The Houston Astros have claimed outfielder Steve Pearce off waivers from the Orioles, who were unsuccessful in working out a trade for him. Pearce batted .254/.321/.437 with four doubles, three homers and 14 RBIs in 28 games after the Orioles purchased him from the Yankees on June 2. They designated him for assignment on July 21 to make room for Omar Quintanilla. The Astros had first dibs on Pearce and took him. Pearce would have accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk if he...

Though Matt Wieters said his right biceps feels much better today, he remains out of the Orioles lineup for tonight's game against the Athletics. Endy Chavez is starting in left field and Chris Davis is serving as the designated hitter instead of Jim Thome, who sat in manager Buck Showalter's office early today. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Wilson Betemit 3B Endy Chavez LF Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Taylor Teagarden C Tommy...

Jordan Zimmermann will take the ball tonight for his 21st start of the season. He'll also take the ball in his home state of Wisconsin for the first time in his major league career. The Auburndale, Wisc., native and former star at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point will face the Brewers tonight as he looks for his eighth win of the season. Zimmermann has been on fire lately, allowing a total of four earned runs over his last six starts. Earlier this week, a reporter asked...

Brian Roberts, who has been on the Orioles' disabled list since July 3 with a labral tear in his right hip, has progressed to the point where he will test the injury in game action. MASNsports.com has learned that Roberts will play for Aberdeen tonight at Ripken Stadium, beginning an injury-rehab assignment. It's uncertain how long this assignment will last, but Roberts is expected to play second base for the short-season Single-A IronBirds tonight. After his return from concussion symptoms...

Sometimes, you just run into a hot pitcher. You face a guy that can't be touched. Last night was one of those times. Mike Fiers has come out of nowhere. He was selected in the 22nd round of the 2009 draft out of little-known Nova Southeastern University and didn't make his first appearance in the big leagues until he was 26. Apparently the guy is a late bloomer. Fiers dominated the red-hot Nationals last night, allowing just four hits and striking out nine over 6 1/3 scoreless...

The countdown continues to Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline. I'm thinking about selling T-shirts outside the ballpark. Or perhaps I'll just leave the country and avoid all the rumors. I was reminded yesterday by a member of the organization that just because a name is linked to the Orioles - usually via Twitter - doesn't mean they contacted the other team. It's often happening in reverse. Teams that are trying to unload pitchers know the Orioles are looking for another starter. I...

With the great season he has had, what Orioles fan wouldn't have taken Jim Johnson on the mound last night with a one-run lead in the ninth? The Orioles had come back from 5-0 and 8-6 deficits, and after a stirring three-run last of the eighth, their All-Star closer needed three outs to end an uplifting comeback win to start a big weekend series. Instead, Johnson gave up six runs - the most he's ever allowed as a reliever - and the red-hot A's won again, beating the Orioles 14-9. Instead...

Closer Jim Johnson posted a 1.21 ERA in the first half of the season. He's allowed 13 earned runs, and 15 total, in 6 1/3 innings since the All-Star break. The six earned runs tonight are a career high for Johnson as a reliever. "I fell behind and a couple balls got through," he said. "It just kind of happened. It obviously wasn't my best day." Did it just snowball on him? "Eventually, with the results, it did," he said. "I didn't feel like that at the moment. I felt like the...

The Orioles are now 41-1 when leading after the eighth inning. They were ahead 9-8 going into the top of the ninth before Jim Johnson was charged with six runs in a 14-9 loss to the Athletics. Naturally, he was the focus of the early portion of manager Buck Showalter's postgame session with the media. "They didn't really square up a ball off him," Showalter said. "They had a ball chopped over there, and Mark (Reynolds) made a great play to start the inning. A flare down the line,...

Ross Detwiler was cruising along through 3 2/3 innings tonight. He'd allowed just two hits, had struck out three and was making quick work of a tough Brewers lineup. Then Detwiler got hit fairly hard, and it happened in a hurry. The lefty allowed three straight extra-base hits with two outs in the fourth, the middle of which was a two-run homer by Corey Hart. In the fifth, Detwiler again retired two quick outs before the Brewers brought another run across. Norichika Aoki ripped a double,...