Zach Britton met with reporters after tonight's 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays. As usual, he didn't make excuses or sugar-coat his outing. He offered another honest critique. Here are some of his comments: "I don't think I did a good job out there. Falling behind too many hitters. Watch on video and the hits I gave up were all balls out over the plate (and) up. That's what a good-hitting team does, they hit those pitches. The last two outings I haven't executed well and those are the...

The Orioles and Blue Jays each had 10 hits tonight. That's pretty much where the similarity ended. "We had as many hits as they did. It certainly didn't feel like it," manager Buck Showalter said following tonight's 8-4 loss. "It took a while for us to get adjusted to what we knew he (Carlos Villanueva) was going to be doing. It was kind of frustrating early because he was doing exactly what we expected. We finally made the adjustment and got him out of there, but by then there was...

In his last three starts, left-hander Zach Britton has allowed 14 earned runs (16 total) and 25 hits in 16 2/3 innings. He's also walked eight batters. OK, it isn't quite as easy as he made it look when he first came up. Britton didn't really make a bad pitch to catcher J.P. Arencibia, who golfed it into the left field seats for a grand slam. But the rookie wasn't sharp and he's no longer breezing through the early innings. Down on the farm, Derrek Lee is 2-for-3 as Double-A Bowie's...

The homestand isn't off to a promising start. The Orioles are losing, 3-0, to the Blue Jays in the fourth inning. Two of the runs off Zach Britton are unearned after third baseman Mark Reynolds committed his 11th error, but Britton has allowed four hits, issued an intentional walk and thrown a wild pitch. Britton hadn't allowed an earned run in two straight starts covering 16 innings before surrendering nine runs and 19 hits in his last two outings covering 11 1/3 innings. He's having...

The Toronto Blue Jays have taken a 3-0 lead to the bottom of the third tonight against Zach Britton and the Orioles. This would probably be a bad time to remind everyone that Toronto went 15-3 against the Orioles last year and has won 20 of the last 26 games between the teams. They out-homered the Orioles last season 34-8 in the 18 games. It wasn't a longball tonight, but a Mark Reynolds' error that helped Toronto to two runs in the second. After a leadoff single by Juan Rivera, catcher...

Manager Buck Showalter was asked today if American League hitters are starting to make some adjustments against lefty Zach Britton, who is pitching tonight here against Toronto. Over his last two starts against K.C. and Oakland, Britton has allowed 19 hits and nine earned runs over 11 2/3 innings as his ERA has increased from 2.14 to 2.93. Buck Showalter talks about if it's time for Zach Britton to begin making adjustments "No. There are no secrets," Showalter said. "They had watched...

Adam Jones was in no mood to brag about his great catch against Seattle on Wednesday earlier today in the Orioles' clubhouse. He was asked what it was like to get national attention over the play where he ran back to the warning track and made a basket catch with his back to the infield to rob Miguel Olivo of extra bases. It was the Play of the Night on ESPN's "SportsCenter" and a top web gem on "Baseball Tonight." "I don't care. It's a great catch, but that was Wednesday and today...

One of the biggest issues surrounding the Orioles lately has been the continued lack of production from right fielder Nick Markakis. Markakis does not have an extra-base hit over the last 15 games and 64 at-bats and has just two over his last 24 games. He has now gone 10 games without a multi-hit contest. Buck Showalter discusses Nick Markakis' struggles with the media "I think it's been frustrating for him," manager Buck Showalter said. "A day or two goes and you think he is on his...

Derrek Lee will bat leadoff and serve as the designated hitter tonight for Double-A Bowie. Showalter said it's not certain how many games Lee will play with Bowie. He did say the plans for his grandfather's funeral were finalized and it will be next Friday in California. Lee will leave the team Thursday (he likely would be activated by then) and perhaps be placed on bereavement leave where he can come off the roster for several days. "We'll go day-to-day with that (Lee)," Showalter said....

Here's the Orioles' lineup for today's game against the Blue Jays: LF Felix Pie CF Adam Jones RF Nick Markakis DH Vladimir Guerrero C Matt Wieters SS J.J. Hardy 1B Luke Scott 3B Mark Reynolds 2B Robert Andino P Zach Britton