It won't take all the sting out of blowing a 6-0 lead and losing the game in the last of the ninth, but two things continued to go well for the Orioles last night at Boston. They got another good starting pitching outing and the resurgence of the offense continued with seven runs and 10 hits. Of course, the Orioles could have scored more, especially early in the game. They went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring positon over the first three innings when they left six runners on base. Still,...

I should have stayed in Frederick last night. The Single-A Keys rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and defeated Potomac, 3-2. Left-hander Brian Matusz was spared the loss in his first injury rehab start when Jacob Julius stroked a pinch-hit, game-tying single and Buck Britton followed with a two-run single. Brother Zach would be proud. Yes, I should have hung around Harry Grove Stadium on Bark in the Park night. And yes, I'm trying to come up with a dog-related joke...

One thing that struck me a bit as the game with Boston wore on Monday night was the feeling of impending doom around Birdland. Checking out posting on Twitter and taking phone calls on my radio show last night in the late innings, it seemed most were predicting the Orioles would blow this game. Those turned out to be right, of course, as the bullpen gave up 10 hits and eight runs over just 3 1/3 innings in losing 8-7 to Boston. Unacceptable, unbelievable, can't happen, say whatever you want...

Manager Buck Showalter used six relievers tonight. That's a lot of baton passing. Kevin Gregg finally dropped it at the end, walking two batters and surrendering Adrian Gonzalez's two-run double. Oriole relievers allowed five earned runs (eight total) and 10 hits, with four walks, in 3 1/3 innings. So why did Showalter remove starter Chris Tillman after five innings and 88 pitches? It's always a good idea to wait for the explanation instead of immediately ripping a decision. Showalter...

Playing the percentages, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle pulled starting left-handed pitcher Paul Maholm in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 2-2 game. Hurdle brought in right-handed reliever Jose Ascanio to face Nationals switch-hitting second baseman Danny Espinosa, who has had only three hits in his last nine games and was 0-for-2 Monday night. Danny Espinosa talks about his strong at-bats in the Nationals' win Espinosa, switching over to bat left-handed, saw the move being made and...

A 6-0 lead wasn't passed to steady hands. Michael Gonzalez replaced Chris Tillman in the bottom of the sixth and allowed four runs (one earned) and three hits in one-third of an inning. Jeremy Accardo replaced him and let two inherited runners score, along with one of his own. Gonzalez has allowed runs in his last three outings and hits in his last five. In five appearances covering four innings, he's surrendered seven runs (four earned) and 10 hits. Accardo has allowed runs in five...

I tried listening to the Orioles game on my ride home from Harry Grove Stadium, but I kept losing the signal. I heard enough to know that first baseman Derrek Lee left the game with a strained left oblique, which a team spokesman confirmed in a quick phone call to the Fenway Park press box. The Orioles are listing him as day-to-day. I've been asked on Twitter about the severity of the injury. It just happened a few innings ago and I was in Frederick, so a definite answer isn't coming...

Danny Espinosa welcomed Pirates relief pitcher Jose Ascanio to Nationals Park Monday night with a two-run blast deep into the right field bullpen, lifting the Washington Nationals to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 21,960. Nationals starter John Lannan struggled throwing strikes early on, but settled down to go 6 1/3 innings, scattering seven hits, allowing only two runs with four walks and four strikeouts. Cole Kimball pitched one inning of relief for his first major league...

Many may not be able to stay awake for the end of this one, but the Orioles hold a 3-0 lead on Boston in the fifth inning. Each team has had a mess of base runners and chances to score more runs than they have. For Boston, that's a goose egg so far versus Chris Tillman. Boston has four hits and two walks against Tillman, but is 0-for-5 so far with runners in scoring position. Tillman has thrown 74 pitches so far. The O's took a 2-0 lead in a messy top of the first for Daisuke Matsuzaka on...

Double-A Harrisburg Right-hander Brad Peacock was named Player of the Week in the Eastern League for May 9-15 after a scintillating performance at the Richmond Squirrels Friday night. Peacock threw seven innings, scattering five hits, allowing one earned run with one walk and a career-high 14 strikeouts. Peacock said he had never struck out more than 10 hitters in the past. "I am pretty sure that was my best outing of my career," Peacock said. "I was definitely in a zone. Derek Norris...