Tommy Hunter retired the first six batters he faced tonight, striking out two. He just couldn't sustain that momentum.
Hunter allowed five runs and nine hits over six innings and left with the score tied, 5-5.
"He was driving the ball down and away to right-handed hitters, but then he just started elevating the ball," manager Buck Showalter said following the Orioles' 8-6 loss to the Red Sox. "Made some mistakes and paid for it. Gets him behind in the count, too.
"Tommy was pitching...
Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold has an appointment to receive a second epidural injection in his spine from Dr. Lee Riley, a neck specialist, but he isn't sure whether he'll keep it.
Reimold is leaning in that direction, but he's been told that the shot will only ease the pain he's experiencing from a herniated disk in his cervical spine, not the numbness and weakness in his left thumb, arm and shoulder.
"The pain I can tolerate," he said.
"The doctor said we can do another one, but...
Well, at least for now.
Matt Wieters was one more failed at-bat from being 0-for-21, the longest hitless stretch of his career. He fouled off six straight pitches from former Orioles left-hander Rich Hill before lining an RBI single into left field to reduce Boston's lead to 8-6.
Everybody rejoice.
Wieters won a nine-pitch battle with Hill, who began the inning by giving up singles to Nick Markakis and Adam Jones. Jones extended his hitting streak to 13 games, tying his career long.
Now we...
Tommy Hunter held the Royals to two runs over seven innings in his last start, but he's not as sharp tonight.
Hunter has allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings, with no walks and three strikeouts. He's thrown 96 pitches, 65 for strikes.
This will be the third time in four outings that Hunter has failed to register a quality start.
The Orioles gave him a 5-2 lead, but Boston scored three runs in the sixth, beginning with David Ortiz's home run onto Eutaw St. Ortiz took a big swing,...
Matt Wieters grounded out to Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks in the second inning.
The funk continues.
Wieters is 0-for-19 and 4-for-41.
Is he banged up from that violent collision at home plate?
"No more than usual," manager Buck Showalter said. "We gave him a full day off yesterday. I didn't want to even pinch hit unless we had a chance to win the game. As you've seen, we've tried to back off him as much as possible. Sometimes to a fault.
"I think it's part of something we...
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts hasn't played in a game since May 16, 2011, but he's nearing an injury-rehab assignment in the minors.
Roberts and manager Buck Showalter won't reveal an exact date that Roberts would report to an affiliate, but they've got a pretty good idea.
"We talk every day," Showalter said. "Probably a little more informed than what Brian is going to talk about publicly. Like I said earlier, it's more a matter of when and not if.
"Hopefully, that's...
Manager Buck Showalter basically confirmed that second baseman Brian Roberts will join a minor league affiliate on an injury-rehab assignment, perhaps within the next few weeks, rather than report to extended spring training in Sarasota.
Showalter is careful not to reveal too much information, but he didn't dispute Roberts' assertion that Sarasota will be bypassed.
Roberts most likely would join Double-A Bowie or Single-A Frederick so he can stay close to Baltimore.
Showalter shot down a...
Rookie Xavier Avery gets another start in left field for the Orioles. Nick Johnson will serve as the designated hitter.
For the Orioles:
Xavier Avery LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Chris Davis 1B
Wilson Betemit 3B
Nick Johnson DH
Robert Andino 2B
Tommy Hunter RHP
Nolan Reimold is being examined by a team physician and will know later whether he needs a second epidural injection.
Matt Lindstrom says his right middle finger remains pain-free and he'll...
The Orioles have another game scheduled tonight as they begin another series, this one against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards.
Their first day off since May 3 arrives on Thursday, but they won't admit that they're fatigued and could use a physical and mental break from the grind.
"I'm not tired," Adam Jones said. "I don't think anybody else is tired. I had a good night's sleep (Saturday) night. I'm not going to make excuses. We all know it's 162, so you have to pace yourself....
WASHINGTON - Wei-Yin Chen wrote off today's start as "this is baseball."
"Sometimes you have a good day, sometimes you have a bad day," he said through his interpreter. "Definitely, I had a terrible start today."
Chen shied away from his fastball and got burned repeatedly with his breaking stuff.
"My fastball was not as good as the last couple of outings," he said. "I couldn't command all my pitches here. And today I was like, do my job. But I couldn't do it and I hope I can...
WASHINGTON - Manager Buck Showalter deflected a theory that his club might have shown signs of fatigue today in a 9-3 loss to the Nationals. He made more solid contact than his hitters.
The Orioles are playing a stretch of 20 consecutive games, their next off day not coming until Thursday. But Showalter isn't pointing a finger at the schedule.
"We scored three runs and could have scored a lot more," he said. "I think it was more that we made a lot of mistakes with our breaking ball today....
WASHINGTON - The Orioles had four hits by the second inning. They still had four hits by the time the ninth inning rolled around.
Adam Jones reached on an infield hit to open the ninth and Chris Davis singled with one out, but the damage was already done. The Nationals got out of a bases-loaded jam and avoided the sweep with a 9-3 win before 41,918 at Nationals Park.
The offense shut down. Before Jones' single, the only baserunner after the second inning came on Luis Exposito's walk in the...
WASHINGTON - Wei-Yin Chen hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first seven major league starts.
Chen gave up three earned runs in the third inning today at Nationals Park.
The Nats almost hit for the cycle against Chen, getting a leadoff single by pitcher Stephen Strasburg, a double by slumping Danny Espinosa and a two-run triple by Bryce Harper on a ball that popped out of Nick Markakis' glove as he hit the ground on a diving attempt.
Ian Desmond beat out a potential...
WASHINGTON - The Orioles haven't faced Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg before today. I'm sure they've heard lots about him, watched a few starts on television, studied the video tape. They just haven't stood at the plate against him.
The Nationals probably didn't know much about Xavier Avery before this weekend, but he's left an impression.
Avery led off the top of the first inning with a single up the middle. He hustled to second base on J.J. Hardy's long fly ball to center...
WASHINGTON - Matt Wieters doesn't have a hit in his last 18 at-bats. He has four hits in his last 40.
He has no concerns about this slump.
"It's just one of those stretches," said Wieters, who batted .342 during a nine-game hitting streak April 29-May 8.
"I haven't really been hitting too many balls hard lately, but the good thing is we've still been winning games. I'm definitely going to put in some extra work to where I get back to feeling good like it was a week or so ago....
WASHINGTON - As expected, Luis Exposito will catch today while Matt Wieters takes a break.
Rookie Xavier Avery is leading off. Wilson Betemit is starting at third base and Chris Davis is starting at first.
For the Orioles:
Xavier Avery LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Wilson Betemit 3B
Chris Davis 1B
Robert Andino 2B
Luis Exposito C
Wei-Yin Chen LHP
WASHINGTON - Miguel Tejada is batting fourth and serving as the designated hitter today for Triple-A Norfolk. It's Tejada's first game outside of extended spring training.
Brad Bergesen, who cleared waivers and was outrighted, will start for the Tides.
The Orioles haven't posted their lineup. The Nats beat them to it.
At least the Nats can brag about beating them once this weekend.
Danny Espinosa 2B
Bryce Harper CF
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Adam LaRoche 1B
Ian Desmond SS
Xavier Nady RF
Tyler...
WASHINGTON - Jason Hammel couldn't extend the rotation's streak of quality starts to five, but he improved his record to 5-1.
Hammel was charged with four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He worked five innings in his last start.
"It's same as last time, my leg," he said. "I get to a certain point now where it's almost like I'm pitching on one leg and transfer everything to the arm. I got one out further than last time, I guess, so that's good. We just have got to get the leg...
WASHINGTON - Manager Buck Showalter talked about starter Jason Hammel, his bullpen, the Nationals' comeback attempt, his red-hot center fielder and his ice-cold catcher following tonight's 6-5 win.
Hammel was making his second start since being pushed back because of swelling in his right knee. He was good for a while, but it's clear that he's not all the way back.
"No more than what he's been dealing with his last start," Showalter said. "Something we're aware of and we're going to...
WASHINGTON - This one wasn't easy, but the Orioles made sure that they'll leave Nationals Park with a series victory.
The Orioles won again tonight, 6-4, with Jim Johnson picking up his 15th save in 15 tries this season, and his 23rd in 23 chances since last August, though it got a little tense near the end.
The Orioles have won 19 of their last 26 games. They're still two games ahead of Tampa Bay in the American League East.
The bullpen came up big again, giving the Orioles 3 1/3...