In his second at bat tonight in Aberdeen, Brandon Snyder drove in a run with an RBI groundout to short. He came up with Austin Knight on third and one out in the last of the third. Snyder's hard hit ball to short, with the infield playing back, plated the run for a 3-1 Aberdeen lead. Micheal Rooney led off the frame with an infield single and Knight then tripled to deep center for a 2-1 lead, before Snyder batted. Snyder is now 1 for 2 with a double and an RBI and Aberdeen leads 3-1 after...

Three straight Orioles homered in the second inning, the first time it's happened in 15 years. Luke Scott led off the inning with a 352 foot shot off Rays starter Matt Garza. He rounded the bases carefully, making sure his hamstring held up. Up stepped Ty Wigginton, who launched a ball 382 feet. Up stepped Adam Jones, who beat them all with a 408-foot shot. Scott Moore grounded to second and was booed. That's the first time the Orioles have hit back-to-back-to-back homers since Jeff...

Orioles starter Jake Arrieta picked off Tampa Bay left fielder Carl Crawford in the first inning. If given the choice, Crawford wouldn't have picked this particular method. Arrieta's throw nailed Crawford in the, um, protective cup. And I mean flush. Crawford collapsed to the ground, no longer worried about keeping his foot on the bag. Ty Wigginton applied the tag, and Rays first base coach George Hendrick frantically motioned for the head athletic trainer to come out of the...

In his first at bat tonight with the IronBirds, Brandon Snyder hit a booming double to deep center field. Batting against Tri-City right-hander Bobby Doran, Houston's fourth-round pick last month, Snyder ripped a 2-1 pitch out near the warning track in center for an easy double. It was his first game at bat since June 17 while with Norfolk. Snyder, batting third and playing at first base, came up after Trent Mummey struck out and Austin Knight lined out. Snyder scored on a Kipp Schutz RBI...

The Orioles today announced that they have optioned RHP Chris Tillman to Triple-A Norfolk. Tillman, 22, is 1-4 with a 7.92 ERA (25.0IP, 22ER) in six starts with the Orioles this season. He made two starts after being recalled for the second time this season on July 10, going 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA (10.0IP, 8ER), including a victory in which he pitched a career-high 7.1 innings on July 10 at Texas. A corresponding roster move will be announced prior to tomorrow's game against Tampa Bay.

Well, that didn't take long. The Orioles just optioned pitcher Chris Tillman to Triple-A Norfolk. A corresponding move will be announced tomorrow. I'm heading down to the clubhouse. More to come. Here it is: Kevin Millwood will be activated tomorrow and start on Thursday. Tillman wasn't available for an interview, but I joined The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec in interim manager Juan Samuel's office. "Tillman isn't going to pitch for five days, so why not do it now and get him on his way?"...

Josh Bell remains out of the lineup tonight against a right-hander, which has become a sore subject with fans who wonder why a prospect is buried on the bench. If he's here, use him. Otherwise, he's better served playing every day at Triple-A Norfolk. I asked interim manager Juan Samuel about the thought process behind the decisions to start or sit Bell, understanding that the club might be showcasing Miguel Tejada, and the current roster includes left-handed hitters Felix Pie, Luke Scott...

It has been a tough year for Brandon Snyder. The O's 2005 first-round pick has struggled at Triple-A Norfolk for the second year in a row and also has had to deal with an injury that has kept him off the field since June 17. But tonight he is here in Aberdeen, at Ripken Stadium on an injury-rehab assignment with the IronBirds. He is expected to play three games here before re-joining the Tides. Snyder first felt some pain during that June 17 game at Toledo. "I have some torn or...

Brian Roberts isn't expected to come off the disabled list during this homestand. The Orioles are deciding whether to let him play in Toronto or Kansas City. "Brian Roberts has stated that he wishes to come with us on the road trip, so we'll see what the medical people say and when they turn it over to the baseball people and see what the decision's going to be," interim manager Juan Samuel said. "For me, the ideal place for him is Kansas City. I don't know if we want him coming back...

For the Orioles: Felix Pie LF Miguel Tejada 3B Nick Markakis RF Luke Scott DH Ty Wigginton 1B Adam Jones CF Scott Moore 2B Craig Tatum C Cesar Izturis SS Jake Arrieta RHP For the Rays: Zobrist 2B Crawford LF Longoria 3B Pena 1B Joyce RF Aybar DH Jaso C Upton CF Brignac SS Garza RHP