Roch Kubatko

Make Machado's a double (O's lead 3-2)

September 14, 2013, 12:24pm

Orioles

The Yankees lost today, which would enable the Orioles to pass them in the wild card standings with a win today in Toronto. The Orioles are wearing their black jerseys instead of the usual orange on Saturday. They won last night. Superstitious? Last night, Chris Davis hit his 50th home run. Today, Manny Machado hit his 50th double. Apparently, 50 is the new ... 50. Machado, Brian Roberts and Miguel Tejada are the only Orioles with 50 or more doubles in a season. Roberts holds the record...

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Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

September 14, 2013, 8:43am

Orioles

Danny Valencia remains in the Orioles' lineup today against the Blue Jays at Rogers Center. Brian Roberts is playing second base and batting ninth, one spot below Valencia. Chris Davis hit his 50th home run last night to tie Brady Anderson's single-season club record. Davis' 47 homers as a first baseman are the most in the AL since Jim Thome had 48 for Cleveland in 2002. Davis leads the majors with 90 extra-base hits, 20 more than Miguel Cabrera and two shy of Anderson's club record set...

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Choosing the MVO

September 13, 2013, 9:22pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter started Danny Valencia against a right-hander last night, and he put Steve Clevenger behind the plate for the Baltimore native's debut with the Orioles. He also inserted Ryan Flaherty at second base instead of Brian Roberts. And it worked. Showalter handed the ball to closer Jim Johnson in the ninth inning, and the Orioles headed back to their hotel with a 5-3 win over the Blue Jays. Showalter has been an easy second-guess target of late, but his lineup and...

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Davis gives Orioles lead and makes history (O's win 5-3)

September 13, 2013, 5:26pm

Orioles

Chris Davis turned 50 tonight. Not his age. Heaven forbid. But Davis hit his 50th home run in the top of the eighth inning to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead. Davis crushed a changeup from Blue Jays' right-hander Steve Delabar leading off the inning, sending the ball to the opposite field, as he tends to do. Delabar had replaced Sergio Santos. Davis has tied Brady Anderson's single-season club record for home runs set in 1996. Anderson also reached the milestone in Toronto, connecting off Pat...

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Orioles' offense muted by Redmond (game tied)

September 13, 2013, 4:38pm

Orioles

The first inclination among some Orioles fans tonight will be to rip Jason Hammel for his start in Toronto. Two home runs in five innings. A 3-0 deficit. I'm focused more on how Todd Redmond shut out the Orioles over 6 1/3 innings. Todd Redmond. Sound familiar? The Orioles selected him off waivers from the Reds on Feb. 8. He didn't do much to impress in spring training, and the Blue Jays claimed him off waivers in late March. Barely worth a mention in the transactions. Redmond absolutely...

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A few pregame notes

September 13, 2013, 12:59pm

Orioles

The Orioles are looking for their first road series win against an American League East opponent since April 8-11, when they took two of three at Fenway Park. Since the start of the 2012 season, the Orioles are 11-4 at home against the Blue Jays. They're 9-14 in their last 23 games in Toronto. The Orioles are averaging 5.7 runs per game in their seven games at Rogers Centre this season, more than a full run (4.5) higher than their average in their other 64 road games. The Orioles are batting...

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Valencia, Clevenger starting tonight for Orioles (and Jays lineup)

September 13, 2013, 11:56am

Orioles

Danny Valencia's hot bat stays in the Orioles' lineup tonight against Blue Jays right-hander Todd Redmond, and Baltimore native Steve Clevenger will make his first appearance with the team he rooted for growing up. Clevenger is behind the plate for Jason Hammel's first start since Aug. 28. Valencia is batting .212 against right-handers and .380 vs. left-handers, but he's 23-for-42 (.548) since Aug. 4 and had a game-tying three-run homer last night against the Yankees. Edwin Encarnacion,...

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Dan Johnson joins Orioles in Toronto

September 13, 2013, 11:44am

Orioles

The Orioles have selected the contract of infielder Dan Johnson, who joined the team in Toronto. To make room for Johnson on the 40-man roster, outfielder Henry Urrutia has been placed on baseball's restricted list. Urrutia, a Cuban defector, isn't allowed to travel into Canada. He's down in Sarasota and could rejoin the Orioles in Boston, where they begin a three-game series on Tuesday. The club hasn't made a decision on Urrutia's status beyond today. Johnson, 34, batted a combined...

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State of the Orioles in Canada

September 12, 2013, 10:13pm

Orioles

The Orioles are 77-69 and 11 games out of first place in their division. The Nationals are 77-69 and 11 games out of first place in their division. Did anyone see this coming a few weeks ago? The Nats are in second place. The Orioles have dropped to fourth, but they're only 2 1/2 games back in the wild card chase. I write "only" in comparison to the Nats. Make no mistake, the Orioles are losing ground and running out of time. They're also running out of healthy pitchers. Bud Norris...

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Showalter speaks after 6-5 loss

September 12, 2013, 8:13pm

Orioles

The Orioles have fallen 2 1/2 games behind the Rays in the wild card race after tonight's 6-5 loss to the Yankees at Camden Yards. They trailed 5-1, battled back to tie the game and lost it in the ninth when Jim Johnson gave up a leadoff single, committed a throwing error and uncorked a wild pitch. According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, Johnson had never allowed a run to score on a wild pitch until tonight. Left fielder Alfonso Soriano robbed Manny Machado of a home run in the eighth before...

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Valencia gets it right, but Johnson can't keep game tied (O's lose 6-5)

September 12, 2013, 7:22pm

Orioles

Valencia gets it right, but Johnson can't keep game tied (O's lose 6-5)

Is there still a reason to platoon Danny Valencia? Valencia's three-run homer off Yankees set-up man David Robertson in the eighth inning tied the game 5-5, but Jim Johnson allowed the go-ahead run in the ninth on a wild pitch. The Rays have won. The Indians are beating the White Sox 14-2. The Orioles are in danger of slipping further back in the wild card race. Losing three straight to the Yankees would be crushing. Valencia had four hits last night, the last coming against Robertson....

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It's been a rocky ride for Chen in first three innings (Markakis homers)

September 12, 2013, 5:16pm

Orioles

It's been a rocky ride for Chen in first three innings (Markakis homers)

Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin retired the first two Yankees in the first inning tonight, allowed two singles and got the final out. Chen gave up a leadoff single to Eduardo Nunez and Mark Reynolds' two-run homer in the second inning, then struck out the next three batters. That's the good and the bad. Here's just the bad: Alex Rodriguez led off the third with a walk, Alfonso Soriano doubled, Robinson Cano walked and pitching coach Bill Castro strolled to the mound. Vernon Wells grounded...

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Weather update (and another gift update)

September 12, 2013, 4:00pm

Orioles

Weather update (and another gift update)

The tarp is coming off the field at Camden Yards. We're playing baseball tonight. The Orioles announced an approximate start time of 8:20 p.m. Wei-Yin Chen will oppose Phil Hughes. Had the game been postponed because of rain, the teams would have played Monday and filled the open dates on both schedules. The dugouts were filling with water earlier, and I came close to doing a little fly fishing. Otherwise, why put on the rubber pants? (Insert age joke here) The ceremony for Yankees...

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More pregame notes

September 12, 2013, 1:58pm

Orioles

With a victory tonight, the Orioles would clinch their first season series win over the Yankees since 1997. Prior to that year, they hadn't won a season series against New York since 1982. Chris Davis needs one more home run to reach 50 and tie Brady Anderson's single-season club record set in 1996. Also, Davis would become the third player in major league history with 50 homers and 40 doubles in a season, joining Babe Ruth (59 homers/44 doubles in 152 games in 1921) and Albert Belle (52...

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O'Day won't fly with Orioles to Toronto

September 12, 2013, 1:19pm

Orioles

Orioles reliever Darren O'Day underwent more tests today in an attempt to determine the cause of soreness and tingling in the index and middle fingers on his pitching hand. O'Day won't fly with the team to Toronto later tonight, according to manager Buck Showalter, and may visit hand specialist Dr. Brian A Schofield in Sarasota. Showalter hadn't confirmed O'Day's condition until this afternoon while meeting with reporters. He touched on the subject about halfway through his 30-minute...

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Markakis returns to Orioles lineup

September 12, 2013, 11:21am

Orioles

Nick Markakis is back in right field tonight for the Orioles after the birth of his third son, Toby, yesterday afternoon. Markakis was used as a pinch-hitter last night. Wilson Betemit is serving as the designated hitter. He's hitless in nine at-bats since coming off the disabled list. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Chris Davis 1B Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Wilson Betemit DH J.J. Hardy SS Matt Wieters C Brian Roberts 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP Thanks for all the...

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Orioles win and lose by split decision

September 11, 2013, 9:05pm

Orioles

Boy, are the Yankees going to be mad when they have to forfeit all those wins after Alex Rodriguez begins serving his suspension. Wait... what? I've been crunching so many numbers lately, I'm surprised that I haven't chipped a tooth. Every lineup, every at-bat, every pitching change has me checking the splits on various Orioles. It happened again last night. Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano steps to the plate leading off the top of the ninth inning in a tie game, and I'm looking up...

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Showalter on Hunter/Cano and more

September 11, 2013, 7:17pm

Orioles

The Yankees have changed starters for Thursday night's series finale. They're sending Phil Hughes to the mound instead of left-hander Dave Huff. The Orioles are sticking with left-hander Wei-Yin Chen as they attempt to gain a split of the four-game series. Tonight's pivotal moment came in the ninth inning when Robinson Cano led off with a home run against Tommy Hunter, leaving manager Buck Showalter open to second-guessing over his bullpen choice. Brian Matusz wasn't used and Troy Patton...

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Norris skipped with elbow discomfort

September 11, 2013, 6:59pm

Orioles

After Bud Norris threw his bullpen session this afternoon, the Orioles decided to skip his next turn because of discomfort in his right elbow. Jason Hammel will start the series opener on Friday in Toronto. Norris will be shut down and allow the elbow to "quiet down," said manager Buck Showalter. "How do I put it? Elbow," Showalter said when asked why the Orioles changed starters. "Had a work day. It barked a little bit in Arizona but resolved itself real well. And then the work day...

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Feldman with another quality start (O's lose 5-4)

September 11, 2013, 5:53pm

Orioles

Feldman with another quality start (O's lose 5-4)

Scott Feldman allowed only three hits tonight for the Orioles. Unfortunately for the veteran right-hander, those hits included solo home runs by Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez. Feldman left the game after walking Brett Gardner with two outs in the top of the eighth. Tommy Hunter retired Alex Rodriguez on a liner to center field to keep the score tied. Feldman allowed three runs and three hits in 7 2/3 innings, with two walks, six strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 112 pitches, 69...