The Bowie Baysox picked a bad time for their offense to go south. Bowie was held scoreless on just two hits Sunday in a 1-0 loss at Richmond. Coupled with Harrisburg's 13-3 romp over Binghamton and Bowie is now one game back of the Senators for the final Eastern League playoff berth with one game to go. Bowie needs to win Monday's Noon game at Richmond while Harrisburg loses its 1 p.m game at Binghamton. If that happens, the teams finish the regular season tied for second in their...

Some quotes from Chris Tillman, Nick Markakis and Corey Patterson after the Orioles 8-7 win over the Rays on Sunday. It was the O's first series win this year vs. an AL East team other than Boston. Tillman on his outing: "I felt good. Overall, I thought it went well. I think all my pitches were there. It kind of rolled over from Norfolk and I think that's a good thing. "I just want to go out there and do my best, carry it over from Norfolk what I had going, and I think we're playing...

The official scorer exercised his right to award the win to Alfredo Simon, judging that Jim Johnson and Michael Gonzalez were too ineffective in brief appearances. Once Johnson was skipped, you pick the guy who was the most effective out of the remaining group. It's not real common, but it happens. Simon turned in a perfect eighth, and Koji Uehara did the same in the ninth by retiring Ben Zobrist, Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria. "We were all joking, everybody kind of turns when Koji...

For most of the time since Buck Showalter has been O's manager, when the team won it usually had a lot to do with the pitching. Sunday, the O's out-slugged Tampa in an 8-7 win to take the three game series, two wins to one, in front of 28,268 at Camden Yards. Buck Showalter meets with the media after the O's 8-7 win over the Rays Five different O's drove in runs as the Orioles posted thier first series win this year vs. an AL East opponent other than Boston and they improved to 5-10 vs....

Koji Uehara took the ball again today, less than 24 hours after giving up back-to-back home runs. Uehara closed out an 8-7 victory, earning his sixth save, but he's not the closer. Just the guy who protected a one-run lead in the ninth. That's all. No need to slap a label on him. This one was easy. Strikeout, pop up and strikeout. Fans were chanting "Koji, Koji, Koji" before the final strike to Evan Longoria. This season has taken a strange turn in more ways than one. Alfredo Simon gets...

The Orioles have retaken the lead in the sixth, and the bottom third of the order spirited the comeback. Admit it, you didn't see that one coming. Craig Tatum and Cesar Izturis walked with one out against reliever Dan Wheeler. Chad Qualls replaced him and gave up Josh Bell's single to center field on an 0-2 pitch that tied the game. This was especially significant because Bell had struck out twice against starter Wade Davis, giving him 42 Ks and only two walks in 118 at-bats. Brian...

Chris Tillman gave up six hits today. Two were triples. Two were home runs. Not the extra-base ratio he sought in his return to the majors, but the Rays managed only three runs in 5 1/3 innings and he stood to be the winner if the bullpen could hold onto a 4-3 lead. It didn't. Pinch-hitter Reid Brignac greeted reliever Jim Johnson with a single and B.J. Upton hit a two-run homer, the ball traveling an estimated 410 feet. Tillman will have to settle for a no-decision. Evan Longoria's...

Cal Ripken has watched first-round pick Manny Machado at Aberdeen and offers the following scouting report on the young shortstop: "I like the size, I like the strength. He made a couple of plays in the field really easy, and I like the way the ball jumped off his bat. He's definitely got some good size to him." A big guy like that can play shortstop? Ripken smiled. "A big guy like that can play shortstop," he replied. "He's got the right frame for a shortstop." Chris Tillman has...

Some of the longest and loudest ovations heard at Camden Yards are those reserved for Cal Ripken Jr. There was another today when the Hall of Famer threw out the ceremonial first pitch on the 15th anniversary of his playing in consecutive game number 2,130 to tie Lou Gehrig's record. "I keep milking it for whatever it's worth. It seems like time has gone by really fast. I only realize it when I look at the age of my kids. In many other ways it seems like that whole night was just a...

Cal Ripken's ceremonial first pitch was a perfect strike to Jake Fox. Knowing Cal, that shouldn't come as a surprise. Seeing Fox behind the plate was the shocker. But I digress... It was nice of the Rays to stand and applaud Ripken as he walked to the mound. They moved to the top step of the dugout. They stopped playing catch. Evan Longoria stood the closest to home plate, and he might have been clapping the hardest. Buck Showalter was managing the Yankees on the nights that Ripken tied...