Here's a stat for you: Over the first 18 games of this season, Orioles' pitchers had allowed a total of five runs in the first inning. The Yankees have scored five first-inning runs in this series after taking a 2-0 lead in the first today versus Jake Arrieta. Last night, New York took a 2-0 lead four batters into the game on its way to a three-run first inning. Today, Derek Jeter led off the game with a single to center and Curtis Granderson followed with a two-run homer to right on a 1-1...

The Yankees took a 2-0 lead last night after 10 pitches from Brad Bergesen. They have a 2-0 lead today after four pitches from Jake Arrieta. Somebody wake me up from this nightmare. Derek Jeter singled and Curtis Granderson belted his seventh home run. Arrieta walked the next two batters, bringing pitching coach Mark Connor from the mound. Maybe the Orioles should have sent Arrieta home last night so he wouldn't be exposed to that 15-3 thrashing. Cancel his cable subscription. Force him to...

Adam Jones took over the Orioles team home run lead with four with his three-run shot last night off CC Sabathia. In recent games, we have seen Jones drop bunts for hits and also pick up key hits by driving the baseball to right and right center field. His homer last night went to right. It provides perhaps a glimpse into a future where Jones realizes his vast potential and puts it all together at bat. He has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games and his six RBIs over the last six...

Brian Matusz is throwing from 120 feet as the Orioles take batting practice on this glorious Easter morning at Camden Yards. Matusz will throw his first bullpen session on Tuesday unless the club makes an unexpected change to his schedule. Update: The club made an unexpected change. Matusz got through today's session without incident, but he'll repeat it Tuesday rather than throw in the bullpen. He made 60 throws in increments of 15 this morning from 60 to 120 feet, rested, then threw again...

The Washington Nationals today reinstated right-handed pitcher Todd Coffey from the 15-Day Disabled List. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Coffey missed the last 12 games after going on the DL with a strained left calf on April 17, retroactive to April 9. The 30-year-old is 1-0 with a 6.23 ERA in five relief appearances this season.

The Orioles will send out the same lineup for today's 1:35 p.m. game against the Yankees that we've seen for most of the season, except Cesar Izturis will start at shortstop instead of Robert Andino. Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Cesar Izturis SS Jake Arrieta RHP Unfortunately for the Orioles, the Yankees' lineup looks familiar, too. Derek Jeter SS Curtis Granderson CF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex...

Well, at least the Orioles don't have long to stew over this loss. They got hammered 15-3 by the Yankees last night. The beat down featured five New York homers including an A-Rod grand slam and two homers by catcher Russell Martin. Some observations as the Orioles get another chance at New York less than 16 hours after that loss. *Josh Rupe stood at his locker and repeatedly said he did not throw at Martin, when he plunked him in the back in the top of the ninth. It could not have looked...

Following tonight's game, the Washington Nationals optioned right-handed pitcher Collin Balester to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Balester, 24, allowed three earned runs in 3.1 innings during three relief appearances with Washington.

Orioles shortstop Robert Andino had words with Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira after Teixeira slid into second base with a double ahead of Andino's tag in the first inning of Saturday's game. Andino was asked what happened and what was said on the field. "He came up with like a little shoulder and I told him, 'Relax, I'm just putting down a tag on you.' We talked when I got to first base (in the sixth inning), but everything's cool. He just came up with a shoulder and I just said...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter spoke to reliever Josh Rupe about the pitch that drilled Russell Martin between the numbers in the ninth inning. Martin homered twice tonight, so the timing was dubious. "We asked him after the game," Showalter said following the Orioles' 15-3 loss to the Yankees before 39,054 at Camden Yards. "He said, 'I know what it looked like. I was trying to go in.' It did not look good. I didn't like it at all. But I choose to believe my pitcher and I've known Josh...