Nationals pitcher Ross Detwiler went five innings Friday night and took the loss for Harrisburg in their 3-0 setback versus Altoona. Despite the loss, Detwiler allowed only three hits, two runs (of which only one was earned), one walk and had a season high seven strikeouts. Detwiler said the start went well but he had some bad luck. He told me his mechanics were a lot better and he "felt like (he) had a clue tonight." Ross told me that was the one thing he wanted to work with pitching...

Interim manager Juan Samuel praised starter Brad Bergesen for battling on a night when the right-hander didn't have his best stuff. "He kept the game close," Samuel said. "We got some opportunities there. Even though his command probably wasn't where he wanted it to be, he kept the game close for us. So that's all we wanted. "I think since he has been back here, he has had a few good outings. His tempo was very, very good. He threw a lot of strikes, his ball was sinking. We didn't see...

This time there was not a well pitched game by an O's starter and this time there was not a comeback win. The O's opened their longest home stand of the season, a ten gamer, with a 4-2 loss to Toronto on Friday night at the Yard. Losing pitcher Brad Bergesen, now 3-7, 6.37, gave up single runs over the first three frames and gave up four runs in six innings on the night. Brad Bergesen talks with the media about his start in the O's 4-2 loss to the Jays Winning pitcher Ricky Romero...

The Orioles put runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the seventh after Felix Pie doubled and Julio Lugo extended the inning with an infield hit. Cesar Izturis stepped to the plate as the potential go-ahead run against Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero. Should a pinch-hitter step out of the dugout? Izturis was 0-for-2, but he began the night batting .310 in his last 18 games, with four doubles (half of his season total) and a homer (his only one of 2010). Interim manager...

The Delmarva Shorebirds are at home tonight vs. West Virginia and the score is 0-0 after five innings. That is not the impressive stat, but here it is. Counting five scoreless innings pitched tonight by Pat Kantakevich, Delmarva starting pitchers have now allowed just three earned runs over their last ten games. That's in 59 2/3 innings. That works out to an ERA of 0.45 for the Shorebird starting pitchers over that stretch. Over the 59 2/3, through the fifth of that game tonight at Perdue...

Brad Bergesen was lifted after six innings tonight. He allowed four runs and nine hits, walked two and struck out three. He threw 92 pitches, 55 for strikes. Unless the Orioles rally, Bergesen will lose his career-worst fifth straight decision. Bergesen has given up four earned runs or more in six of his last seven starts. He's allowed 20 hits in the last two starts covering 12 innings. Toronto scored in four of Bergesen's six innings tonight. The leadoff hitter reached base in five...

No, that is not a wrestling move. But Ricky Romero has retired the first nine O's in order tonight on just 31 pitches. Shouldn't the O's have been swinging and not taking pitches like this during the last game before the break and not the first one after. Romero, who held the O's to just one run in a complete-game win on May 30th, threw 10 pitches tonight in the first and second innings and needed just 11 to complete a quick bottom of the third. The reversal for him is how well he is...

Brad Bergesen has allowed a run in the first, second and third innings to fall behind, 3-0. They've come in different forms. Fred Lewis led off the top of the first with a double, Yunel Escobar reached on a bunt single and Vernon Wells hit a sacrifice fly with one out. Aaron Hill led off the second with his 13th home run. Lewis led off the third with a single to right field, took second on a passed ball and scored with two outs on Adam Lind's single to right. Bergesen also walked a batter...

Tonight's game could begin with only three umpires. The fourth is heading to Camden Yards, but he might arrive a little late. However, it won't affect the starting time. Since we were kicking around lineup ideas earlier today, and I failed miserably with my assumption that Jake Fox would start at first base, I wanted to pass along some career numbers against Toronto left-hander Ricky Romero: Fox is 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Corey Patterson is 2-for-4 with two strikeouts. Ty...

First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama will visit Camden Yards next Tuesday, July 20 for the announcement of a new joint initiative between Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the White House. Following the announcement, Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays players will conduct a clinic on the field for 50 young baseball players from local RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) leagues and Boys & Girls Clubs. Please note that these events are not open to the...