The Orioles have a quick turnaround today with their 1:07 p.m. game against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Again, I'm convinced that they lead the world in day games.
Taylor Teagarden most likely will be behind the plate, which will appease the fans who are convinced that Matt Wieters cost the Orioles last night's game by calling for a cutter to Munenori Kawasaki with Tommy Hunter on the mound.
Apparently, Hunter's head doesn't move from side to side and he can't shake off a sign. And...
Jason Hammel won't be satisfied with tonight's start. He's a harsh critic. But he had a chance to register his eighth victory of the season and his seventh on the road.
It won't happen.
Toronto shortstop Munenori Kawasaki continues to harass the Orioles, launching a two-run homer off Tommy Hunter in the seventh inning to tie the game 6-6.
It was Kawasaki's first major league home run, and the first allowed by Hunter since May 24 in Toronto - a span of 12 appearances.
Kawasaki doesn't...
Plate umpire Angel Hernandez infuriated both managers tonight in the top of the second inning.
Hernandez is in mid-game form.
Chris Davis appeared to swing through an R.A. Dickey knuckleball for the first out of the inning. He dropped the bat and started running to first. However, Hernandez ruled it was foul tipped, which brought Blue Jays manager John Gibbons out of the dugout.
Hernandez conferred with third base umpire Jordan Baker and changed his call, which brought Orioles manager Buck...
The Orioles have reinstated pitcher Miguel Gonzalez from the paternity list and placed outfielder Steve Pearce on the 15-day disabled list with left wrist tendinitis.
The DL move is retroactive to yesterday, making Pearce eligible to return on July 5 in New York.
Pearce appeared in Wednesday's game in Detroit without an official at-bat, replacing Nick Markakis in right field in a 13-3 win. He's batting .235/.311/.383 with three homers and nine RBIs in 28 games.
Pearce had three hits in a...
Still waiting on the Orioles' roster move for Miguel Gonzalez's activation tonight.
The lineup is pretty standard for the series opener in Toronto. Ryan Flaherty is at second and Danny Valencia is batting ninth as the designated hitter against R.A. Dickey.
On another note, the July 7 game against the Yankees in the Bronx will air on TBS beginning at 1 p.m.
For the Orioles
LF Nate McLouth
3B Manny Machado
RF Nick Markakis
CF Adam Jones
1B Chris Davis
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
2B Ryan...
The Orioles will make a roster move later today to create room for pitcher Miguel Gonzalez, who's returned from paternity leave and will start Saturday at Rogers Centre.
First baseman Travis Ishikawa had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk after filing paperwork to opt out. He's 1-for-9 with five strikeouts in two games.
Ishikawa can't be sent back down to the minors without an outright assignment, which he can refuse based on service time. The Yankees are believed to have interest...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter had a plan for third baseman Manny Machado. He formulated it over the winter, kept it quiet and sprung it on the media - and the world - toward the end of spring training.
Showalter elevated Machado to second in the order in a late exhibition game. Since the rest of the lineup seemed to be designed for opening day in St. Petersburg, it was safe to assume that Machado would be the No. 2 hitter for the Orioles.
Showalter downplayed it, of course, saying that...
Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen completed three innings today in a simulated game in Sarasota and remains on schedule to return to Baltimore next week.
Chen threw 42 pitches, 27 for strikes. He threw all of his pitches, as he did in his second bullpen session on Monday.
"He looks good," said Scott McGregor, the Orioles' pitching rehab coordinator. "It was a good test for him today. He threw all of them and looked pretty comfortable."
Chen will throw another bullpen session on Saturday...
Though the Orioles are off today, they managed to swing a minor league trade involving Triple-A Norfolk catcher Chris Robinson.
Robinson has been dealt to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later. He was batting .241/.268/.278 with four doubles and five RBIs in 29 games. He hadn't played since June 9.
Robinson will report to the Padres' Triple-A affiliate in Tucson.
Update: The trade is for cash considerations. No PTBNL.
The Orioles signed Robinson as a minor league free agent...
The Orioles are off today, so they can savor being 11 games above .500 for the first time this season.
More likely, they haven't given it a single thought.
That's especially true of third baseman Manny Machado, who only gives double thoughts. (See what I did there?)
This team doesn't obsess over records and streaks. It hasn't swept a series longer than two games, but it keeps winning them. Sixteen if you're counting at home, which leads the majors.
I sensed some panic here when the...
Kevin Gauman's first start at the Triple-A level didn't produce the desired results.
Gausman allowed seven runs and 10 hits in six innings for the Norfolk Tides in Game 1 of a doubleheader, with one walk, four strikeouts and one wild pitch. He served up a three-run homer to Indianapolis left fielder Andrew Lambo in the sixth inning.
Jon Rauch replaced Gausman in the seventh and gave up a solo homer in an 8-1 loss. Rauch apparently has decided not to opt out of his contract.
Gausman was 2-4...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter found another safe spot for reliever Pedro Strop today, inserting him into the eighth inning with a six-run lead.
Strop responded by retiring all three Tigers he faced, striking out two, and watched the Orioles extend their lead to 13-3.
The Orioles tacked on four more runs against Jose Valverde in the top of the ninth on Adam Jones' two-run double that followed singles by Manny Machado and Nick Markakis, and a long two-run homer by Chris Davis that may have...
The Orioles scored six runs for Chris Tillman today. He gave them five-plus innings.
Tillman won't pick up his 10th quality start, but he could improve to 6-0 on the road this season.
Since Aug. 21, 2012, Tillman has made 12 consecutive starts on the road allowing three runs or fewer. He's charged with three today, the last two scoring after T.J. McFarland entered the game with two runners on base and gave up a double to Matt Tuiasosopo.
McFarland has let 10 of 16 inherited runners score...
Chris Tillman has thrown 47 pitches in two innings today, but the Orioles and Tigers remain scoreless at Comerica Park.
Tillman has allowed four hits and walked a batter. He's been aided by outstanding plays by third baseman Manny Machado and left fielder Nate McLouth.
Tillman has allowed eight runs in the third this season, his highest total in any inning.
McLouth singled in the first inning, giving him hits in six of his last eight games and four in a row. He's 7-for-27 in those eight...
Travis Ishikawa is starting at first base today for the Orioles in the series finale against the Tigers at Comerica Park. Chris Davis will get a partial break as the designated hitter.
Taylor Teagarden is catching today.
For the Orioles
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis DH
J.J. Hardy SS
Travis Ishikawa 1B
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Taylor Teagarden C
Chris Tillman RHP
For the Tigers
Austin Jackson CF
Andy Dirks LF
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder...
The Orioles have an early game today in Detroit, and Chris Tillman will attempt to record his 10th quality start out of 15 appearances, and his fourth in a row.
In three June outings, Tillman has held opponents to three earned runs (four total) and 11 hits in 19 innings, with seven walks and 16 strikeouts.
Tillman is 1-0 with a 4.07 ERA in four career starts against the Tigers, with 11 runs and 17 hits in 24 1/3 innings. He's walked 13 and struck out 20. He's allowed six runs and eight hits...
Remember when Pedro Strop was pretty much responsible for the eighth inning last season?
Remember when Darren O'Day took over that role after Strop slumped?
It seems as though the Orioles are giving Tommy Hunter that responsibility this season.
O'Day replaced starter Zach Britton in the sixth inning tonight, and left-hander Brian Matusz replaced him in the seventh and stranded two runners.
Hunter took over in the bottom of the eighth and preserved a 5-2 lead, overcoming Manny Machado's...
Kevin Gausman will have to wait until Wednesday to make his Triple-A debut.
Norfolk's game against Indianapolis tonight was postponed because of rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader at Harbor Park. Gausman is scheduled to pitch Game 1, followed by Josh Stinson in Game 2.
Fans are asking when Gausman will return to the Orioles. Zach Britton could influence that decision.
Britton, making only his second start with the Orioles this season, is shutting out the Tigers on two hits...
The Orioles made their roster moves official this afternoon. Zach Britton has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and will start tonight against the Tigers at Comerica Park. Travis Ishikawa's contact has been selected from the Tides, and he's the designated hitter in manager Buck Showalter's lineup.
Pitcher Miguel Gonzalez was placed on three-day paternity leave to make room for Ishikawa on the 25-man roster. Infielder Yamaico Navarro was designated for assignment to create space for...
Travis Ishikawa is in Detroit and in the Orioles' lineup tonight as their designated hitter.
The club hasn't announced a corresponding 40-man roster move.
For the Orioles
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Travis Ishikawa DH
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Zach Britton LHP
For the Tigers
Austin Jackson CF
Torii Hunter RF
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Jhonny Peralta SS
Matt Tuiasosopo LF
Omar Infante...