Andino and Martin exchange words, Showalter speaks after 6-2 loss
Andino and Martin exchange words, Showalter speaks after 6-2 loss
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
I didn't see it, but Orioles second baseman Robert Andino and Yankees catcher Russell Martin exchanged heated words on the field after tonight's game. Martin apparently accused Andino of stealing signs from second base in the ninth inning after Andino doubled off Mariano Rivera with one out. Martin was coy about it afterward, never coming right out and confirming his suspicions, but that was his beef. Martin accused the Blue Jays of doing the same thing last year, so he's a little...
Matusz not sharp as Orioles suffer first loss
Matusz not sharp as Orioles suffer first loss
Steve Melewski
Orioles
After making progress over the offseason and making the team with a solid spring training, it was back to struggling for the Orioles tonight as the New York Yankees beat the O's 6-2 to drop the Orioles to 3-1 on the season. Matusz struggled from the start, giving up a first-inning run and throwing 30 pitches in the inning. He went just four innings on a whopping 96 pitches and allowed six hits and four runs with four walks and one strikeout. That is four times more earned runs that the O's...
Big night for Wieters, but O's lose 6-2
Big night for Wieters, but O's lose 6-2
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Matt Wieters has tied his career high with four hits tonight - a home run, double and two singles. He won't be celebrating. The Orioles are down, 6-2, in the top of the ninth, and manager Buck Showalter is using his fifth pitcher, Pedro Strop, who's replacing Kevin Gregg. Wieters also collected four hits in a July 28, 2009 game against the Royals. Wieters needed a triple for the cycle, but he settled for a single off Yankees reliever David Robertson. He entered the game batting .111, but...
Battle of the bullpens (Mets walk off with 4-3 win)
Battle of the bullpens (Mets walk off with 4-3 win)
Dan Kolko
Nationals
FLUSHING, N.Y. - Both Edwin Jackson and Mike Pelfrey are out of this game, and with the score tied 3-3 in the middle of the seventh, the Nationals and Mets will leave the outcome of tonight's game up to their bullpens. Jackson went five innings in his Nationals debut, allowing three earned runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. The outing was along the lines of what we saw all spring - Jackson showed he can overpower guys at times and rack up the strikeouts, but he allows a...
Nationals to unveil new menu options at home opener
Nationals to unveil new menu options at home opener
Josh Land
Nationals
Dinner's ready, y'all! Come and get it! Alright, since it's way too hard to type and ring my triangular dinner bell at the same time, let me just get straight to the point: Nationals Park is a food lover's paradise. It's true. It seems like each season the fine folks in our nation's capital are adding more and more options for baseball fans to sink their teeth into. This year is no different. The Washington Nationals and Union Square Events are pleased to introduce the newest fanfare...
Matusz can't find the plate tonight (O'Day entering game)
Matusz can't find the plate tonight (O'Day entering game)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Brian Matusz issued three walks in 24 2/3 spring innings. He's walked four batters tonight in only four innings. Matusz seems to be 2-0 and 3-1 on every hitter. His pitch count is up to 96, including 52 strikes, and Darren O'Day began warming in the bullpen in the fourth while pitching coach Rick Adair visited the mound and catcher Matt Wieters made two trips. The Yankees scored three runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Derek Jeter had a two-run double, making him 3-for-3 tonight and...
Nats brought their bats to New York (updated)
Nats brought their bats to New York (updated)
Dan Kolko
Nationals
FLUSHING, N.Y. - Apparently all it took was a change of scenery for the Nationals to start hitting early in ballgames. The Nats have gotten out to a 3-1 lead over the Mets after three innings here at Citi Field, and they already have seven hits off New York starter Mike Pelfrey. Hey, even Jayson Werth has his first base hit of the 2012 season - a triple to the right-center field gap, which followed an 0-for-11 start. Washington jumped on top in the first after three straight base hits by...
Trying to equal the 1974 Orioles (updated)
Trying to equal the 1974 Orioles (updated)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
If Brian Matusz pitches seven innings or more tonight, this would be the first time since 1974 that the Orioles had four starters begin the year by pitching seven or more. That year it was Jim Palmer (8 1/3), Dave McNally (10), Ross Grimsley (8 2/3) and Mike Cuellar (eight). It didn't look good for him to do that after the Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and Matusz threw 30 pitches, but he came back with an 11-pitch top of the second. Matusz has enough velocity tonight - hitting...
Bullpen could be busy tonight (Wieters homers)
Bullpen could be busy tonight (Wieters homers)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Left-hander Brian Matusz gave up a run in the top of the first inning, which doesn't sound too bad. However, he returned to the dugout with his pitch count at 30. He'll need to become a lot more economical, or we're going to find out how manager Buck Showalter works his bullpen without a true long man. Matusz kept falling behind hitters, though Mark Teixeira's two-out, RBI single came on a 1-2 pitch. Derek Jeter led off with a single, making him 9-for-20 lifetime against Matusz. Alex...
Morse, Ankiel closing in on returns; Wang progressing
Morse, Ankiel closing in on returns; Wang progressing
Dan Kolko
Nationals
FLUSHING, N.Y. - While the news on Drew Storen's rehab from elbow tightness certainly isn't good, things appear to be improving for three other Nationals currently on the disabled list. Michael Morse will play nine innings for low Single-A Hagerstown tonight, and if all goes well, he's scheduled to get a full nine innings in again tomorrow. The Nats power-hitting left fielder, who has been battling a strained lat, is eligible to come off the DL and rejoin the major league club tomorrow, but...