BOSTON - Manager Buck Showalter thought the biggest issue for left-hander Brian Matusz tonight was a lack of fastball command.
Matusz said he couldn't command anything, fastball included.
Matusz was charged with five runs (four earned) and four hits in two-plus innings in the Orioles' 7-0 loss to the Red Sox. He walked five batters.
"Yeah, it was just everything today, just out of my rhythm," Matusz said after turning in his shortest outing of the year. "I couldn't find my rhythm,...
BOSTON - Brian Matusz threw 97 pitches in 7 1/3 innings against Tampa Bay on Saturday, one of the keys to a 2-1 victory. He was able to go deeper in the game, and the bullpen wasn't needed until later.
Tonight, Matusz threw 37 pitches in the bottom of the first and fell behind, 2-0, on Adrian Gonzalez's bases-loaded double down the right field line.
Matusz walked Dustin Pedroia and Will Middlebrooks and gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis. The Red Sox kept fouling off pitches and getting...
BOSTON - Pitcher Jason Berken broke his nose during today's start with Triple-A Norfolk when he slammed into first baseman Joe Mahoney while chasing a foul ball in Rochester.
Berken could make his next start. It depends on the amount of swelling around his eyes.
"He's not going to do anything as far as resetting it," manager Buck Showalter said. "Right now, he's scheduled to start again. Of course, it depends on what goes on with (Jamie) Moyer. Tommy (Hunter) might be pitching Saturday...
BOSTON - The Triple-A Norfolk roster is getting another pitcher.
The independent Lancaster Barnstormers announced on their website that the Orioles have purchased the contract of left-hander
BOSTON - Endy Chavez is batting leadoff tonight for the Orioles, and Mark Reynolds gets another start at first base.
Nick Johnson remains out of the lineup against a right-hander, as manager Buck Showalter again chooses Chris Davis as his designated hitter.
For the Orioles:
Endy Chavez RF
J.J. Hardy SS
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Chris Davis DH
Mark Reynolds 1B
Wilson Betemit 3B
Ryan Flaherty LF
Robert Andino 2B
Brian Matusz LHP
For the Red Sox:
Daniel Nava LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Kevin...
BOSTON - Manager Buck Showalter hasn't named a starter for Saturday's game against the Phillies, but all signs point to Tommy Hunter.
Well, one sign certainly does: He's not starting today for Triple-A Norfolk and he isn't listed among the Tides' probables through the weekend.
Hunter was scheduled to start today, but Jason Berken moved up a day and is taking the mound at Rochester. The only other confirmed starter is Jamie Moyer on Saturday.
Executive vice president Dan Duquette...
BOSTON - Chris Tillman had another solid outing last night for Triple-A Norfolk, and manager Buck Showalter knew about it before meeting with reporters after the Orioles' 2-1 win over the Red Sox. He immediately checks the box scores and the reports on all of the affiliates.
I'm trying to figure out which direction the Orioles are going in regard to their handling of Norfolk's roster. I've decided that it's more than one way.
Grow the arms is still a huge part of their philosophy, but...
BOSTON - It appears as though Wei-Yin Chen doesn't need to be pampered. He worked on regular rest tonight and turned in arguably his best start of the year.
"He was good," said catcher Matt Wieters. "He pitched out of two jams where he really was able to keep them to one run (or less) and the rest of the inning he knew what he wanted to do. He used all of his pitches today. He was able to put guys away with his off-speed and his fastball today."
Chen stranded two runners in scoring...
BOSTON - The Orioles are back in first place in the American League East, and they finally won a series after four straight failed attempts.
Most of the credit goes to Wei-Yin Chen, who held the Red Sox to one run over seven innings.
Manager Buck Showalter thinks Chen might actually benefit from working on normal rest.
"We've been trying to be careful with him rest-wise, but he was crisp from the get-go," Showalter said. "You come in this ballpark, left-handers, command of the fastball,...
BOSTON - The Orioles managed one hit off Josh Beckett in five innings, but consecutive singles by Wilson Betemit, Ryan Flaherty and Robert Andino to open the sixth allowed them to tie the game, 1-1.
Endy Chavez hit into a force, bringing in the go-ahead run. Chavez had three hits last night, and he's singled and driven in a run tonight.
Boston's Mike Aviles lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the third after former Oriole Darnell McDonald led off with a double and Marlon Byrd...
BOSTON - It's been another slow day covering the Orioles.
They draft Cal Ripken's son and John Russell's son - who just happens to be sitting in their clubhouse - and Brian Graham's nephew. They activate Zach Britton from the 60-day disabled list and option him to Triple-A Norfolk. They transfer Stu Pomeranz to the 60-day DL. They sign 49-year-old Jamie Moyer to a minor league contract and announce that he's starting Saturday for the Tides. They put Double-A Bowie pitcher Mike Wright,...
BOSTON - The Orioles added to their ever-growing veteran pitching depth today, signing 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer to a minor league deal.
Moyer has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk and is scheduled to start for the Tides Saturday in Buffalo.
Moyer began the season with the Colorado Rockies and went 2-5 with a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts before being designated for assignment. In 25 major league seasons, he's 269-209 with a 4.25 ERA and at least nine lives.
This will be Moyer's second...
BOSTON - Another version of Family Ties is airing in the Orioles organization today.
Earlier this afternoon, they selected Ryan Ripken, the son of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken in the 20th round of the First-Year Player Draft. And a few minutes ago, they used their 32nd-round pick on Midland (Tx.) College catcher William "Steel" Russell, the son of bench coach John Russell
Steel Russell has been with the team for a few days and sat in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park when the Orioles...
BOSTON - Wilson Betemit is back in the Orioles' lineup tonight after being shelved with a fever and sore throat.
Chris Davis is making his first appearance since June 2 in Tampa.
For the Orioles:
Endy Chavez RF
J.J. Hardy SS
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Chris Davis DH
Mark Reynolds 1B
Wilson Betemit 3B
Ryan Flaherty LF
Robert Andino 2B
Wei-Yin Chen LHP
In the 31st round of the First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles selected pitcher Anthony Bazzani of Eastern Kentucky. In the 32nd...
BOSTON - In the 29th round of the First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles selected right-hander Jake Pinar of San Juan Hill (Calif.) High School. In the 30th round, they took center fielder Anthony Vega of Manhattan College in New York.
Here's the Red Sox lineup:
Mike Aviles SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Adrian Gonzalez RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Darnell McDonald LF
Marlon Byrd CF
Josh Beckett RHP
Matt Wieters has eight hits in his last 16 at-bats...
BOSTON - The Ripken name may be staying in the Orioles family.
The Orioles just drafted Ryan Ripken - Cal Sr's grandson, Cal's son and Billy's nephew - in the 20th round of the First-Year Player Draft.
Ripken, a left-handed-hitting first baseman at Gilman who also played basketball, has committed to the University of South Carolina. He received plenty of scholarship offers after batting .353 as a junior.
This year, Ripken hit .377 with 25 RBIs at Gilman.
Ripken, listed at 6 foot 6, 205...
BOSTON - It's Day 3 of the First-Year Player Drafts, and the picks are coming fast and furious. Teams don't need five minutes between selections. They don't stay on the clock for more than a few seconds.
The Orioles used their 16th pick on pitcher Luc Rennie of Torrey Pines (Ca.) High School. Their 17th pick was used on pitcher Nick Grim of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.
That's 12 pitchers chosen in the first 17 rounds.
Rennie was 9-1 with a 0.89 ERA, 10 walks and 73 strikeouts in 70 2/3...
BOSTON - I can't figure out who's going to make Saturday's start against the Phillies at Camden Yards.
It's easier to eliminate certain pitchers, most notably left-hander Zach Britton, who would be working on short rest and who will stay on his rehab assignment.
The Orioles apparently think Britton needs to improve the command of his pitches. They're in no rush to end his assignment. Cross him off the list.
Manager Buck Showalter didn't mention Brad Bergesen when rattling off the names...
BOSTON - Jason Hammel said his knee wasn't an issue while working five innings tonight in the Orioles' 8-6, 10-inning victory over the Red Sox.
"Knee is getting better each time out," he said. "It's manageable right now."
Hammel couldn't put away the Red Sox early and his pitch count rose to 106.
"Yeah, they're usually pretty patient," he said. "They were kind of aggressive tonight. Obviously, you want to get deeper into ballgames, but we still had a chance to win.
"It was a...
BOSTON - Manager Buck Showalter described tonight's 8-6, 10-inning victory over the Red Sox as "one of our better wins of the year."
"That was a real test for us a little bit," he said.
It became more challenging when closer Jim Johnson blew his first save of the season.
"J.J.'s picked us up so many times this year and the guys come in and picked him up. That was nice," Showalter said.
Darren O'Day was warming in the bullpen, but Showalter allowed Johnson to pitch the 10th and pick...