Now it's Matt Angle's turn to fight the sun and whatever else is distracting the outfielders today at Fenway Park. Angle misplayed Dustin Pedroia's long fly ball to center field in the fifth inning, resulting in a triple that scored Adrian Gonzalez and reduced the Orioles' lead to 6-4. Jeremy Guthrie got the first two outs, fell behind 3-0 to Marco Scutaro and walked him with the count full by missing with a slider. Gonzalez followed with an RBI double - Angle had trouble picking up the...

Nolan Reimold misplayed a ball in left field today because of the bright sun at Fenway Park. The Red Sox couldn't take advantage and stranded four runners in two innings. Darnell McDonald, who joined the Rex Sox's lineup late after Carl Crawford was scratched, misplayed two straight fly balls in the top of the third, as the Orioles took a 2-0 lead on Matt Angle's two-run double. Both starters need to concentrate on ground balls. McDonald,a former first-round pick by the Orioles, led off...

Sshhhhh! Nationals pitcher Brad Peacock is a pretty quiet guy. Even his dad admitted on MASN's game coverage last week during his first major league start, "Brad doesn't get too excited out there." But Peacock is not quiet enough to not want to clear a few things up. He is not from Miami, Fla., but from Wellington, closer to West Palm Beach and 73 miles north of South Beach. He is also not a Miami Hurricanes fan. He prefers the Florida Gators. They never offered him a baseball...

Mark Reynolds confirmed to reporters in Boston that he'll sit out today's doubleheader after being hit in the head Saturday night. Manager Buck Showalter indicated yesterday that Reynolds could remain on the bench until Tuesday. Showalter was hoping to start Adam Jones in at least one of the games. It won't be the opener. For the Orioles: Matt Angle CF J.J. Hardy SS, Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Nolan Reimold LF Josh Bell 3B Jeremy...

Orioles fans anticipated a power surge in the lineup in 2011. The offseason acquisitions of Vladimir Guerrero, Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds gave the Birds three players who had hit 30 or more home runs a combined 14 times. Here's how things have played out this season with 11 games still remaining. Reynolds became the Orioles' first 30-home run hitter since Aubrey Huff stroked 32 in 2008. Overall, only 15 O's players have recorded 30-homer seasons, led by Eddie Murray who did it five times....

Sunday was just the latest chapter in the comeback of Chien-Ming Wang. Until he tired in the seventh inning, Wang dominated the Florida Marlins for 6 2/3 innings. The last batter he faced, backup catcher Brett Hayes, lined a sinker that didn't sink into the stands in left field, but up until that point he'd allowed just one earned run on five hits. Wang struck out five and, most importantly, did not walk a batter. Wang was sharp from the very beginning, using his always-present sinker to...

The Orioles are playing two games in Boston today because of the May 17 postponement. At least, I think that's the reason. There have been so many rainouts, I've lost track of the dates. Boston has lost 11 of its last 14 games, and Tampa Bay has closed to within two games in the wild card race. Game 1 starter Jeremy Guthrie is 2-8 with a 4.41 ERA in 18 career appearances (16 starts) against the Red Sox. Jacoby Ellsbury is 14-for-35 (.400) lifetime against Guthrie. David Ortiz is 12-for-35...

I am trying to figure out if Alfredo Simon is one of Buck's nuggets for the future or not. Maybe if I'm not sure, that means he isn't. But he sure has games where he looks very nugget-like. Last year, Simon was, at times, a dependable late-inning reliever. This year, at times, he's been a solid-looking starter. What he can't seem to do is pitch well consistently or for long stretches. It makes you wonder if Simon will always be that way or if something will click at some point and he...

Alfredo Simon allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings today, including three home runs that helped the Angels take an 11-2 victory over the Orioles before an announced 27,471 at Camden Yards. That's a touchdown, two-point conversion and field goal for the Angels. "I think today was, what, his 14th start?" Showalter said. "We keep looking for guys to step up and put themselves in a position where you feel like you can trust them. Some starts make you feel better about that than...

If anyone wondered if the pitch that Alfredo Simon threw that hit the Angels Mark Trumbo in the first inning today was a purpose pitch, it was. At least that is what Simon indicated after the game. Alfredo Simon talks to reporters about his start in the O's loss to the Angels "We got hit yesterday and I'm going to defend my players," Simon said. "We got hit hard and that happened in the game and I have to defend my hitters and my team, so that's what happened." Simon gave up six...