Josh Hamilton didn't homer in Game 1, but he drilled a two-run shot off Tommy Hunter in the first inning of Game 2. Hamilton's ball landed on Eutaw St., the first time in his career that he's cleared the flag court. It's now happened 60 times in Camden Yards history. Hunter gave up two hits and walked a batter in the first inning. Showalter had to rush through his session with the media following the 6-5 victory in Game 1. These straight doubleheaders are brutal. Showalter twice called...

Steve Tolleson makes his Orioles' debut as the starting third baseman in Game 2 of today's doubleheader. Luis Exposito is behind the plate, and Wilson Betemit moves from third to left field for the nightcap. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters DH Wilson Betemit LF Mark Reynolds 1B Steve Tolleson 3B Luis Exposito C Tommy Hunter RHP For the Rangers: Kinsler 2B Andrus SS Hamilton CF Beltre DH Young 3B Murphy LF Cruz RF...

Just minutes after he had pitched so well against the hot-hitting Texas Rangers, Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen said this was the best of his six outings so far this season. "Yeah, definitely this was my best outing," Chen said through his interpreter. "This was definitely the best outing of this year." Chen kept Texas off the board until the fourth inning and wound up pitching a career-high 7 2/3, allowing six hits and two runs and improving to 3-0 with an ERA of 2.68 on the...

"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect." -- Vince Lombardi Coaching is always crucial to how well prospects move along in the system. Coaching by teammates can also be critical for a player's development. Pitchers have more downtime. Starters have five days between outings. That downtime lends itself to comparing grips on curve balls and split fingers. Guys go over their schedules for throwing sessions with each other and compare notes. The relievers in the...

After watching Josh Hamilton set an American League record with 18 total bases in one game on Tuesday night, the Orioles set an American League record in the first inning of Game 1 of the doubleheader today. The Orioles became the first AL team to ever hit three straight homers to start a game in a 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers behind left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. Ryan Flaherty led off the game against Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis and sent a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall. J.J. Hardy...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter needed Wei-Yin Chen to pitch deep into Game 1 of today's doubleheader. Chen didn't need to be told twice. We're in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Chen has held the potent Rangers' lineup to one run and four hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. His pitch count stood at 72 through the fourth, but he's at 98 after the seventh. Luis Ayala was warming in the seventh, but he stopped after Chen retired the side in order. The Rangers scored 70 runs...

Now that's the way to announce your presence in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The first three Orioles homered off Rangers starter Colby Lewis in the bottom of the first inning, bringing the sparse crowd to its feet and almost knocking Lewis to his knees. Rule 5 pick Ryan Flaherty hit his first major league home run on Lewis' second pitch, the ball clearing the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. J.J. Hardy followed with his eighth homer, and Nick Markakis followed with his fifth. The...

Dana Eveland will arrive in Baltimore later today and make tomorrow night's start against the Rays at Camden Yards. That much we know. In fact, we knew about it yesterday, but manager Buck Showalter confirmed it this afternoon and joked about how the reporters staring back at him already figured it out. Here's what we don't know: How the Orioles will make room for Eveland on the 25-man and 40-man rosters. That's a much more complicated mystery. The Orioles could open a spot on the 40-man...

Davey Johnson has made a couple lineup changes, all right. The Nationals' skipper has tweaked his batting order for tonight's series finale against the Pirates, putting Roger Bernadina in the No. 2 spot and dropping Bryce Harper to fifth. Danny Espinosa will start at second base tonight and will protect Harper in the order, hitting sixth. This is now the fourth spot in the lineup that Harper has at-bats. He's previously hit seventh, third and second. Here are the lineups for both...

The Orioles signed Steve Tolleson as a minor league free agent in November. After showing a hot bat in some recent games with Triple-A Norfolk, the 28-year-old was added to the O's roster yesterday, and he figures to play in a utility role while here. This will be his second time in the majors. In 25 games with Oakland in 2010, Tolleson hit .286 over 49 at-bats. "It was a great experience," he said. "I went up as a utility guy for Oakland, and I knew my role. I thought I did a really good...