Showalter speaks after 5-3 win

Showalter speaks after 5-3 win
Twice this season, the Orioles have taken a four-game series from the Chicago White Sox, who continue to lead the American League Central. Reason to be proud? "It is for today," manager Buck Showalter said following a 5-3 victory at Camden Yards. "There's another challenge starting tomorrow." That challenge takes the Orioles to the Bronx, where a three-game sweep would put them in a first-place tie with the Yankees in the American League East. Zach Britton, optioned after the game,...
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Britton optioned to make room for Wolf

Britton optioned to make room for Wolf
Minutes after earning his fourth victory by holding the White Sox to one run over eight innings, left-hander Zach Britton was shipped back to the minors. It's a tough business. The Orioles optioned Britton to Triple-A Norfolk. They will announce on Friday that they've signed left-hander Randy Wolf, who threw today in the Camden Yards outfield. Britton is 4-1 with a 4.80 ERA in eight starts with the Orioles this season. He's posted a 1.25 ERA in his last three starts, covering 21 2/3...
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A Teagarden party turns into free-for-all (O's win 5-3)

A Teagarden party turns into free-for-all (O's win 5-3)
Not many people showed up for it today, but what did you expect? The Orioles may have their smallest crowd of the season, but it's not expected to be a record-low. The fans who maneuvered around all the road closures to get here today just saw Taylor Teagarden hit his second home run, a solo shot with two outs in the bottom of the third inning that tied the score, 1-1. Nick Markakis and J.J. Hardy followed with back-to-back doubles and Adam Jones hit his career-high 26th homer for a 4-1...
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Notes and updates

Notes and updates
The Orioles are 20-14 against left-handed starters this season. They were 19-28 last year and 18-33 in 2010. Their last winning record vs. left-handed starters was 33-19 in 2007. The Orioles will try to improve to 22-19 in series finales. They've won five of their last six finales at home. Randy Wolf played catch today, but he wasn't scheduled to throw in the bullpen because he had a side session two days ago. The Orioles will sign him and add him to the roster on Friday, which will require...
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Reynolds batting cleanup, Wieters gets day off (Wolf is here)

Reynolds batting cleanup, Wieters gets day off (Wolf is here)
The Orioles are going with an unusual lineup for an unusual 12:35 p.m. starting time for today's game against the White Sox at Camden Yards. Mark Reynolds is batting cleanup for the first time this season. He's hit fifth in eight games, the highest he's risen in the lineup before today. Manny Machado moves up to seventh despite a 5-for-33 slump. Taylor Teagarden is catching a day game after a night game, which puts Matt Wieters on the bench. The Orioles are facing another left-hander,...
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The search for Henry Urrutia (and me)

The search for Henry Urrutia (and me)
I'm preparing to leave the house and fight the traffic to Camden Yards, where I hope to make it before the seventh inning stretch. Rush hour mixed with road closures for the Grand Prix figure to complicate my morning. I'm packing a snack in case it takes longer than expected. And a lunch. Anyway, I wanted to pass along an update on Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia, since I've been asked about him frequently on this blog and Twitter. Urrutia is back in Haiti, where he established residency...
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Showalter and Saunders speak after 8-1 loss

Showalter and Saunders speak after 8-1 loss
Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn't going to judge Joe Saunders after one outing. He expects the left-hander to contribute down the stretch. Tonight, Saunders gets a mulligan. "I think he's had eight days off. Probably a little rusty. Then he settled in and pitched pretty well there. Gave up an unearned run," Showalter said following the Orioles' 8-1 loss to the White Sox. "He'll be better. Thought second, third and fourth, you can see what he's capable of. His work day, get back in...
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Slow start for Saunders, sensational start for Arrieta (O's lose 8-1)

Slow start for Saunders, sensational start for Arrieta (O's lose 8-1)
This isn't the way left-hander Joe Saunders imagined that his Orioles debut would unfold. Four of the first five White Sox reached base against Saunders, who allowed four runs and four hits in the first inning. Chicago loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, and Alex Rios stroked a two-run double. Alexei Ramirez looped a two-out, two-run single into right field before catcher Tyler Flowers struck out on Saunders' 31st pitch. In his last three starts, including two with the...
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Pregame notes and quotes

Pregame notes and quotes
With a win tonight, the Orioles would move to within 2 1/2 games of the first-place Yankees in the American League East. The Blue Jays posted an 8-5 victory in the Bronx earlier today. Also, the Orioles would be 15 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 1997 season, when they posted a 98-64 record and reached the American League Championship Series for the second consecutive year. The Orioles are 16-8 in August, their most wins in any month this season. They won 15 games in...
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Orioles preparing to send Dylan Bundy to instructional league

Orioles preparing to send Dylan Bundy to instructional league
Orioles manager Buck Showalter indicated today that the Orioles will send pitcher Dylan Bundy to the fall instructional league once Double-A Bowie's season ends, which apparently will keep the organization's top prospect from making his major league debut in 2012. Bundy, 19, has long been rumored as a September call-up at the latest, with the possibility of him working in relief or getting a start. He's 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA in 23 combined starts with three affiliates, with 67 hits, 28 walks...
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Davis, Quintanilla back in lineup (and AFL note)

Davis, Quintanilla back in lineup (and AFL note)
The Orioles' lineup tonight leans to the left, with Nate McLouth batting third, Chris Davis serving as the designated hitter and Omar Quintanilla playing second base. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Manny Machado 3B Joe Saunders LHP Seven Orioles farmhands are included on the Mesa Solar Sox roster in the Arizona Fall League: Pitchers Michael Belfiore, Chris Petrini, Clay...
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Turning over a new roster (and note)

Turning over a new roster (and note)
The magnetic lineup board outside the Orioles' clubhouse and across the hall from manager Buck Showalter's office contained only one name after last night's game against the White Sox. Joe Saunders was listed as tonight's starting pitcher. The batting order will remain blank until this afternoon. Saunders will be the 29th player to make his Orioles debut this season. Is that a lot? Once the Orioles sign Randy Wolf, the veteran left-hander who could show up at Camden Yards today and throw...
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Hearing from Jones and Tillman

Hearing from Jones and Tillman
The Pirates released Erik Bedard today. Adam Jones hit the 100th home run of his major league career tonight, and Chris Tillman improved to 7-2 by shutting out the White Sox on one hit over seven innings. You see where I'm going here. "We're winning, we're playing good baseball," Jones said. "That's the most important part. Individual accolades, they're awesome, but we're winning." Jones mentioned on a postgame show that he was "on vacation." Is he back? "I booked the flight...
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Showalter speaks after 6-0 win

Showalter speaks after 6-0 win
Buck Showalter moved above .500 as Orioles manager tonight, and his club moved 14 games above for the first time in seven years. The Orioles have won 16 of their last 22 games and 12 of their last 15 at home. Chris Tillman allowed one hit, the infield variety, over seven innings and improved to 7-2 with a 3.26 ERA. "He was really good," Showalter said after tonight's 6-0 win over the White Sox. "We're kind of getting to know him a little bit, too. Tilly's not conventional all the...
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Jones homerless streak the longest of his career (O's win 6-0)

Jones homerless streak the longest of his career (O's win 6-0)
Adam Jones struck out looking tonight with J.J. Hardy on first base and one out in the bottom of the first inning. Jones wasn't happy with plate umpire Jordan Baker's call on the third strike. He can't be too pleased with his homerless drought, either. Jones hasn't homered since July 27, a stretch of 109 at-bats that's the longest of his career. He went 108 at-bats without one from May 1 to June 5, 2008. His next homer will be his 25th of the season and the 100th of his career. Chris...
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News and notes on Wolf, Thome, Patton, Hammel, the rotation (updated)

News and notes on Wolf, Thome, Patton, Hammel, the rotation (updated)
"There are no Cinderellas in baseball. Those pumpkins don't play in this league." - Orioles manager Buck Showalter Veteran left-hander Randy Wolf is headed to Baltimore and is expected to throw here before signing a contract. The Athletics were among the teams that held serious interest in Wolf, but the Orioles apparently have won out. Wolf could pitch in relief or be used as a starter, Showalter said. It sounds like Wolf will be a bullpen guy unless a starter goes down with an...
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Orioles close to signing Randy Wolf (updated)

Orioles close to signing Randy Wolf (updated)
In a move that would add depth to the rotation and maybe provide a second left-hander to the bullpen, the Orioles are nearing an agreement with pitcher Randy Wolf, according to an industry source. Wolf, in his 14th major league season, was 3-10 with a 5.69 ERA in 25 appearances (24 starts) with the Brewers before they let him go. He allowed 179 hits in 142 1/3 innings, most in the National League, and posted a 1.574 WHIP. The Orioles just traded for left-hander Joe Saunders, who will start on...
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Orioles lineup against White Sox

Orioles lineup against White Sox
Another right-handed lineup tonight for the Orioles, which means Lew Ford is the designated hitter, Robert Andino is the second baseman and Matt Wieters is the cleanup hitter. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Lew Ford DH Mark Reynolds 1B Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Robert Andino 2B Chris Tillman RHP Tillman has allowed seven runs and 14 hits over 7 2/3 innings in two career starts against the White Sox. He's walked five and struck out three....
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Fitting Betemit on the roster

Fitting Betemit on the roster
The Orioles are 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the American League East. They head to the Bronx after Thursday afternoon's tilt with the White Sox. You see where I'm going here? It's gone from interesting to really, really interesting. Manager Buck Showalter and his players aren't thinking about the wild card. They're focused only on the division lead. Oh yeah, and Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to miss the weekend series with a calf injury. Very...
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Showalter speaks after 4-3 win

Showalter speaks after 4-3 win
The Orioles won their 70th game tonight, one more than the entire 2011 season. They also improved to 45-18 in games decided by two runs or fewer, and tied their season high by moving 13 games above .500. Buck Showalter's record improved to 173-173 since he took over as manager on Aug. 3, 2010. Tonight provided another example of how different players seem to step up and produce in the clutch, a key to any playoff run. Lew Ford hits his first major league home run in five years, and Nate...
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