This and that (and more)

This and that (and more)
In case you don't recognize it, the Orioles are experiencing what is commonly known as an "off-day." No reason to report to the ballpark. No workout, no game, no interviews. The rainout that proceeded the doubleheader against the Rangers doesn't count in manager Buck Showalter's book. Players still had to show up at Camden Yards. They hit in the indoor cage and watched video and dressed in front of each other. That's not an "off-day." I'm going to have one of those, too, but not...
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Hearing from Arrieta and Johnson

Hearing from Arrieta and Johnson
Jake Arrieta allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in four of his six innings today, running up his pitch count and lowering his chances of winning. "When you're pitching with a guy on and no outs to start off an inning, you put yourself in a tight situation," he said after a 6-5 loss to the Red Sox. "To start the game, my sinker was running all over the place. Had great life today, felt really good. Breaking balls were really spotty. Wasn't able to command them very well. Started them...
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Showalter speaks after 6-5 loss

Showalter speaks after 6-5 loss
Orioles manager Buck Showalter was left to explain another disappointing outing from Jake Arrieta and his club's failure to take advantage of some late opportunities in a 6-5 loss to the Red Sox before 27,806 at Camden Yards. Arrieta was charged with four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. "He's a pitch away from getting out of there with three runs in six innings," Showalter said. "He was so deep in the count. He had a lot of counts in his favor and couldn't put people away. I...
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Disappointing day for Arrieta; big day for Nick Johnson (O's lose 6-5)

Disappointing day for Arrieta; big day for Nick Johnson (O's lose 6-5)
Jake Arrieta's maddening inconsistency reared its ugly head again this afternoon. Arrieta was charged with four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, with three walks, two strikeouts and a home run. He threw 98 pitches, 58 for strikes. The fourth run scored on Kelly Shoppach's two-run homer off reliever Luis Ayala, only his second this season. Daniel Nava hit No. 2 off Arrieta earlier in the inning, after the first two batters were retired. Arrieta held the Nationals to one run over seven...
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Bundy reporting to Frederick

Bundy reporting to Frederick
After much deliberation, the Orioles have decided to promote pitcher Dylan Bundy to Single-A Frederick, where he'll start Saturday night against Salem at Harry Grove Stadium. The original plan called for Bundy to make three five-inning starts with low Single-A Delmarva before moving up, but the Orioles have decided to accelerate his program. Bundy, the fourth overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, tossed five more scoreless innings Sunday against Hagerstown, keeping his ERA at...
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Your daily Xavier Avery blog entry (tied 2-2)

Your daily Xavier Avery blog entry (tied 2-2)
As opposed to your nightly one. We have a 12:35 p.m. start here. Xavier Avery reached on an infield hit to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard fielded the ball on the right side of the mound and made an off-balance throw that skipped past first baseman Kevin Youkilis. He had no shot at the speedy rookie. Avery advanced to second on Robert Andino's single, tagged and took third on Nick Markakis' fly ball to left field, and tagged again and scored on Chris...
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Notes on Britton, Hammel and the lineup

Notes on Britton, Hammel and the lineup
Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed this morning that left-hander Zach Britton will make his first injury-rehab start Saturday at Double-A Bowie. Britton will stay with the Baysox and pitch again May 31 at Akron. The Orioles could choose to keep Britton on his rehab assignment or activate him from the disabled list. That decision is pending. Let's see how he gets through those starts. Jason Hammel remains confident that he'll make Friday night's start against the Royals at Camden...
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Did you know ... (with Orioles lineup)

Did you know ... (with Orioles lineup)
A win today would give the Orioles their fourth consecutive series win against the Red Sox. The last time the Orioles won four straight series against Boston was April 27-Aug. 21, 1960, when they won six in a row. The Orioles have already won three straight series against the Red Sox for the first time since Sept. 17, 1990-June 30, 1991. The Orioles are 21-1 when their rotation gives them a quality start. The only defeat came April 30 at New York, when Jason Hammel lost 2-1. Since July 29,...
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The latest on the rotation

The latest on the rotation
The Orioles and Red Sox conclude their three-game series at Camden Yards with a 12:35 p.m. start, so the lineup will be coming to you a lot earlier than usual in the middle of the week. Jake Arrieta is back on the hill and looking to reacquire his taste for home cooking. He's 1-3 with a 6.44 ERA in five starts at Camden Yards this season, the only win coming on opening day. He's also 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA in three career starts against Boston. The Orioles finally get a day off Thursday before...
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Hearing from Matusz and Tolleson

Hearing from Matusz and Tolleson
Brian Matusz says he's getting his confidence back. It showed again tonight. "I'm going out there and having a game plan, being able to attack the zone," he said after allowing one run and two hits, walking one and striking out nine over 6 1/3 innings. "Like I've said, I forgot all about last year. I look at that just as a fluke. For me, it's about being able to keep getting better each time out. I haven't forgotten what it feels like to lose, so these wins are special, to go out...
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Showalter speaks after 4-1 win

Showalter speaks after 4-1 win
Brian Matusz was the main topic of conversation in manager Buck Showalter's postgame session with the media, and for good reason. Matusz turned in his second quality start in a row, holding Boston to one run and two hits and striking out nine over 6 1/3 innings in a 4-1 victory before 25,171 at Camden Yards. "I've seen Brian really good here. Not just tonight," Showalter said. "I thought he and Matt (Wieters) did a great job of using all his pitches. He had command of two breaking balls,...
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Matusz masterful tonight; Showalter on J. Johnson (O's win 4-1)

Matusz masterful tonight; Showalter on J. Johnson (O's win 4-1)
Brian Matusz walked off the mound to a huge ovation after striking out Adrian Gonzalez for the first out in the top of the seventh inning. Matusz is done after allowing one run - on Kevin Youkilis' homer in the fourth - and two hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and tied his career high with nine strikeouts. Matusz's off-speed stuff was off the hook tonight. That's two straight quality starts for Matusz, who made the most of the little bit of run support that the Orioles gave...
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Tolleson hits first Orioles homer; more from Roberts

Tolleson hits first Orioles homer; more from Roberts
Steve Tolleson now has two major league home runs. Tolleson, starting at third base tonight, hit a two-run shot off Boston left-hander Felix Doubront in the second inning to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead. His other homer came on Sept. 26, 2010. Kevin Youkilis, who rejoined the Red Sox today after a stint at Triple-A Pawtucket, homered to center field off Brian Matusz in the fourth to reduce the lead to 2-1. A typical night for Youkilis against the Orioles. He has 22 homers and 84 RBIs in 374...
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Roberts talks about his rehab assignment

Roberts talks about his rehab assignment
Brian Roberts said he'll play second base and bat two or three times in his first few games at Double-A Bowie. He isn't sure how many games he'll play in a row or how often he'll be used as the designated hitter. "It's essentially spring training, so it could be two days, it could be four days in a row. I don't really know yet," he said. "As my doctor likes to say, it's a fluid situation, so we're just going to play it by ear each day." Roberts indicated yesterday that he could...
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Roberts to begin rehab assignment Wednesday

Roberts to begin rehab assignment Wednesday
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, who hasn't played in a game since May 16, 2011, will begin a minor league rehab assignment tomorrow night at Double-A Bowie. Manager Buck Showalter made the announcement on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Report on MASN, and the Orioles confirmed it in a tweet. Showalter said he expects Roberts to take the full 20 days, the maximum that a position player can spend on a rehab assignment. Pitchers get 30 days. Roberts has amped up his workout routine, taking...
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Reimold expected to get second epidural on Friday

Reimold expected to get second epidural on Friday
Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold has a second epidural injection scheduled for Friday, and he told me earlier this afternoon that he'll probably get it done. Reimold had his first injection on May 11. He underwent a follow-up exam yesterday from specialist Dr. Lee Riley, which led to Friday's appointment. Reimold, who hasn't played since April 30 because of a herniated disk in his cervical spine, believes that the shot will only alleviate the pain. He isn't sure that it will eliminate the...
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Orioles lineup against Red Sox

Orioles lineup against Red Sox
Robert Andino has moved back up to the leadoff spot tonight. Steve Tolleson gets another start at third base for the Orioles. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit 1B Chris Davis DH Steve Tolleson 3B Xavier Avery LF Brian Matusz LHP Down on the farm, Jason Berken allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for Triple-A Norfolk, with one walk, six strikeouts, one wild pitch and one hit batter. He threw 93...
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What happens to Andino?

What happens to Andino?
I'm ready to create another "Because You Asked" just for this one question. If I needed to pad it, I'm sure that I could insert a Dylan Bundy question, too, but let's stick to Robert Andino this morning. It's natural to wonder how Brian Roberts' return to the 25-man roster, assuming it happens, will impact Andino. Roberts could go on an injury-rehab assignment in a few weeks. This is the closest we've gotten to having any sort of timetable on him. I'm more curious about how...
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Hearing from Hunter, Gregg and Davis

Hearing from Hunter, Gregg and Davis
Tommy Hunter didn't argue the balk call in the sixth inning that allowed the tying run to score. As he said afterward, "I got got." "A famous Little League play and it worked," he said. Apparently, Hunter heard one of the Red Sox yell and became distracted. "I didn't even see the runner," he said. "I had no idea what the runner (Will Middlebrooks) was doing. There was a little bit of commotion. I thought he was going, stepped off and did some stupid (stuff) and there it was. "Tip...
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Showalter talks about Hunter and missed opportunities

Showalter talks about Hunter and missed opportunities
Tommy Hunter retired the first six batters he faced tonight, striking out two. He just couldn't sustain that momentum. Hunter allowed five runs and nine hits over six innings and left with the score tied, 5-5. "He was driving the ball down and away to right-handed hitters, but then he just started elevating the ball," manager Buck Showalter said following the Orioles' 8-6 loss to the Red Sox. "Made some mistakes and paid for it. Gets him behind in the count, too. "Tommy was pitching...
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