Tonight's attendance: 24,835 Alfredo Simon became the second Orioles pitcher to complete seven innings in the last 29 games dating back to June 12. And he's in line for the win. It all starts with starting pitching. Simon allowed two runs and three hits, walked one and struck out five. He threw 79 pitches, 56 for strikes, before Koji Uehara replaced him to begin the eighth. This is Simon's longest outing since Sept. 23, 2008. He'll leave the team tomorrow night and fly to the Dominican...

Alfredo Simon is pitching a good one for the Orioles tonight. Probably don't need to remind any O's fan how badly needed this is - and has been. He has a 3-2 lead on the Indians through six and a half frames. He has allowed just three hits and two runs through seven innings. The O's have had just one pitcher go seven innings over the last 29 games. Oriole starting pitchers' ERA: 9.90 - in Cleveland series 13.08 - in last six games starting with Boston series 9.60 - in last 18 games,...

Alfredo Simon lost his shutout and the lead, but he got through the sixth inning, which is cause for celebration. I'm thinking about a parade down Pratt Street. Bring your own confetti. The Indians scored twice in the sixth on Michael Brantley's double, and Simon needed a diving stop by first baseman Derrek Lee and Adam Jones' catch at the center field fence to avoid further damage. Simon is only the third starter to get through six innings in the last 19 games. Jeremy Guthrie is the...

Alfredo Simon has retired the first nine batters he's faced tonight, striking out two in the third inning. He fanned Ezequiel Carrera on a 94 mph fastball. J.J. Hardy celebrated his contract extension, which becomes official after he passes his physical, by leading off the bottom of the first with a double, hustling to third base on Nick Markakis' fly ball to left field, and scoring on Adam Jones' fly ball to center. Orioles 1, Indians 0. Markakis was asked earlier today about Hardy's...

Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Matt Angle, a seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2007, has left the Tides and is heading to Camden Yards. Angle, 25, could be officially recalled as a roster replacement for Vladimir Guerrero, who is expected to be placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured bone in his right hand. Guerrero was in manager Buck Showalter's office with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail shortly before 6 p.m. The Orioles also will have an opening on...

Here is an impressive note about Nick Markakis, who reached the 1,000 career hit mark last night at Camden Yards with a third-inning single: Markakis got to 1,000 hits quicker than Hall of Fame Orioles Cal Ripken Jr. and Brooks Robinson and teammate Brian Roberts. Markakis: 1,000th hit in career game No. 875. Ripken: 1,000th hit in career game No. 894 at Yankee Stadium. Roberts: 1,000th hit in career game No. 895 at Wrigley Field. Robinson: 1,000th hit in career game No. 989 at Metropolitan...

Luke Scott took two rounds of batting practice today, but he didn't "turn anything loose." "I didn't think it would be a good idea," he said. "Just kind of build into it and be smart. Part of me wants to just go all out, but the gray hairs on my head tell me otherwise." Scott estimates that it's 50-50 whether he's ready to come off the disabled list on Tuesday. "It's a possibility," he said. Scott received a cortisone injection in his right shoulder yesterday and is scheduled...

So the question to J.J. Hardy today was a pretty obvious one to ask. How did he weigh agreeing to his new three-year contract with the Orioles against the possibility of being a free agent at the end of the year? If he were a free agent, he could hit the open market and seek to play for a better team or go to the highest bidder. "You know my agent and I, we pretty much went over every team that would be possibly looking for a shortstop this offseason," Hardy said today in the O's...

The warm, engaging smile Nate Snell flashes as he chats with fans and signs autographs is a decided departure from the manacing scowl he wore on his baseball cards. But times have changed for the 58-year-old Snell, and he no longer has to worry about intimidating opponents or making a positive impression to maintain his roster spot. Want to really get Snell smiling? Just ask the native of Orangeburg, S.C., about Baltimore, where he's made his home since 1985, his first full season with the...

After last night's game, Orioles pitcher Jake Arrieta seemed to second-guess himself on how he approached and pitched to some of the Cleveland hitters. "I think the main thing about tonight is guys were too comfortable in the box," Arrieta said. "I didn't do a good job of establishing the inner half to lefties well enough and they were diving over the plate, and even when I made quality pitches to the outside part of the plate, sinkers down and away, they still put pretty good swings on...