Left-hander Brian Matusz gave up a run in the top of the first inning, which doesn't sound too bad. However, he returned to the dugout with his pitch count at 30.
He'll need to become a lot more economical, or we're going to find out how manager Buck Showalter works his bullpen without a true long man.
Matusz kept falling behind hitters, though Mark Teixeira's two-out, RBI single came on a 1-2 pitch.
Derek Jeter led off with a single, making him 9-for-20 lifetime against Matusz. Alex...
Catcher Taylor Teagarden remains on the disabled list with lower-back issues, and it doesn't appear that he's close to joining the active roster.
"Better than it was, but still not real fast progress," manager Buck Showalter said.
Chris Correnti, the Orioles' performance consultant who's responsible for overseeing the rehabilitation of injured players, told Showalter that Zach Britton is "real excited about finally getting the ball back in his hand." Britton will play catch on...
Tsuyoshi Wada started his first extended spring training game today, throwing 88 pitches in six innings. The reports say that his left arm felt good.
Wada will pitch again Saturday in another extended spring training game, and he'll join one of the affiliates for a start on April 19.
Zach Britton is scheduled to pick up a ball and play catch for the first time Thursday since having a Platelet Rich Plasma treatment on his left shoulder.
Britton's return to the Orioles is further down the...
For the Orioles:
Nolan Reimold LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Mark Reynolds 3B
Wilson Betemit DH
Chris Davis 1B
Robert Andino 2B
Brian Matusz LHP
The last time that the Yankees and Red Sox started out 0-3 was 1966.
Anyone know how the Orioles finished that year?
I'm not ordering my playoff tickets quite yet. The Orioles were 3-0 last season. They also were 6-1. Fast starts aren't a novelty. The issue has been sustaining that momentum.
I know they beat up on the Twins, who did everything well over the weekend except pitch, hit and field, but don't ruin the moment. I've said the same thing in previous years. Why overthink it when...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter spent most of his postgame media session talking about Jason Hammel, and with good reason. We kept asking him about the right-hander, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in the Orioles' 3-1 victory over the Twins.
"That was fun," Showalter said. "I thought he had a shot at it. He was carrying that type of stuff. He had all four pitches going. Not that anybody was thinking about it.
"I'm not going to give anybody up, but there were a couple of our...
Jason Hammel has allowed two baserunners in seven innings today, walking Josh Willingham in the second and Justin Morneau leading off the fifth. He's faced the minimum number of batters because he's gotten two double plays.
The Twins are beating the ball into the ground. Hammel has induced 14 ground balls for 16 outs, counting the double plays. He's also struck out three.
That leaves two fly balls - none since the second inning.
The Orioles continue to lead, 3-0, as Hammel takes the mound...
J.J. Hardy homered off his former team in the bottom of the first inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.
Twins right-hander Anthony Swarzak went curveball, fastball, curveball, fastball to Hardy, who detected a pattern and easily cleared the left field fence.
Swarzak is starting for Liam Hendricks, who was hospitalized with a bad case of food poisoning.
Now who feels sick?
The Orioles have five home runs off the Twins in this series, including two from Nick Markakis, who's on pace for 162....
Here are a few more pregame comments from manager Buck Showalter:
On whether he anticipates Brian Matusz being amped up for Monday's start vs. the Yankees:
"He did that a little bit this spring as far as, first time out it was like he was running pretty fast. There were a lot of hamsters running around pretty quick there. He slowed them down. I expect it. That's part of it. All of these guys had it and got back in control. That's part of it. It'll happen till the day he quits playing. It...
Mark Reynolds didn't roll up his pant leg while sitting at his locker, so I'll take him at his word that he's got a bruised left calf.
Reynolds said he's fine, and it's apparent that he wants to be in the lineup. He wasn't his usual jovial self after manager Buck Showalter excluded him.
"He just told me I wasn't playing," Reynolds said. "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong."
Asked if he expects to play tomorrow, Reynolds said, "You've got to ask Buck. I don't know."
Is his leg...
Third baseman Mark Reynolds isn't in the lineup for today's game against the Twins at Camden Yards. Wilson Betemit is playing third.
Reynolds fouled a ball off his left calf last night, but he said it's fine and he could have played. He has a bruise, but no X-rays were taken.
For the Orioles:
Endy Chavez LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Nick Johnson DH
Wilson Betemit 3B
Chris Davis 1B
Robert Andino 2B
Jason Hammel RHP
Third baseman Mark Reynolds fouled a ball off his instep, which is why Ryan Flaherty replaced him at third base in the ninth inning. Showalter says Reynolds should be fine.
The Orioles will go for their first sweep of the Twins in Baltimore since August 2002.
Nick Markakis is 5-for-7 to start the season.
"I see the things Nick plays through that a lot of people ... you really get his attention when you don't write him in there," manager Buck Showalter said. "And he's such a great...
It may sound like a cliche, but it's so true.
The Orioles won't improve until their starting pitching does, and it's been outstanding for the first two games of the 2012 season.
Yesterday, Jake Arrieta blanked the Twins on two hits over seven innings. Tonight, Tommy Hunter is blanking the Twins on four hits over six innings.
It hasn't been easy for Hunter. He gave up an infield hit in the first inning, an infield hit and a clean single in the second, and a leadoff double in the fourth....
Adam Jones gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the second inning with his first home run of the season.
Jones went to the opposite field against Twins starter Francisco Liriano, who struck out the side in the first inning. Jones has two homers in eight career at-bats against Liriano.
Liriano has four strikeouts in two innings tonight.
Orioles starter Tommy Hunter has allowed three hits in two innings, though his line includes two infield singles and a ground ball up the middle that barely eluded...
Let's hear from manager Buck Showalter on his decision start Nick Johnson at first base and Ronny Paulino as the designated hitter, Tsuyoshi Wada's next starts and eventual role with the Orioles, Jason Hammel's upcoming start and the harsh reception for Kevin Gregg during yesterday's introductions.
Showalter is using both catchers tonight, which is risky if Matt Wieters gets hurt.
"We've got another one, but it's a secret. Maybe to him, too," Showalter said, chuckling.
"No, I want...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter laid out Tsuyoshi Wada's pitching schedule during his pregame session with the media.
Wada will start an extended spring training game Monday against the Twins in Fort Myers and another extended spring game April 14 against the Rays in Port Charlotte.
Assuming that Wada's health is good, he'll join one of the affiliates and make a rehab start April 19.
Wada is eligible to come off the disabled list Thursday, but it's going to be later.
The Orioles want...
Brian Roberts, Mark Reynolds and Ryan Flaherty are taking early batting practice.
Interesting lineup, with Nick Johnson at first base and Ronny Paulino serving as the designated hitter.
For the Orioles:
Nolan Reimold LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Mark Reynolds 3B
Nick Johnson 1B
Ronny Paulino DH
Robert Andino 2B
Tommy Hunter RHP
For the Twins:
Span CF
Carroll SS
Mauer C
Morneau DH
Willingham LF
Parmelee 1B
Valencia 3B
Revere RF
Casilla 2B...
Tonight marks the first major league game that Tommy Hunter has pitched in the month of April.
Hunter spent parts of four seasons in the bigs beginning in 2008, but he always was recalled or activated from the disabled list after April.
He's faced the Twins three times, allowing eight runs and 13 hits over 14 2/3 innings, with four walks and 10 strikeouts. Joe Mauer is 3-for-6 against him with a home run and two RBIs.
Hunter was going to be the second or fourth starter for the Orioles, and...
I asked manager Buck Showalter how impressed he was with starter Jake Arrieta following today's 4-2 victory over the Twins.
Showalter thought I said "frustrated."
"I thought I'd stepped into a different game," he said.
Nope. We watched the same one, which included Arrieta shutting out the Twins on two hits over seven innings.
Buck Showalter meets with the media following the O's win over the Twins
"He was really good," Showalter said. "He pitched maybe a little better than he did...
Yes, Nick Markakis will be ready for opening day.
(Sorry, just catching up on some old blog comments.)
Markakis has hit a two-run homer, walked and delivered a run-scoring triple to help the Orioles to a 4-0 lead in the seventh inning.
Markakis just slid hard into Twins catcher Joe Mauer while trying unsuccessfully to score on Matt Wieters' fly ball to left. He jumped to his feet and headed to the dugout. The impact didn't bother him.
Another hurdle cleared.
Markakis hasn't produced...