Tommy Hunter started Game 2 tonight and allowed four runs and five hits in six innings. Matt Lindstrom relieved him and allowed three runs (two earned) and three hits in one inning. "I felt real good. I was down in the zone. It was a lot better than what it was the last start," Hunter said. "It's a good lineup. Of course, it does help when the ball lands in a spot the only place it could land on the entire field and he (Mike Napoli) ends up getting a triple on it with no outs. That was...

Manager Buck Showalter asked reporters whether they saw enough baseball today. We've seen enough to last a lifetime, considering how many innings this team has played since it arrived in Boston last week. Tommy Hunter gave the Orioles six innings and 91 pitches while working on three days' rest. "Tommy made a lot of quality pitches down, which you have to do with that club, and he kept us in that ballgame," Showalter said. "Had a changeup that he's trying to throw off the plate away...

The Texas Rangers came up with two runs in the top of the fifth to take the lead, and three more in the seventh, to pull away tonight to beat the Orioles 7-3 and gain a split of the doubleheader at Camden Yards. The Orioles won the opener 6-5 in a game where they hit three homers to start the game and five on the day. In the second game, Mike Napoli's RBI triple tied the game 3-3 in the fifth, and then he scored the go-ahead run on an Elvis Andrus RBI single. Earlier, Josh Hamilton hit a...

I have a feeling most pitchers enjoy facing the Pirates. They've scored by far the fewest runs in the majors and are hitting just .227 as a team. Any pitcher would love to go against that group. Stephen Strasburg really, really loves to face Pittsburgh. Strasburg has struck out seven straight Bucs hitters, and has faced the minimum as we go to the fourth inning. Dating back to his last start against the Pirates - which just happened to be his dazzling major league debut - Strasburg has...

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...