O's got whipped in Cleveland but go 4-0 on farm Sunday

O's got whipped in Cleveland but go 4-0 on farm Sunday
Well, the Orioles minor league affiliates went 4-0 Sunday with some real nice pitching performances. We'll get to that shortly. But the big league club got blown out 10-0 in Cleveland and the postgame interviews reflected that result. Starting pitcher Yefry Ramirez said he was "just bad." Chris Davis struck out four times against Indians right-hander Shane Bieber and said he didn't make adjustments and that was "just stupidity on my part." Manager Brandon Hyde has been remaining upbeat...
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O's blanked in Cleveland to wrap up 1-5 road trip (updated)

O's blanked in Cleveland to wrap up 1-5 road trip (updated)
CLEVELAND - The Orioles were held to a run and one hit yesterday and their offense was dormant again today. Their pitching was not good either. That kind of day in the road trip finale as Cleveland whipped the Orioles 10-0 to take three of four in this series. The Orioles (15-31) completed a 1-5 road trip through New York and Cleveland, winning only on Friday night behind Dylan Bundy. They have lost nine of 11, 15 of 20 and 20 of their last 26 games. The O's are 4-14 against the Indians since...
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Pregame talk about DJ Stewart, Renato Núñez and more (game update)

Pregame talk about DJ Stewart, Renato Núñez and more (game update)
CLEVELAND - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has a lot on his plate with his own roster, but he's certainly getting reports and taking note of what is happening on the farm. And right now, Triple-A Norfolk outfielder DJ Stewart is on a hitting tear. Stewart is hitting .487 (19-for-39) with five home runs, 23 RBIs and a .521 OBP through 12 games in May. He leads the International League this month in batting average and RBIs and ranks tied for third with six doubles. For the season he is batting...
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O's game blog: The road trip ends with one more in Cleveland

O's game blog: The road trip ends with one more in Cleveland
CLEVELAND - The Orioles two-city road trip through New York and Cleveland ends this afternoon against the Indians at Progressive Field. After two rainouts and then a doubleheader loss Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles are 1-2 in this series. They lost 14-7 Thursday, won 5-1 behind Dylan Bundy Friday and were one-hit yesterday in losing 4-1 to the Tribe. The Orioles are 15-30 overall, 9-15 on the road and have lost eight of 10 and 14 of their last 19. Cleveland is 24-20 and 11-10 over its...
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Looking at a "winning baseball play" and outfield communication

Looking at a "winning baseball play" and outfield communication
CLEVELAND - It was the last of the fifth and a crowd of 25,652 was getting loud at Progressive Field. Leading 3-1, the Cleveland Indians had the bases loaded and one out against Orioles lefty John Means. They had a chance to put the hammer down and break the game wide open. Means had a 3-2 count on right fielder Jordan Luplow, who hit a two-run homer off him an inning earlier. This time Luplow grounded a fastball to the left of third baseman Rio Ruiz. He gloved it and started an inning-ending...
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Wrapping up Orioles' 4-1 loss to Indians

Wrapping up Orioles' 4-1 loss to Indians
CLEVELAND - John Means made one pitch he'd really like to have back. The Orioles were held to one hit, going 1-for-28. That was not a good combination today as Cleveland beat the Birds 4-1 at Progressive Field. Trey Mancini lined a solo homer to left in the fourth off Indians right-hander Adam Plutko, called up from Triple-A to make this start. But the Orioles got little else going against the right-hander and three relievers. They were held to one hit for the first time since Sept. 12, 2018...
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O's offense shut down as Tribe wins 4-1 over John Means

O's offense shut down as Tribe wins 4-1 over John Means
CLEVELAND - For just the second time in his seven starts with the Orioles, left-hander John Means allowed more than one earned run. He didn't pitch badly, but he could have used more run support. After scoring 12 runs on 20 hits in the first two games of this series, the Baltimore offense was held in check today as Cleveland beat the Orioles 4-1 in front of 25,652 at Progressive Field. The Orioles were held to one hit by right-hander Adam Plutko and three relievers. They went 1-for-28 and,...
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Brandon Hyde on Sunday's starter and more (game update)

Brandon Hyde on Sunday's starter and more (game update)
CLEVELAND - The Orioles won't bring a starting pitcher back on short rest after Wednesday's doubleheader in New York, so they will turn to right-hander Yefry Ramirez out of their bullpen to start the series finale here on Sunday afternoon. Ramirez is 0-1 with an ERA of 5.14 in three games and seven innings since he was called up from Triple-A on April 29. He was 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA in four Norfolk starts with 24 strikeouts in 18 innings. "Well, we need a starter. And Yefry, it's a good...
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O's game blog: John Means gets the start versus Indians

O's game blog: John Means gets the start versus Indians
CLEVELAND - The Orioles had a much more enjoyable Friday night here. After losing 14-7 on Thursday, they won 5-1 last night behind right-hander Dylan Bundy, who allowed one unearned run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings. Bundy, who threw 118 pitches, improved to 2-5 for the year with an ERA of 4.66 that is second-best among the club's starters. Bundy, who has not allowed an earned run in two of his past three starts, has an ERA of 2.79 over his last five outings. Jonathan Villar hit a three-run...
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Another look at Dylan Bundy's strong outing against Cleveland

Another look at Dylan Bundy's strong outing against Cleveland
CLEVELAND - We don't need analytics or any advanced data to know that your chances of winning are much greater when allowing one run than say, 14. No late touchdown was called for last night, and we can also call off the panic over right-hander Dylan Bundy. Proving yet again last night that he can win throwing his fastball 90 to 92 mph, Bundy pitched the Orioles past Cleveland 5-1 with a very strong outing. It would have been a longer outing and a quality start except for a couple of errors...
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Dylan Bundy throws strong game as O's top Indians (quotes added)

Dylan Bundy throws strong game as O's top Indians (quotes added)
CLEVELAND - For one night at least, Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy quieted any talk about his velocity. He picked up his second win of the year, pitching the Orioles past the Cleveland Indians. As usual he wasn't lighting up the radar gun - his velocity average was 90.6 mph, up from 89.8 mph in his last game - but he threw a solid game as the Orioles beat Cleveland 5-1 to even the four-game series at a game apiece. Bundy's fastball usage was at a season-low 41 percent as he threw 5 2/3...
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Brandon Hyde looking for a bounceback tonight (game update)

Brandon Hyde looking for a bounceback tonight (game update)
CLEVELAND - For a good portion of last night's Orioles game here, manager Brandon Hyde saw things to like. His hitters got to Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer and the team built a 5-1 lead. Even after falling behind by 6-5, Stevie Wilkerson's two-run double put them back ahead. It was set up to be a good night for Hyde's rebuilding team. But it came crashing down amid several late-game mistakes and another shaky night for the bullpen. Cleveland scored five in the last of the seventh,...
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Branden Kline settles into the bullpen and life in the majors

Branden Kline settles into the bullpen and life in the majors
CLEVELAND - It has been less than a month since Branden Kline made his major league debut and just over two weeks since his latest call to the majors. But the right-hander from Frederick, Md., is settling in and getting used to life in the majors with the Orioles. He knows that to stay here, he'll need to pitch well, and he's been doing that lately. He's thrown 3 1/3 scoreless innings in his last two games and is coming off a strong two-inning outing Wednesday. In Game 1 of a doubleheader at...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces the Indians

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces the Indians
CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Indians beat the Orioles 14-7 last night at Progressive Field and host the O's tonight in the second game of a four-game series. The Orioles lost leads of 5-1 and 7-6 Thursday night and Cleveland scored the game's final eight runs. The Indians set season highs in runs and hits (14), plating their most runs since Sept. 28, 2018 at Kansas City. Cleveland has scored 23 runs its last two games, scoring nine or more in back-to-back games for the first time since Aug....
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As losses mount, Orioles try to stay positive and keep pushing

As losses mount, Orioles try to stay positive and keep pushing
CLEVELAND - Before Thursday's game, both Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and one of the team's leaders, Trey Mancini, talked about the appreciation they had for how the Orioles clubhouse is handling mounting losses. The losses are not unexpected, but they can weigh a team down and hinder youngsters as they try to grow and develop as players. Last night's 14-7 loss in Cleveland featured an awful five-run Cleveland seventh, and the Orioles looked like a last-place team in that inning. But even in...
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Orioles lose two leads in Cleveland series opener (quotes added)

Orioles lose two leads in Cleveland series opener (quotes added)
CLEVELAND - When Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer retired the Orioles on eight pitches in the first inning tonight it looked like he might have a big game. Bauer began the game ninth in the American League in ERA. But that early look was very, very deceiving. It was not a good night for several pitchers, Bauer included. And for the Orioles, another close game got away from them in the last of the seventh tonight. The Orioles saw leads of 5-1 and 7-6 that they did not hold as they fell 14-7 to...
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O's game blog: O's face Trevor Bauer in Cleveland series opener

O's game blog: O's face Trevor Bauer in Cleveland series opener
CLEVELAND - After a doubleheader loss in New York, the Orioles begin a four-game series tonight at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The Orioles lost by scores of 5-3 and 3-1 in the twinbill at Yankee Stadium. They produced just 14 hits in the two games and went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles (14-28) are 0-21 the last three games and 1-for-31 their past four games with RISP. The past 16 games they are 16-for-118 (.136) with RISP. The Birds have scored four runs or fewer 27...
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Hyde pregame on Straily, Bundy and more (game update)

Hyde pregame on Straily, Bundy and more (game update)
CLEVELAND - Over the last nine games, Orioles starters have pitched six innings or more in six of them. That is significant because they had just four such outings in the season's first 33 games. And the rotation ERA is 3.73 in the more recent stretch. So tonight enter right-hander Dan Straily into the mix as the Orioles open a four-game series in Cleveland with the Indians. Straily (1-3, 8.23 ERA) has gone five innings or less in each of his six starts and has allowed 11 runs in 8 2/3 over...
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Richard Bleier talks about rejoining the Orioles

Richard Bleier talks about rejoining the Orioles
CLEVELAND - The Orioles are getting one of their key relievers back tonight. And he feels like he's ready now to duplicate his past success. Following his lat surgery last June, lefty Richard Bleier did make it back in time for opening day. But he gave up nine hits and seven runs over 4 1/3 innings to begin the year. That was very different from Bleier's 1.99 ERA for the 2017 Orioles and the 1.93 he posted until he got hurt last year. An examination of Bleier's left shoulder revealed...
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He's pitching great, but O's in no hurry to move Grayson Rodriguez

He's pitching great, but O's in no hurry to move Grayson Rodriguez
At Single-A Delmarva, the Shorebirds' amazing start has been the result of many factors, but strong starting pitching has ranked right up there. One pitcher who got off to a fast start was right-hander Blaine Knight and he already has been promoted to Single-A Frederick. But others remain with the team, including the club's 2018 top draft pick. And that is 19-year-old right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who is 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA through six starts. Knight left after going 3-0 with an ERA of 0.68...
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