After falling behind early Friday night and then watching Jake Arrieta give up a 2-0 lead in the last of the fifth last night, the Orioles need a win today against the Angels to avoid being swept three straight for the second time in 2012. In the last few days - almost suddenly, it seems - the Orioles have had their share of problems on offense, defense and with their starting pitching. The offense: Over the last five games, the Orioles have scored just 15 runs on 31 hits with a team batting...

For four innings tonight, it looked like Jake Arrieta was pitching with some dominant stuff in Anaheim. But then he failed to make it through the last of the fifth inning. Matt Wieters gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead on a home run, getting a green light on a 3-0 pitch from Jered Weaver in the top of the fifth, but then Los Angeles scored five in its half against Arrieta on the way to a 6-3 win to take the first two games of this series. This means the Orioles will not win all three series on a...

Jake Arrieta took a one-hit shutout into the fifth inning tonight. Then he took a seat in the clubhouse, his night having unraveled like the baseball in "The Natural." Arrieta gave up five runs and five hits, walked three batters and threw a wild pitch, and his 2-0 lead disappeared into the Anaheim night. He also committed his second error. Why should everyone else have all the fun. Nine different Orioles have been charged with errors this season. The club has committed 18 of them. In...

It is not often you see a pitcher cruising with what looks like some dominant stuff suddenly give up five runs. But it happened tonight to Jake Arrieta and the Orioles. After Matt Wieters got the green light and gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead on a 3-0 pitch against Jered Weaver in the top of the fifth, Arrieta failed to make it through the last of the fifth. He had a one-hit shutout and had retired 12 batters in a row heading into that half inning. But he then gave up five singles, three walks,...

The Orioles are 3-0 this year when they play error-free ball but they won't add to that tonight. Jake Arrieta bounced a pickoff throw past Chris Davis at first base in the first inning for the Orioles' first error of the game and 17th on the season. Arrieta was able to strand a runner at second base in the first. Tonight's game is scoreless heading to the third inning with Arrieta matching up against Jered Weaver. Nick Johnson grounded out his first time up to go 0-for-21 on the year. The...

The Orioles today announced that they have assigned infielder Josh Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a player to be named later. Bell had been designated for assignment April 16 when the Orioles claimed catcher Luis Exposito on waivers from Boston. Bell, 25, batted .200/.221/.264 in 79 games with the Orioles in 2010 and 2011. He was acquired by Baltimore on July 30, 2009 in exchange for left-hander George Sherrill.

The Orioles have traded Josh Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team source has confirmed. Bell was designated for assignment by the team Tuesday. He was hitting just .094 (3-for-32) this season with Triple-A Norfolk with one homer, three RBIs and an OPS of .506. The 25-year-old Bell hit .164 in 26 games and 61 Orioles at-bats last year and hit .253 with 19 homers and 57 RBIs for the Tides in 2011. He came to the Orioles from the Los Angeles Dodgers with pitcher Steve Johnson, who is now...

Now that we've gotten all of the negative stuff from this afternoon's game out of the way, let's talk about the positive. The Nationals keep winning. Even when they don't have their most consistent and clutch hitter (Ryan Zimmerman) in the lineup. Even when the guy who leads the team in RBIs by a mile and a half (Adam LaRoche) has a day off. Even when they suffer a punch to the gut in the ninth inning when their two-run lead is wiped out on a game-tying home run. It doesn't seem to...

While awaiting tonight's second game of the series in Anaheim, it is clear that the Orioles need to begin to come up with some better pitching and defense pretty soon. Pitching and defense were staples of the club during the glory years of the '60s and '70s, but is eluding them in recent games. The Orioles made three errors last night. In addition to that, the club has just two quality starts from pitchers over the last 11 games and the starters' ERA is 5.69 in that stretch. Nolan...

Nolan Reimold is being held out of tonight's lineup because of neck spasms. Endy Chavez is starting in left field. Nick Johnson will serve as the designated hitter in search of his first hit. For the Orioles: Endy Chavez LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Nick Johnson DH Mark Reynolds 3B Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Jake Arrieta RHP