O's game blog: Jiménez on the mound at Cincinnati (O's win 2-0)

O's game blog: Jiménez on the mound at Cincinnati (O's win 2-0)
He has pitched just 4 1/3 innings in each of his two starts this season. But after right-hander Kevin Gausman went just 2 2/3 innings last night, the Orioles (8-4) could use a solid outing tonight from right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (0-0, 10.38 ERA). Jiménez has given up five runs against both the Yankees and Red Sox to begin the season. Over 8 2/3 innings, he has allowed 15 hits, including three homers, with three walks, six strikeouts and a .385 batting average against. In those two...
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Gausman struggles big in series opener (plus minor league results)

Gausman struggles big in series opener (plus minor league results)
Coming off a start at Toronto where he allowed just one run over six innings, the Orioles felt right-hander Kevin Gausman could get their series in Cincinnati off to a good pitching start. No one figured he'd give up more runs in 2 2/3 innings last night than he had allowed in his first three starts combined. But he did. Gausman tied his career-worst night, allowing eight runs while getting just eight outs in a 9-3 loss to the Reds. In his first three starts, he had given up seven runs over 16...
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O's game blog: O's begin interleague play in Cincinnati (O's lose 9-3)

O's game blog: O's begin interleague play in Cincinnati (O's lose 9-3)
After splitting two games in Boston and winning three of four in Toronto, the Orioles start the last series of this road trip tonight in Cincinnati. They begin the night at 8-3 overall and 4-2 on this nine-game trip. The Reds are 8-5 and in first place in the National League Central. This is not only the Orioles' first interleague series of the 2017 season, but it's the only series outside of the American League East they play through May 4. They will have played 24 of 27 within the division,...
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Has Wade Miley turned a corner for the Orioles?

Has Wade Miley turned a corner for the Orioles?
Perhaps somewhat lost amid Trey Mancini bashing homers, J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop having big series in Toronto, injuries to Chris Tillman and Zach Britton, and the Orioles being in first place, there is this: Left-hander Wade Miley ended last year pitching well and has begun 2017 the same way. Miley's first eight O's starts: 8.41 ERA, .351 average against. Miley's last five O's starts: 2.12 ERA, .211 average against. Miley got off to such a poor start after the Orioles traded for him...
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Cedric Mullins is Eastern League Player of Week (plus other notes)

Cedric Mullins is Eastern League Player of Week (plus other notes)
He's off to a great start on the O's farm and today Bowie Baysox outfielder Cedric Mullins was named the Player of the Week in the Double-A Eastern League. Mullins has hit safely in all 10 games to start the season, batting .455/.489/.818 with five doubles, a triple, three homers and eight RBIs. His sizzling hot bat was going to eventually slow a bit and it did earlier last week. But even then he had one hit in each of three straight games. Mullins ranks first in the Eastern League in hits...
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More on Mancini and Bundy has another strong outing

More on Mancini and Bundy has another strong outing
With four home runs in seven games this year and three in five games last year, Orioles rookie Trey Mancini has put himself in pretty select company. This is courtesy of STATS, LLC and 1913 is as far back as they were able to go on this note which was also discovered Sunday through research on the baseball-reference.com website. Most Home Runs in first 12 games of MLB career - since 1913:* Trey Mancini - 7 (09/20/2016 - 04/16/2017)* Trevor Story - 7 (04/04/2016 - 04/17/2016)* Dino Restelli - 7...
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Mancini has two-homer day, Britton talks about his injury

Mancini has two-homer day, Britton talks about his injury
TORONTO - A day that started with concern for the Orioles over closer Zach Britton ended with that concern eased a bit. A barrage of home runs and taking three of four from the Blue Jays didn't hurt. Trey Mancini produced his second two-homer game over his last three games as the Orioles pounded the Blue Jays 11-4 in front of 38,188 at Rogers Centre. The Orioles are 4-2 on this road trip, 5-1 on the season against Toronto, and improved their American League East-leading record to 8-3. Mancini...
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Orioles missed chances early (Mancini hits three-run shot, O's lead 6-0)

Orioles missed chances early (Mancini hits three-run shot, O's lead 6-0)
TORONTO - At one time this year, the Orioles as a team had a batting average that was in the high .300s when batting with runners in scoring position. They were leading the American League in that stat. They entered today's series finale in second, at .313. That had to come back down to earth, and it has the last few games here at Rogers Centre. The Orioles have had some missed chances on offense early on today, as the clubs are tied 0-0 in the fourth. The Orioles went 0-for-3 in the first...
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A few notes and quotes on the weekend series at Rogers Centre

A few notes and quotes on the weekend series at Rogers Centre
TORONTO - The Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays played 19 regular season games last year, with Toronto winning the season series 10-9. Then the American League wild card game went to extra innings before the Blue Jays won. The clubs have played five games this year, none decided by more than two runs. I sense a theme here. These rivals play a lot of close games. The Orioles have taken two of three in this current series by a combined 9-7 score. On the year the Orioles are 4-1 against the Jays by a...
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Asher on his start, Wilson on the finish, Showalter on loss

Asher on his start, Wilson on the finish, Showalter on loss
TORONTO - On a day that the Orioles were short-handed in the bullpen, they needed a good outing from their starter. They got one big time, but their offense produced only one run to back that up and another walk-off homer beat them in Toronto. The stakes were much less on Saturday than they were in October, but another big crowd roared its approval when Kendrys Morales hit the first pitch of the last of the ninth for the game-winning home run. Right-hander Tyler Wilson didn't bury a curveball...
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Kendrys Morales homers in ninth and Toronto wins 2-1

Kendrys Morales homers in ninth and Toronto wins 2-1
TORONTO - That was one strong Orioles debut by Alec Asher. But at the end of the game, the Orioles had suffered another walk-off loss in Toronto. Asher, the 25-year-old right-hander the Orioles acquired late in spring training, proved at least for one day to be a strong pickup. But when Toronto DH Kendrys Morales homered on the first pitch of the last of the ninth off a Tyler Wilson curveball, the Blue Jays had a 2-1 walk-off win to snap a run of six straight losses. The Orioles fall to 7-3 and...
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O's game blog: O's look for an 8-2 start in Toronto

O's game blog: O's look for an 8-2 start in Toronto
TORONTO - He has not been in the Orioles organization very long, in fact just over two weeks. But right-hander Alec Asher will join the club's starting rotation - at least for one day. He will start here this afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles acquired Asher on March 28 from Philadelphia for a player to be named or cash. Two days later, he pitched a scoreless inning versus Detroit in a spring training game. He broke camp with Triple-A Norfolk, made the start and pitched 4 1/3...
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Showalter's glowing praise for his closer (plus game update)

Showalter's glowing praise for his closer (plus game update)
TORONTO - To say the least, Orioles closer Zach Britton has set the bar sky high. He went 2-1 with an ERA of 0.54 last year and saved 47 games in 47 chances. His current saves streak - which has reached 54 in a row - is tied with Tom Gordon for the second-best in baseball history. They trail only Eric Gagne, who saved 84 in a row from 2002-2004. Britton was so good last year that he allowed one earned after April. From May 1 to the end of the regular season, he allowed one earned run over 58...
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Alec Asher on today's start, J.J. Hardy on Friday's win

Alec Asher on today's start, J.J. Hardy on Friday's win
TORONTO - Right-hander Alec Asher has had a whirlwind last couple of weeks. The Orioles acquired him in a March 28 trade with Philadelphia. Two days later, he pitched a scoreless inning versus Detroit in a spring training game. Then he broke camp with Triple-A Norfolk and made a start for the Tides on Monday against Gwinnett. He pitched 4 1/3 scoreless, allowing four hits with no walks and six strikeouts, throwing 74 pitches. Now here he is back in the major leagues but for a new team. The...
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Adam Jones on Jackie Robinson Day

Adam Jones on Jackie Robinson Day
TORONTO - In recognition of the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, the Orioles will honor Robinson's legacy during today's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. All Orioles uniformed personnel will wear No. 42, Robinson's retired number, joining all other MLB teams in honoring Robinson's historic achievement. No doubt this is a very special day in baseball. But several national stories the last few days have pointed out one concerning...
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O's use homer power to rally past Jays, go to 7-2 (with quotes)

O's use homer power to rally past Jays, go to 7-2 (with quotes)
TORONTO - The struggling Toronto Blue Jays, seeking to break a six-game losing streak, worked their way into a 3-1 lead through four innings tonight. But the Orioles, a club that can suddenly hit homers in bunches, then did just that. They hammered three out over the fifth and sixth innings and added a fourth in the ninth to rally to a 6-4 victory over the Blue Jays in front of 39,547 at Rogers Center. The first-place Orioles are off to a 7-2 start while last-place Toronto falls to 1-9 and has...
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Showalter on Schoop, plus game update from Rogers Centre

Showalter on Schoop, plus game update from Rogers Centre
TORONTO - Before today's game, Orioles manager Buck Showalter expressed confidence in second baseman Jonathan Schoop. After batting .105 through the season's first two games, the second baseman has gone 4-for-7 over the last two games with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs. "Jon's got a little track record now," Showalter said. "He brings defensive things that contribute on a night he might not get two or three hits. We have a lot of confidence because we have some history with him. I...
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O's add pitcher Paul Fry; Tillman on track for Monday at Bowie

O's add pitcher Paul Fry; Tillman on track for Monday at Bowie
TORONTO - It happened again. The Orioles have acquired yet another pitcher, this time adding 24-year-old lefty Paul Fry from Seattle. The Orioles acquired Fry in exchange for 2016-17 international signing bonus slot No. 105. To make 40-man roster room, right-hander Parker Bridwell was designated for assignment. Fry made one appearance this year for Seattle's Triple-A Tacoma club on April 10. He pitched two innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Last year for Tacoma, he made 48 appearances...
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Pregame notes with Crichton, Asher and Schoop

Pregame notes with Crichton, Asher and Schoop
TORONTO - Taken by the Orioles out of Texas Christian in the 23rd round of the 2013 draft, right-hander Stefan Crichton's climb to reach the majors leagues is at hand. He was activated by the Orioles yesterday and awaits the chance to pitch in a game and make his major league debut. He found out from Triple-A Norfolk manager Ron Johnson just before midnight Wednesday night that he would join the Orioles here yesterday. "It's hard to kind of put what I am thinking into words, but very, very...
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O's game blog: Wade Miley gets start in Game 2 at Toronto

O's game blog: Wade Miley gets start in Game 2 at Toronto
TORONTO - Through Thursday's games, the Orioles held the best record in baseball, a .750 winning percentage at 6-2. A 4-0 record in one-run games was a huge help for a team that has outscored its opponents by just two runs while winning six of eight games. The Orioles are still looking to get their offense going, pulling out a 2-1 victory last night on just five hits. Orioles batters walked just twice and struck out 15 times. But they continue to get some clutch hits, even when they don't...
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