Game Preview LA Angels (70-45) at Orioles (48-69) After giving up nine runs in the 13th inning to lose on Sunday afternoon, the Orioles host the LA Angels tonight at 7:05 p.m. needing a win to even the four-game series at two wins each. RHP David Hernandez (4-4, 3.81) will make the start for the Orioles and RHP Ervin Santana (5-6, 6.38) takes the mound for Los Angeles. After the Orioles 16-6 romp over the Angels on Friday, LA has come back to win the last two games of the series. The Angels...

The Orioles have a contract offer back on the table, should second-round draft pick Mychal Givens accept it before tonight's midnight deadline to sign draft picks. But O's scouting director Joe Jordan does not expect that to happen. "I'm not very optimistic. Both sides are pretty set where they are. I don't have any reason to think that will change. The final decision is up to them now." With the official signings today of 11th-round pick, catcher Micheal Ohlman from Bradenton,...

Here are some comments from O's team president Andy MacPhail on the Aubrey Huff trade. "This has more to do with the status that he is going to be a free agent in six weeks. There are a couple of benefits to this including sending the player to a first-place team. "From a self-interest standpoint, this is probably a time when you can get a prospect from a club because a game or two might make all the difference to them. The Tigers have plenty of good arms, relievers that are...

RHP David Hernandez (4-4, 3.81) tonight makes his 11th start of this season, his 5th at home and his 2nd this year vs. Los Angeles. He is coming off of a win on Tuesday vs. Oakland. He gave up six hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings, throwing 106 pitches. Over his last six starts, Hernandez is 2-2, 3.55. He has recorded five quality starts on the year and all five have come over his last seven starts. In four home starts, Hernandez is 2-2, 3.22. Right-handed batters are hitting .287 off...

The pitcher's mound had to be a lonely place for Matt Albers in the top of the 13th inning on Sunday. Not only did he let in some inherited runs, but he gave up five of his own over just one inning. Earlier this year, Albers had a stretch where he did not allow an earned run in 17 of 21 appearances. His ERA was 2.12 during the stretch. But now he has been hit for 17ER over six innings over his last seven appearances. "I had a good talk with Rick Kranitz and went over a few things,"...

Vladimir Guerrero, struggling to hit homers earlier in the season, hit two tonight leading the LA Angels to an 8-5 win over the Orioles as the Angels won the final three games of the four-game series. After Maicer Izturis hit a solo homer to give LA a 3-2 lead in the 6th, Guerrero hit a two-run shot two batters later for a 5-2 lead. In inning later, he hit a three-run shot. It was Guerrero's 9th and 10th homers of the season and this is his 38th career multi-homer game. Losing pitcher...

The Orioles ended this homestand with two wins in seven games vs. Oakland and Los Angeles. They are now 30-31 at home on the year and 48-70 overall. Nick Markakis went 2 for 4 with a double, homer and two RBI. He now has 84 RBI. Markakis extended his current hitting streak to ten games. During the streak, he is batting .378 (17 for 45) with two homers and 8 RBI. For Markakis, 21 of his last 37 hits have gone for extra bases. He has now reached base in 37 consecutive games - the longest...

Game Preview Orioles (48-70) at Tampa Bay (63-54) After winning just two of seven games on a homestand that ended with Monday's loss to the Angels, the Orioles begin a nine-game road trip tonight at Tampa Bay. After three games with the Rays, the road trip takes to the Orioles on to Chicago and Minnesota. The O's are just 18-39 on the road this season and are just 3-18 on the road vs. the AL East. Series Pitching Matchups; Mon, 7:08p - Jason Berken (2-10, 6.63) v. David Price (5-5,...

RHP Jason Berken (2-10, 6.63) tonight makes his 16th Major League start of the year, his 7th on the road and the 1st of his career vs. Tampa Bay. Two starts ago, Berken gave up three runs in six innings vs. Toronto to get his second victory. In his last start, Wednesday vs. Oakland, he took his 10th loss. Berken gave up eight hits and four runs over five innings. In six starts since the All-Star game, he is 1-4, 7.85. Right-handed hitters hit .308 off Berken while lefties bat .319. He...

The Tampa Bay Rays hit three homers and beat the Orioles 5-4 Tuesday night. For the Birds, it was game one of a nine-game road trip. Gabe Gross hit a two-run shot in the 3rd and Pat Burrell and B.J. Upton hit solo shots in the 6th as the Rays won their third in a row. O's pitchers have allowed nine homers over the last three games. Jason Berken gave up all three homers and took the loss, falling to 2-11, 6.72. Berken gave up five runs and 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings. Matt Wieters hit a...