Is it just me, or does it seem like every Orioles win is accompanied by a health crisis? The latest one came tonight. The Orioles rally to defeat the Tigers, 9-5, but shortstop J.J. Hardy is day-to-day after experiencing tightness in his lower left ribcage. "I was going to play through it - playing catch, doing everything, getting ready for the game," he said. "I wanted to put a little bit of Icy Hot on it, just to keep it warm. At that point, it got back to Buck (Showalter) that it was...

Shortstop J.J. Hardy was scratched from the lineup because of tightness in his lower ribcage area. Hardy felt it while taking batting practice, and again while trying to hit in the indoor cage. Manager Buck Showalter found out at 6:50 p.m. and inserted Cesar Izturis into the lineup. "I didn't feel like it was worth the risk," Showalter said, adding that Hardy could have played later if needed. Showalter's initial concern was that Hardy injured his intercostal or oblique. Also, the...

2010 No. 1 pick Bryce Harper posted a solid professional debut Thursday night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a strikeout. Harper's Hagerstown Suns held off Rome, 3-2, in Rome, Ga. in Harper's first regular season game as a pro. Harper, playing right field and batting third in the order, had an RBI single and stole a base in the top of the first inning. In the top of the third, Harper singled on a bunt. He was later caught off first base and was tagged out in a rundown, pitcher to first base...

Vladimir Guerrero tied the game, 5-5, in the bottom of the seventh with a single into right field off Tigers reliever Enrique Gonzalez that scored Brian Roberts and gave the Orioles' designated hitter two RBIs tonight. Third base coach John Russell sent Roberts, and right fielder Brennan Boesch's throw almost went into the Orioles dugout, allowing Guerrero to take second. Gonzalez walked Luke Scott intentionally to load the bases with one out, and Adam Jones hit a long sacrifice fly to...

The Orioles had a chance to pull within one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but they left runners on second and third. Third base coach John Russell held Cesar Izturis on Brian Roberts' one-out double into the right-field corner. Russell was more than halfway down the line before raising his arms and bringing Izturis to a halt. Fans booed the decision - and I thought Russell should have sent him - but replays showed that Izturis didn't run full speed until he rounded second base. It...

Alex Avila has struck again. Get this guy out of town. Avila homered and drove in five runs last night, and his solo homer tonight broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning. Keep in mind that Avila had one RBI before last night. A two-out double by Brennan Boesch scored Will Rhymes, who walked, and knocked Chris Tillman out of the game. Tillman threw 97 pitches, 59 for strikes, in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs and six hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. His fastball stayed in that...

After they combined for three hits and three RBI last night, both Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero hit the ball pretty hard off Brad Penny in their first at-bats tonight. Lee, who hit a two-run homer last night, lined out to short to end the first and Vlad led off the last of the second with a bomb to center. It's his first homer as an Oriole, traveling 395 feet on the first pitch. It's Guerrero's 437th career homer, that is fourth best among active big leaguers. He hit 29 last...

Manager Buck Showalter needs Chris Tillman to pitch deep into tonight's game and save his bullpen after Brad Bergesen's abbreviated start last night. So far, the plan isn't working. Tillman threw 32 pitches in the first inning, and the Tigers parlayed four singles into a 2-0 lead. Don Kelly bailed out Tillman by bouncing into a 6-3 double play to end the inning. The fourth single, by Victor Martinez, came on a ball that caromed off the out-of-town scoreboard in right. Will Rhymes,...

We have another lineup change. Shortstop J.J. Hardy is a late scratch. Cesar Izturis will replace him and bat ninth. We're waiting for an explanation. Also, if tomorrow night's game is postponed because of rain, the Orioles would play a day-night doubleheader on Saturday. The Rangers don't return to Camden Yards, so the game would have to be made up during this homestand. The Orioles have an open date on their schedule Monday, but the Rangers are in Detroit.

Luke Scott took batting practice, ran and threw without any issues. His groin injury has improved to the point where he can play tonight. Scott moves to left field, and Felix Pie goes to the bench. Here's the new lineup: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Chris Tillman RHP