Put all lunch plans on hold for this Friday, September 3 - unless you're thinking of getting together with fellow O's fans to join the live video chats with Jeremy Guthrie and Adam Jones scheduled to start at noon right here on MASNsports.com. Guthrie will kick things off with MASNsports.com Orioles beat reporter Steve Melewski at noon, with teammate Adam Jones to follow at 12:45 p.m. Each player will sit with Steve to talk Orioles baseball and answer questions from the O's reporter -...

Anybody planning a trip to Pittsburgh for Labor Day to watch the Nationals take on the Pirates at beautiful PNC Park? I know the Racing Presidents are traveling north for the weekend to race those Pittsburgh Pierogies and from talking to many of you, it sounds like NatsTown will be well represented in the 'Burgh for the series. The trip to Pittsburgh is an easy 4-5 hour drive, tickets are affordable and PNC Park is one of the best venues in Major League Baseball. Need more convincing? The...

Manager Buck Showalter needs to go 0-24 to match Juan Samuel's record. The pressure's on. I like how Showalter walks into the interview room after the final out and asks for the time of game, as if he's hoping that his club took care of us. "Stay under three, right?" Exactly. Anything under three hours is good. And 2 ½ will make us do a happy dance. So I guess the Orioles took advantage of the soft spot in Boston's rotation last night. That must have been it. They...

It's September first. Really? Do we have to start a new month? Can you blame an O's fan for not wanting August to end? The Orioles are in first place in the AL East. No, not yet; not even Buck is that good. But they had the best record in the division in August. AL East standings for August: Balt......17-11 TB.......17-12 NYY.....16-13 Bost.....15-13 Tor.......15-13 These things also happened in August: *Buck Showalter took over as manager. *The O's went 17-10 under Buck and went 8-1...

Brian Matusz didn't face Boston last year. He's seen them four times this year and the Red Sox are still trying to figure him out. Tonight he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings plus one batter as the Orioles beat Boston 5-2 to start a three-game series. The O's improved to 8-1 in series-opening games under Buck Showalter. Brian Matusz talks about his outing following the O's 5-2 win over the Red Sox Matusz is now 2-0, 2.55 on the year vs. Boston. Sox batters are hitting...

The Orioles improved to 8-1 in series openers under manager Buck Showalter. They were 9-25 before his arrival. Showalter used one of his favorite expressions, saying he didn't think Brian Matusz was "carrying all his bullets tonight." He brings up bullets frequently. I hope he isn't forced to start calling them "wizards." "He got through it and gave us a chance to win," Showalter said. "I'm not going to say he made the pitches when he had to. You hear enough of that, but tonight I...

The Orioles did not post another shutout, but they did post a pleasing victory over an AL East rival that was desperate for a win. Luke Scott hit his 26th homer, that's a new career high and Brian Matusz pitched well again vs. Boston as the Orioles beat the Red Sox 5-2 at Camden Yards Tuesday night in the opening game of a six-game homestand. Matusz improved to 7-12, 4.72 as he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings plus a batter. When he gave up a two-run homer in the fifth to Jed...

Koji Uehara replaced Michael Gonzalez with one out in the eighth inning and retired the next two batters, fielding a bouncer to the mound and getting the force at second base, and inducing a fly ball to right-center field. Nothing to it. Nobody is warming in the bullpen. Uehara is coming back out for the ninth after throwing eight pitches. No way you take him out. And it made sense to go with your hottest reliever with a runner on first base in the eighth. The baton is being passed, but it...

Nick Markakis became the 19th outfielder since 1900 to record at least four seasons with 40 doubles in his career. Markakis is now tied for the third-longest streak of 40-double seasons. The other three players are in the Hall of Fame. Joe Medwick did it for seven straight years beginning in 1933. Harry Heilman's streak lasted five seasons beginning in 1923. Markakis is tied with Tris Speaker, whose streak of four consecutive seasons began in 1920. Yeah, it's been a while. Jay Moskowitz,...

The Orioles scoreless streak, dating back to Brad Bergesen's first-inning balk at Anaheim Friday night, ended at 30 innings tonight when Jed Lowrie hit a two-run homer off Brian Matusz in the fifth inning. After 30 straight, Lowrie rocked one out to left as Matusz found too much of the middle of the plate on a 3-1 pitch. That cut the O's lead to 3-2 and was Lowrie's fourth homer. Matusz has fanned David Ortiz twice tonight and Big Papi is now 0 for 8 with 7 strikeouts vs. the...