Orioles talk about their big 11-3 win over Detroit

Orioles talk about their big 11-3 win over Detroit
DETROIT - On a night they needed a win, the Orioles got solid starting pitching and a leadoff homer, which started an evening that ended with four homers and a blowout victory. One night after a tough 4-3 loss at Comerica Park, the visitors' clubhouse was alive with loud music after the Orioles' 11-3 victory. Center fielder Adam Jones delivered the Orioles' sixth leadoff homer of the season on the game's first pitch from Jordan Zimmermann. Before the Orioles were through the lineup one...
Continue reading

O's get lead on early homer barrage (O's hit four homers, win 11-3)

O's get lead on early homer barrage (O's hit four homers, win 11-3)
DETROIT - The Orioles suffered a frustrating loss last night. Perhaps they took out some of those frustrations early in tonight's game at Comerica Park. The Orioles bashed three homers off Detroit starter Jordan Zimmermann among their first eight hitters to take a 6-1 lead after their second at bat tonight. Adam Jones homered on the game's first pitch. He hit No. 27 on a 92 mph fastball. It was his 10th homer this year on the first pitch of an at bat. After Jonathan Schoop lined out and Manny...
Continue reading

Orioles set rotation for Boston series (updated)

Orioles set rotation for Boston series (updated)
DETROIT - The Orioles have set their rotation for their upcoming three-game series with the Boston Red Sox that starts Monday night at Fenway Park. Wade Miley (8-12, 5.49 ERA) is set to pitch Monday, with Dylan Bundy (8-5, 3.82 ERA) going Tuesday and Kevin Gausman (7-10, 3.61 ERA) starting on regular rest on Wednesday. Miley will be pitching on seven days rest and Bundy on five days of rest. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (5-7, 5.44 ERA) is now set to start on Thursday in the series opener at...
Continue reading

Chris Davis on his left hand injury and team outlook after Friday loss

Chris Davis on his left hand injury and team outlook after Friday loss
DETROIT - Orioles first baseman Chris Davis is still bothered by his left hand injury. He sat out Wednesday's game against Tampa Bay and got Thursday's off day to rest it, but that didn't seem to bring about much improvement. Davis has dealt with it all year and knows he will be dealing with it the rest of the way. It is not to the point that he intends to miss any more games. "I mean, it's been an issue all year," Davis said this afternoon. "So, it's not going to get any better until I...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Ubaldo Jimenez faces Jordan Zimmermann in Detroit

O's game blog: Ubaldo Jimenez faces Jordan Zimmermann in Detroit
DETROIT - Now with identical records of 76-64 after Detroit's 4-3 win last night, the Orioles and Tigers play tonight and will break that tie at Comerica Park. Victor Martinez hit a 404-foot homer off Brad Brach in the eighth inning last night to break a 3-3 tie. The Orioles got a two-run homer from Jonathan Schoop and an RBI single from Adam Jones, but were held to five hits on the night in the loss. Jones went 2-for-3 and was the only player with a multi-hit game. In the Tampa Bay series,...
Continue reading

Time to regroup again: O's look to bounce back after loss in Detroit

Time to regroup again: O's look to bounce back after loss in Detroit
DETROIT - With back-to-back losses to the Rays and Tigers by one run each, the Orioles are 76-64 and have fallen three games back in the American League East race behind division-leading Boston. They've now been tied by Detroit as the clubs have identical records and co-hold the second AL wild card spot as play begins today. The New York Yankees are now just one game behind the Orioles, for both third place in the AL East and for the second wild card. The race for playoff spots is pretty crazy...
Continue reading

Brach on V. Martinez homer (and other clubhouse quotes)

Brach on V. Martinez homer (and other clubhouse quotes)
DETROIT - For the Orioles, it was a gut-punch loss. After they had rallied from 3-0 down to tie the Tigers 3-3, Detroit's Victor Martinez hit a tiebreaking homer off Brad Brach in the last of the eighth. Kevin Gausman gave them a strong start and battled out of some jams. Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop had huge hits. They cut down a run at the plate. But the Orioles lost 4-3 to fall into a tie for the second American League wild card with Detroit. A win would have moved them into a tie for the...
Continue reading

Jones not ready for scoreboard watching (Orioles lose 4-3)

Jones not ready for scoreboard watching (Orioles lose 4-3)
DETROIT - With the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox playing each other this weekend while the Orioles face the Tigers, there is some scoreboard watching to do. Not to mention the fact that five teams are within 4 1/2 games of the Orioles for the second American League wild card spot. The September races in the AL are wild indeed. While there is plenty of scoreboard watching for fans to do, center fielder Adam Jones said the O's players should not be doing that. "Can't look too far,"...
Continue reading

Showalter: "They've earned the right to be on this stage"

Showalter: "They've earned the right to be on this stage"
DETROIT - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said his team has "earned the right to be on this stage." He was asked by a Detroit reporter this afternoon about how big this series with the Tigers is, The reporter wondered if there is "more juice" for players this time of year? He obviously meant more intensity for such a big series. "We have juice (every game)," Showalter said. "Certainly, (there is) the finality of the games. There is not another month. Our guys are embracing the opportunity...
Continue reading

Adam Jones on a big series, Chris Tillman on rejoining rotation

Adam Jones on a big series, Chris Tillman on rejoining rotation
DETROIT - Orioles center fielder Adam Jones sounds rather excited about the big weekend series against the Detroit Tigers that starts tonight at Comerica Park. As the series begins, the Orioles are two games out in the American League East and lead Detroit by one game for the second AL wild card spot. "It starts with the first pitch tonight," Jones said. "We have to be focused from the first pitch to the last pitch the rest of the year. Every inning, every pitch is important. That is the...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman faces Michael Fulmer in series opener

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman faces Michael Fulmer in series opener
DETROIT - The Orioles' three-city, nine-game road trip makes its second stop tonight. The Detroit Tigers (75-64) host the Orioles (76-63) for a three-game series. Just one game separates the teams in the race for the second American League wild card berth, with the Orioles currently holding the spot. While this series takes place, the Toronto Blue Jays host Boston for three games this weekend at Rogers Centre. Boston is the AL East leader by one game over Toronto and two games over the...
Continue reading

A look ahead at a big weekend series in Detroit

A look ahead at a big weekend series in Detroit
The Orioles' important nine-game road trip moves on to Detroit for a three-game series that starts tonight at Comerica Park. The Orioles took three of four from Detroit in May at Camden Yards. At 76-63, the Orioles lead Detroit, at 75-64, by one game for the second American League wild card. So, needless to say, this is a big series. Since May 16, the Tigers are 34-19 (.642) at home. On the year Detroit is 18-13 (.581) versus teams from the AL East. The O's are 21-8 (.724) against teams from...
Continue reading

Some notes on the Tampa Bay series and contenders' schedules

Some notes on the Tampa Bay series and contenders' schedules
After today's off day for the top three American League East clubs, a big weekend begins Friday with the Orioles at Detroit for a three-game series and Boston at Toronto for three games. Then later, in the final week of the regular season, the Orioles will play three games at Toronto and three at New York. When the Orioles are in Yankee Stadium on the final weekend, Toronto will be at Fenway Park, so a lot of big days and games are ahead. The Red Sox won last night while the Orioles and the...
Continue reading

A few thoughts after the Orioles' loss to the Rays

A few thoughts after the Orioles' loss to the Rays
The Orioles came up short in their bid to get a three-game sweep to start this important nine-game road trip. They lost 7-6 to Tampa Bay this afternoon to take two of three in the series. They fall to 76-63 with their second loss in the last six games. They are 31-38 on the road, 32-27 versus the American League East and 11-4 against the Rays. Dylan Bundy allowed five runs and seven hits over 3 2/3 innings. He has given up nine runs in seven innings in two starts at Tropicana Field. The O's...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Orioles are 11-3 against the Rays in 2016

O's game blog: Orioles are 11-3 against the Rays in 2016
The Orioles today are looking for their first three-game road sweep of this season and first three-game sweep at Tropicana Field since May 6-8, 2014. Now one game out of first place in the American League East and leading the second wild card by one game, the Orioles (76-62) have won four of five and six of their last nine. A win today would improve them to .500 at 26-26 since the All-Star break. O's starting pitchers have allowed five runs and seven hits in 14 innings in this series. The...
Continue reading

Are the Orioles elevating their play in time for the stretch run?

Are the Orioles elevating their play in time for the stretch run?
Maybe it is not enough of a sample size to make any judgements at all, but the Orioles seem to have elevated their play in the last few games. They went into St. Petersburg to face a Tampa Bay team that was 12-8 in its previous 20 games and with a winning record since the All-Star break. They then won 7-3 and 11-2 at Tropicana Field. Yes, the Rays are in last place, but they were 16-8 in their last 24 home games before this series. In their previous three American League East series, Tampa Bay...
Continue reading

A few notes on the Orioles' 11-2 win over the Rays

A few notes on the Orioles' 11-2 win over the Rays
For the second game in a row the Orioles used a big inning to break open a game at Tropicana Field. For an offense that had scored three runs or fewer in 26 of 49 games in the second half at the start of this series, it's a good sign. The Orioles scored six runs in the top of the fourth tonight and went on to beat the Rays 11-2. They are 76-62 and have taken the first two games of this three-game series. The Orioles have now won two straight American League East series after losing five in a...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Yovani Gallardo on the mound in Game 2 against TB

O's game blog: Yovani Gallardo on the mound in Game 2 against TB
After Monday's 7-3 win over Tampa Bay, the Orioles are 75-62 with 25 games to play in the 2016 regular season. They start play tonight in third place, two games out in the American League East. They are tied with Detroit for the second AL wild card spot with both teams one game behind Boston, which is holding the top wild card berth, while the Orioles and Tigers are two games ahead of Houston. The pennant push is on. The Orioles have 14 remaining games on the road, where they are 30-37. They...
Continue reading

O's get a big win, plus a look at the final day on the farm

O's get a big win, plus a look at the final day on the farm
The Orioles don't seem to want to go down without a fight. It is rather admirable and I'm sure appreciated by the fan base. They are 3-1 since losing that series against Toronto that dropped them four games out of first place in the American League East. They pulled within two games, dropped three back and now are back at two games off the AL East lead. Certainly, they are right there in the wild card race, tied with Detroit for the second wild card spot, with both teams one game behind...
Continue reading

O's beat Tampa Bay as Ubaldo Jimenez pitches complete game

O's beat Tampa Bay as Ubaldo Jimenez pitches complete game
On Sunday, the Orioles fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and could not overcome the early deficit. Today was quite different. Down 3-0 in the first on the road against Tampa Bay, the Orioles stormed back with two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to beat the Rays 7-3 at Tropicana Field. The Orioles are 75-62 overall, 30-37 on the road and 10-3 versus the Rays as they begin a nine-game road trip in the win column. Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez allowed a three-run homer in the first inning...
Continue reading