The Orioles used two big swings and several big pitches to pick up another big win. Jim Thome hit a two-run homer in the seventh to back the strong pitching of Chris Tillman as the Orioles beat Cleveland 3-1 at Progressive Field to take the first two games of this series. The Orioles went into the seventh down 1-0 to the Tribe as Shin-Soo Choo led off the last of the first with a homer. But after a J.J. Hardy single, Thome smoked a line drive off Zach McAllister that just made it over the...

One start after failing to clear the first inning, Chris Tillman has held the Cleveland Indians to one run through the sixth. The only issue for Tillman was a lack of offensive support, but Jim Thome just belted a two-run homer off Indians right-hander Zach McAllister in the top of the seventh inning. Orioles 2, Indians 1. Thome has homered in back-to-back games, giving him 611 for his career. Tillman has allowed two earned runs in three starts and 15 innings with the Orioles this season,...

You can't really blame John Lannan if he was a little emotionally charged up in the first inning of tonight's ballgame. This is his first major league start of the season after the Nationals optioned him to Triple-A the day before opening day in a surprise move. He's been stuck riding buses and pitching to sparse crowds since, and hasn't been on the mound in a regular season game at Nats Park since Sept. 16, 2011. So when Lannan allowed two runs in the first inning, giving up three hits...

You know what Orioles fans were thinking on Monday night. Only an O's pitching prospect can dominate a team one game like Chris Tillman did in 8 1/3 innings against Seattle and not make it through the first inning the next start. Tillman gave up seven runs, with just one earned, in two-thirds of an inning Monday at Minnesota. I'll give him a mulligan for that outing. A Mark Reynolds error opened the door for the big inning and, had he recorded the out, would have ended that inning with just...

Given what happened last night and what's still to come tonight, Edwin Jackson knew what he needed to do in Game 1 of the Nationals' doubleheader with the Braves. "Days like we had last night, it's pretty important that as a starter the next day, you can go as deep as you can to save the bullpen," Jackson said. "Those guys worked hard last night and they battled a lot. It was just one of those things where you want to come out today and you definitely want to go deep in the game." He...

It is rare for a player to jump two levels or more with any organization. The last time it happened for the Nationals, it was No. 1 overall prospect Bryce Harper last summer. This time, it is sensational outfielder Brian Goodwin. The 6-foot-1, 195 lb. center fielder rolled through low Single-A Hagerstown with a big bat, fast feet and quick hands on defense. Goodwin hit .324 in 58 games with 18 doubles, one triple, nine homers, 38 RBIs, 15 stolen bases and 43 walks. And as a leadoff hitter,...

Despite the 4-0 loss to the Braves in Game 1 of today's doubleheader, the Nationals got some good news when they found out Bryce Harper's left ankle was merely bruised and not broken. Tests revealed that Harper has a contusion on the left ankle, which comes as a result of a fouled bunt in the rookie outfielder's first-inning plate appearance. The ball drilled Harper on the inner part of his ankle, and even though he remained in the game and played center field in the second inning, manager...

The Orioles created space for middle infielder Omar Quintanilla on their 25-man roster today by designating outfielder Steve Pearce for assignment. The decision came down to Pearce or Steve Tolleson. The Orioles decided they wanted to keep Tolleson, who has options remaining, so they would have a right-handed hitting infielder to share at-bats with Quintanilla and Ryan Flaherty. The Orioles could have placed reliever Matt Lindstrom on the disabled list after he took a Johnny Damon line drive...

Double-A Bowie right-handed pitcher Bobby Bundy is expected to miss the rest of the season and is very likely headed for surgery. An MRI discovered that Bundy has bone spurs in his right elbow. The older brother of Dylan Bundy, the Orioles' top pitching prospect, Bobby Bundy had given up 15 runs in just 3 2/3 innings in his last two starts for Bowie, on July 3 and 8. He is 2-11 with an ERA of 6.25 on the year over 17 Baysox starts. In 80 2/3 innings with Bowie, Bundy allowed 98 hits with 35...

The Orioles today added infielder Omar Quintanilla (keen-tah-KNEE-uh) to their 25-man roster. To make room for Quintanilla, outfielder Steve Pearce has been designated for assignment. Quintanilla was acquired yesterday from the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations. He has appeared in 256 games over seven major league seasons with the Rockies, Rangers and Mets and has a .993 career fielding percentage (two errors in 297 chances) in 106 games at second base and a .984 career...