Let's start with the good: The Orioles scored a run for Kevin Millwood in the first inning after Julio Lugo reached on Jerry Hairston's throwing error, stole third base and raced home on Nick Markakis' fly ball. Interim manager Juan Samuel told reporters that outfielder Felix Pie, rehabbing a torn muscle in his back, will begin an injury rehab assignment in the minors on Tuesday. Double-A Bowie left-hander Zach Britton shut out Harrisburg on two hits over six innings. Triple-A Norfolk...

For the Orioles: 2B Julio Lugo 3B Miguel Tejada RF Nick Markakis 1B Ty Wigginton LF Luke Scott CF Adam Jones C Matt Wieters SS Cesar Izturis RHP Kevin Millwood For the Padres: 2B David Eckstein 3B Chase Headley 1B Adrian Gonzalez LF Scott Hairston C Yorvit Torrealba RF Will Venable SS Jerry Hairston Jr. CF Tony Gwynn Jr. LHP Clayton Richard Richard has allowed more than three runs only once this season - May 28 vs. the Nationals. He's gone six or more innings in his last seven games,...

Delmarva and Frederick play games today and tomorrow and that will end their respective first halves and bring those two clubs to their All-Star breaks. Delmarva is playing well and takes a five-game win streak into tonight's home game vs. Lexington. The Shorebirds have allowed just nine runs during their season-high win streak. Delmarva has now won eight in a row at Perdue Stadium, its longest home win streak since taking ten in a row there in July and August of 2005. Kieron Pope...

The question comes up every fifth or sixth day: Will Kevin Millwood finally get his first win? He won't bring much momentum into his latest attempt. We know about the lack of run support. He's received 44 in 14 starts, and the Orioles have scored just 24 while he was in those games. They've totaled 17 in his last 11 outings while he's been on the mound. But Millwood isn't in the midst of the longest losing streak of his career, eight games, simply because the offense keeps bailing on...

Nolan Reimold has hit safely in four of his last five games with Triple-A Norfolk, batting .389 (7-for-18) with three RBIs. His average is up to .206. Maybe it's been a good idea to drop the first base experiment for a while. Stop filling his plate, and he'll have better results when he steps up to it. Guess who leads the Tides in RBIs (16), hits (21), doubles (six) and runs scored (11) this month? Hint: It's the same player who ranks second among all Orioles minor leaguers with 41 RBIs...

The latest Orioles draft pick to agree to terms is fourth-round pick Trent Mummey, a lefty hitting outfielder from Auburn that was taken with the 118th overall selection. Mummey is expected to take his physical in Baltimore on Monday and, if all goes well there as expected, he will then officially sign and soon after join the Aberdeen IronBirds. A Baltimore Sun report said Mummey was signed to a $252,000 bonus. "It was a slot signing," O's scouting director Joe Jordan said. "We feel...

When I hear the term "two-strike approach" I think of a batter and how they want to protect the plate and swing at anything close when the count is 0 and 2. But maybe O's pitchers need a better "two-strike approach." The stats say the O's hurlers are among the worst in AL when the count is 0-2. Worst batting average against, 0-2 count: .227 - Oakland .205 - Orioles .204 - Minnesota Only Oakland gives up a higher batting average this year on an 0-2 pitch than the O's. The Yankees...

The best question of the day - and I know it's early, so the voting isn't complete - came from the fan who asked, "At what point do the O's become lovable?" They might lean more toward the frustrating side right now. Or the infuriating side. Perhaps something stronger. Last night's loss bled into so many others. The offense mostly sputtered, a key play wasn't made in the field, a good start was wasted, the bullpen collapsed late. I've seen this movie more times than...

Well, it's official. The Orioles have now lost more games when leading after eight innings in just 67 games this year then they did in all 162 games last year. They are 14-5 this season when leading after eight in blowing tonight's 2-1 lead heading to the last of the ninth. Last year, they were 55-4 when leading after eight. The Orioles have the worst save percentage in the AL now at 47.8 percent. They have saved 11 games in 23 chances. Only four teams in the league are under 68...

Alfredo Simon was supposed to be the closer when he came off the disabled list. That's what we were told. Maybe not in his first appearance, but the ones afterward. David Hernandez changed that line of thinking with two saves - both in games that Jake Arrieta started. It looked like the right time to audition him. Interim manager Juan Samuel called upon Hernandez tonight after the Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth. Simon struck out both batters he faced to end the eighth, but...