Have you noticed that the Orioles seem to win more games when they hit with runners in scoring position? They were more productive in those situations while sweeping the Nationals at Camden Yards. They went 3-for-17 last night and lost to the Tigers in 11 innings. I don't believe it's a coincidence. Better results from their bullpen would have reversed the outcome, but they couldn't hold a 4-1 lead. We've debated interim manager Juan Samuel's decision to use Alfredo Simon for a...

Kipp Schutz didn't get his chance to make his mark with the Delmarva Shorebirds this season. But he seems to be making up for lost time now with the Aberdeen IronBirds. Schutz went into last night's game batting .403 to start the year and the O's 19th-round pick from the 2009 draft was the leading hitter in the New York-Penn League. His average dropped a few points last night but he remains the leading batter in the league today. It was disappointing for him when the 22-year-old lefty...

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond was bounding through the clubhouse pregame with a skip in his step and a smile on his face, ready to go for the first game of the series against the San Diego Padres. That boundless energy and enthusiasm is all a part of the full package you get from Desmond. It is what the Nationals loved about Desmond last year and in spring training. That energy has played out in his aggressiveness on the field, trying to make every play on defense, when sometimes just...

Seriously, would 20 do the trick? What's it going to take? Johnny Damon's two-run, walk-off home run off David Hernandez in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Tigers a 7-5 victory over the Orioles. Gary and Mike ask Juan Samuel about the O's 7-5 11-inning loss to Detroit I had a bad feeling about this game once interim manager Juan Samuel called upon Alfredo Simon to get a five-out save. Was Hernandez unavailable until the 10th? Jason Berken has been outstanding this season, but the...

Nick Markakis is 3-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-run shot in the seventh inning that wiped out Detroit's 1-0 lead, and Felix Pie has two hits and an RBI in his return. Will it be enough? The Tigers scored twice in the eighth against Jason Berken to dial up the drama. It's up to Alfredo Simon to record the five-out save. More drama. Update: Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer off Simon in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, 5-5. More frustration. Jake Arrieta held the Tigers...

O's lefty Michael Gonzalez pitched a 1-2-3, top of the sixth tonight here at Aberdeen, getting a strikeout and two groundouts. He threw 13 pitches, eight for strikes, in his seventh injury rehab performance. Gonzalez, whose fastball was clocked between 89 and 91 on the Ripken Stadium radar gun, felt quite good about his one-inning stint against the Lowell Spinners. Another gun reading had Gonzalez topping out at 94. "Every time I'm going out it feels a lot better, man. Breaking pitch is...

Game two tonight features Nationals right-hander J.D. Martin searching for his initial win of 2010 against right-hander Jon Garland of the San Diego Padres (8-5, 3.24). It is Martin's seventh start of the season, and he is looking for his first win since September 18, 2009 against the Mets in New York. Despite his last loss in Atlanta, Martin will not change his strategy to go after hitters from the start. "I am going to keep the same approach as I always do. I am going to try to get...

Michael Gonzalez just retired the Lowell Spinners 1-2-3 in a quick top of the sixth. He threw 13 pitches, eight for strikes. Gonzalez struck out number three hitter, Boston's first-round draft pick, Kolbrin Vitek on a 2-2 pitch. Then he got Bryce Brentz, batting fourth on a high chopper to short and then got the number five batter to ground out to short as well. His fastball ranged from 89 to 91 on the gun here at Ripken Stadium.

Michael Gonzalez is now warming up and will pitch for Aberdeen in the top of the sixth. The IronBirds still lead 3-0 and starter Justin Anderson gave up just three hits in five shutout innings.

Aberdeen scored a first-inning run tonight and leads Lowell 1-0 through two innings here at Ripken Stadium. The IronBirds Austin Knight, who went to high school at Baltimore's Boys Latin, singled with one out. Kipp Schutz then hit a ground single to right and Knight went to third on a misplay by the right fielder. He scored on a passed ball for a 1-0 edge. Schutz began tonight leading the New York-Penn League in batting at .403 and now has nine hits over his last 14 at bats. Aberdeen...