Felix Pie scored from first base on a single. Felix Pie scored from first base on a single. If I type it enough times, maybe it will start to make sense. Pie, pinch-running for Matt Wieters, raced home with the tie-breaking run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth on Cesar Izturis' single into right-center field. Pie just kept motoring - and he wasn't running on the pitch, so he had a lot of ground to make up - and beat the relay from Toronto second baseman John McDonald. Catcher...

Game Preview Orioles (40-48) at Chicago White Sox (45-43) After winning their last two series before the All-Star break, the O's begin the second-half tonight at Chicago. It's game one of a three-game series and a nine-game, ten-day road trip. The Orioles, who have won four of five games, won six of their last nine series before the break, going 15-12 over the last 27 games. The O's are 13-12-4 in 29 series thus far. The Orioles are just 14-27 on the road this year, losing seven of the...

RHP Jason Berken (1-6, 5.87) tonight makes his 10th start of the year, his 4th on the road and the 1st of his career vs. the White Sox. Berken took a loss last Friday, giving up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 vs. Toronto. After the game, Berken was encouraged by his outing said he "made some adjustments to clean up his delivery. It gives me something to build on for the second half." Berken has allowed exactly 2ER in three of his last four starts, pitching to an ERA of 4.58 over that...

Norfolk RHP Chris Tillman picked up his 8th win of the year tonight in game one of a doubleheader. Tillman and Norfolk beat Charlotte, 5-1. The righty went 6 2/3 and gave up seven hits and one run with no walks and seven strikeouts. Tillman, who had not allowed a run over his previous two outings, is now 3-0, 0.44 over his last three starts, allowing just one run in 20 1/3 innings. He improves to 8-5, 2.42 on the year and has allowed 2ER or less in 13 of 17 starts. Just a guess, but...

Jim Thome took over the game tonight in Chicago, hitting two homers in two innings as the Sox pulled away from a 3-3 tie to lead the O's 10-5 in the seventh. Thome hit a 2-0 pitch for a three-run shot in the 5th to break a 3-3 tie. After an Adam Jones homer pulled the O's within 6-5, Thome hit a 2-1 pitch from Danys Baez out to center for a Grand Slam and a 10-6 lead. That's 7 RBI tonight for Thome and 14 in his last three games. He has nine career Slams. His last before tonight was on...

The Orioles had a season-high eight extra-base hits tonight and got homers from Adam Jones and Nick Markakis, but all that was topped by Jim Thome. The slugger had a 7 RBI night as the White Sox out-slugged the Birds, 12-8 to start the second half. Thome's three-run homer in the 5th broke a 3-3 tie and, after the O's had pulled back within a run, his Grand Slam in the 6th made it a 10-6 lead. Thome, who now has 557 career homers, has knocked in 14 runs his last three games. Nick Markakis...

O's righty Jason Berken took the loss, falling to 1-7, 6.44. It was Berken's second worst start, topped only by the 9ER he allowed in just 3 1/3 innings June 6th at Oakland. Tonight, Berken gave six runs in 4 1/3 innings, allowing two homers. He had pitched to an ERA of 3.72 in his previous two starts. Berken is now 0-3, 10.26 in four road starts. He is 0-7 over his last nine starts and the Orioles are 2-8 in his ten starts in 2009. Gary Thorne talks with Dave Trembley after the O's...

On the farm tonight - Triple-A Norfolk hosts Durham after losing the season opener 5-3 last night. The Tides struck out 14 times, their most since May of 2008. Jake Arrieta makes his season debut tonight. Last year with the Tides, he went 5-8, 3.93 in 17 starts. The next homer for Scott Moore will be the 100th of his minor league career. Today is Dennis Sarfate's 29th birthday. Steve Johnson pitches for Bowie tonight vs. Richmond. That is in the second game. The first game begins at...

Game Preview Orioles (40-49) at Chicago White Sox (46-43) It was a night where the O's pitching staff struggled to throw strikes vs. a hot-hitting team. That was not a good combination for the Birds as they lost 12-8 at Chicago to start the second half on Friday night. The O's pitchers allowed seven walks, three homers including a Grand Slam and 13 hits. It was the most runs the Orioles gave up since a 12-1 loss at Boston on April 20th. The Birds team ERA in the previous six games was...

RHP Brad Bergesen (6-3, 3.54) today makes his 17th start of this season, his 7th on the road and his 2nd this year vs. the White Sox. In the final game before the All-Star break, Bergesen got the win vs. Toronto. In 6 2/3, he gave up seven hits and two runs, throwing 91 pitches. Over his last nine starts, Bergesen is 5-1, 2.35 (17ER in 65IP). Bergesen, 2009: Home: 6-1, 2.82 and team is 8-2 in his starts Road: 0-2, 4.82 and team is 1-5 in his starts Bergesen has recorded a team-leading 10...