Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Chris Tillman lasted one inning today against Durham, allowing four runs and four hits and walking two batters. His ERA stands at 8.38. Tillman also threw two wild pitches and hit a batter. He threw 42 pitches, 24 for strikes. We might not be seeing Tillman in Baltimore as quickly as we anticipated. Not to be Debbie Downer here, but Josh Bell is 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and is batting .184. Brandon Snyder is 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts and is batting...

Breaking news: Oakland pitcher Brett Anderson won't go 30-0 this season. A few readers of this blog saw that I picked against Anderson and suggested that I have my head examined. The guy was bound to lose at least one game. He's one of the top young left-handers in baseball, but he's also human. His spring training physical confirmed it. Next prediction: Brian Matusz goes 29-1 this season. Gary and Jim talk with Dave Trembley about breaking the losing streak Interesting decision by...

The Orioles needed this. Ty Wigginton's two-out, two-run double in the third inning today not only broke a scoreless tie, but it seemed to relax the Orioles a bit. The Birds picked up an 8-3 win at Oakland today to avoid the four-game sweep and end a nine-game losing streak. Ty Wigginton talks with Amber about his 4 RBI performance against the A's Wigginton added a two-run homer to left in the 9th for a 2 for 5, 4-RBI game. He had just three hits in the series but they all went for extra...

Who are these guys and what have they done with the Orioles? A three-run third inning? Clutch two-out hits? Taking the extra base on a throwing error? Did the Orioles and Athletics switch uniforms? Oakland lefty Brett Anderson hadn't allowed a run in his first 14 innings, but Ty Wigginton drove in two with a double to right field and he raced home on Nick Markakis' single up the middle. Orioles 3, Oakland 0. Wigginton wasn't happy when the Orioles signed Miguel Tejada and Garrett...

That's runners in scoring position, not rest in peace. Too early to dump dirt on this season. The O's entered the top of the third in Oakland today just 2 for 44 on the year when batting with runners in scoring position and two out. But with two out and runners on first and second, Ty Wigginton delivered a two-run double to right and Nick Markakis hit a ground ball RBI single to center. So they matched their total of hits with RISP and two outs for the season in one inning. Wigginton...

Earlier today, I completely forgot to guarantee that Brian Matusz would strike out the side in the first inning, the first one coming on that devastating changeup. I totally saw it coming. Really. You'll just have to take my word for it. Lou Montanez took a nasty spill in foul territory while chasing Ryan Sweeney's fly ball with two outs, but Matusz got a called third strike on his next pitch. Down on the farm, Single-A Frederick's Billy Rowell is 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs...

Orioles manager Dave Trembley told reporters in Oakland that he doesn't expect Miguel Tejada to go on the disabled list with a hip injury sustained in yesterday's loss. Tejada is listed as day-to-day with an adductor strain. I'm no doctor, though I often play one on this blog, but according to emedicine, hip adductor injuries occur most commonly when there is a forced push-off (side-to-side motion). High forces occur in the adductor tendons when the athlete must shift direction suddenly in...

For the Orioles: Adam Jones CF Ty Wigginton 3B Nick Markakis RF Nolan Reimold DH Matt Wieters C Garrett Atkins 1B Lou Montanez LF Justin Turner 2B Cesar Izturis SS Brian Matusz LHP For the Athletics: Rajai Davis CF Daric Barton 1B Ryan Sweeney RF Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B Kurt Suzuki C Jake Fox DH Adam Rosales 2B Travis Buck LF Cliff Pennington SS Brett Anderson LHP

Some Sunday O's pre-game stats and facts while wondering if today will be the day...... *The Orioles have played seven games this year decided by two runs or less and are 1-6 in those. *The Orioles have scored just 23 runs during a nine-game losing streak. *Today's starter, Brian Matusz, is making his 11th career Major League start today. Opponents are batting just .190 against him this year without an extra-base hit. The Orioles are 6-4 in his starts. Matusz, who has never faced...

Before I pack up my car and drive back to Eldersburg, I wanted to make the following statement: The Orioles will win today. It's not necessary for me to pull over, step out of my car and recite the alphabet backward. I don't need to walk a straight line. I'm stone-cold sober and guaranteeing a victory. Brian Matusz might have to go nine innings. He might have to go 10. He might have to ice his arm with a pack that extends to the bottom of his feet and the top of his head. But he's not...