The Orioles are breaking out an interesting lineup tonight. Mark Reynolds is starting at first base and Robert Andino is starting at third. Matt Wieters is on the bench so he can start tomorrow's day game. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 3B Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Nolan Reimold LF J.J. Hardy SS Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Adams 2B Craig Tatum C Brad Bergesen RHP This is Reynolds' 25th career start at first base, the first 24 coming in 2009 with Arizona. Jones (ninth,...

Following today'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. The Nationals are expected to make a corresponding move before Sunday's game against San Diego. Balester, 24, is 0-0 with an 8.10 ERA in three appearances this season with Washington. He had been recalled from Syracuse before Saturday's...

No knock on Brad Bergesen, but when he has started this year, the Orioles have lost almost every time. They are just 1-7 in his eight starts this year. He'll try to begin to reverse that tonight when he makes his ninth start of the season tonight at Oakland. Bergesen is 1-5 with a 5.64 ERA on the season and his last appearance was on May 19. In his career, when pitching with six or more days of rest, he is 3-3 with an 5.65 ERA over eight starts. Showing his inconsistency this year, he gave...

On May 28, 1998, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter ordered an intentional walk to San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Bonds walked a record 2,558 times in his career, and that doesn't count the courtroom. So why is this noteworthy? Showalter instructed his reliever to walk Bonds with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the bases loaded. Arizona led by two runs and Showalter wanted no part of Bonds. It was a tremendous gamble, and it paid off. The next batter,...

First baseman Tyler Townsend of the Single-A Frederick Keys has missed the last three games, but is not injured. He is away from the team on a personal matter and should return soon. He could be back tonight but if he doesn't get back to the team in time for that game at Salem, the club just may wait until they return home on Monday for him to rejoin the club. Townsend, a 2009 third-round pick out of Florida International, got off to a blazing start and was hitting .344 but then his averaged...

I had to "sleep fast," as manager Buck Showalter always says. These West Coast games are exhausting, even when you're not on the trip. The Orioles have another 10:07 p.m. start tonight in Oakland - no one rounds off these times anymore - and we'll find out later today whether a roster move is made. Double-A Bowie left-hander Pedro Viola was rushed to Oakland, and that decision was made before Alfredo Simon threw 55 pitches and took the loss last night and Michael Gonzalez followed with...

You wouldn't think a pitcher that has worked to an ERA of 1.33 over his last four starts would be in danger of losing his rotation spot, but that may be the case for Chris Tillman. The positive results with that ERA have come at a time when he keeps failing to show pitch efficiency and struggles to get deep in games. Tillman's last four starts: May 11 vs. Seattle: 6 IP, 1 ER, 112 pitches. May 16 at Boston: 5 IP, 0 runs, 88 pitches. May 22 vs. Washington: 5 IP, 1 ER, 97 pitches. May 27 at...

To say the least, it was a frustrating night in Oakland, where the Orioles have had a few. Their starter could not survive five innings, meanwhile, at bat, the Orioles hit into four double plays. The scoreless streak for the Orioles' bullpen ended at 15 2/3 innings when Oakland scored three runs off Alfredo Simon in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie. The A's beat the O's 6-2 to end the Orioles' five-game win streak. The Orioles are now 1-10 in their last 11 games at Oakland and have...

On the same night that left-hander Brian Matusz was apparently making his last injury rehab start at Triple-A Norfolk, his good friend Chris Tillman couldn't get out of the fifth inning in Oakland. Tillman has allowed one earned run or fewer in four consecutive starts and five of six. However, his rising pitch counts continue to force him out of games in the middle innings and lead to a parade of relievers. He threw 102 tonight before heading to the bench for good. This is the third-shortest...

After battling through a couple of injuries that extended his spring training into late May, Nationals 2010 second-round selection left-hander Sammy Solis is ready to make his season debut today for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns at the Kannapolis Intimidators. Solis pitched 5 1/3 innings last week in Viera, Fla., throwing 84 pitches. He anticipates a 90-pitch cap today. "My arm feels strong," Solis said. "Florida was great. I got my work in that I needed to get done. I am excited to be...