The temperature actually is rising. Imagine the possibilities. Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters this morning that shortstop J.J. Hardy is feeling "a lot better" despite being out of the lineup for the fourth time in five games with lingering tightness in his lower back. Showalter indicated that Hardy should be available today, though he would make the same claim if it weren't true...

NEW YORK - It's another rainy and cold morning in the Bronx. Still waiting for baseball weather to kick in and no longer make me feel as though I should be waiting for a coin toss and the opening kickoff. Much more of this and I'll be setting up an interview with the Orioles' special teams coach. J.J. Hardy is again out of the lineup, as he's sidelined for the fourth time in five games because of spasms and tightness in his lower back. Ryan Flaherty is at shortstop with Steve Lombardozzi...

In recent years, the Marlins have served as the doormat of the National League East. They've lost at least 90 games each of the last three seasons - including a 100-loss campaign last year - and finished anywhere from 29 to 34 games out of first place in the division. Last year, the Nationals took 14 of their 19 games against Miami, outscoring the Marlins 86-52 in those contests. You saw the Marlins coming up on your schedule, you could typically pencil in at least a couple of wins. That...

So the Orioles are 2-0 when Chris Tillman starts and he has an ERA of 1.35 in those two games. They are 0-5 when anyone else starts with an ERA of 8.76. So, yeah, that has to change and soon. We can talk about the Orioles' lack of hitting - and the team has scored just 22 runs with only three homers in seven games - but this club will go only as far as its rotation will take it. The offense should be good and the defense will likely be top shelf again. But the pitchers need to pull their...

NEW YORK - I'm writing quickly this morning because I left my power cord in the Yankee Stadium press box yesterday and my laptop battery is running low. You may read slowly, however. No pressure. J.J. Hardy has missed three of the last four games due to spasms and tightness in his lower back. If he's still on the shelf today, with little or no improvement, it's perfectly fine to express concern and speculate about a trip to the disabled list. Losing Hardy and Manny Machado on the left...