0-2.
0-2.
0-2.
Koji Uehara got ahead of all three batters he faced in the ninth inning today.
Throw strikes, work quickly, go out to dinner.
Uehara recorded his seventh save in pretty routine fashion, getting a fly ball and two strikeouts to complete a 4-3 victory over the Yankees. Pinch-hitter Colin Curtis saw three pitches and froze on the last one to end the game.
We're still not calling Uehara the closer. No labels here.
Just saves.
He's converted all seven opportunities since...
I won't detail all 50, but the Orioles covered a few of them in the sixth inning.
They didn't slip out the back, but they definitely should have made a new plan.
A leadoff walk. A wild pitch. The catcher's failure to block a ball in the dirt. The failure to catch a fly ball in shallow left field.
That'll do it.
Brian Matusz walked Nick Swisher to begin the sixth, putting his 3-1 lead in immediate jeopardy. Mark Teixeira singled and a wild pitch move up both runners. Matt Wieters...
Brian Roberts just gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead with a two-out single in the fifth that scored Cesar Izturis from second base.
I thought we'd have a close play at the plate, but Alex Rodriguez cut off Marcus Thames' throw from left field and gunned down Roberts at second for the final out.
Roberts is clearly in pain, wincing and staying bent over as a teammate brought his glove. He made a cautious slide into second, as if trying to lessen the impact of slamming into the bag.
The back might...
The Orioles have put runners on the corners with one out in the second inning and no outs in the third and settled for a 1-0 lead.
Good, but not nearly good enough.
Corey Patterson popped up and Cesar Izturis struck out to end the rally in the second. Josh Bell scored on Felix Pie's double play grounder in the third, moving the Orioles ahead but eliminating the potential for a much bigger inning against A.J. Burnett.
Matt Wieters walked with one out in the fourth and was erased on Ty...
For the Orioles:
2B Brian Roberts
LF Felix Pie
RF Nick Markakis
DH Luke Scott
C Matt Wieters
1B Ty Wigginton
CF Corey Patterson
SS Cesar Izturis
3B Josh Bell
LHP Brian Matusz
For the Yankees:
SS Derek Jeter
RF Nick Swisher
1B Mark Teixeira
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
LF Marcus Thames
DH Jorge Posada
C Francisco Cervelli
CF Brett Gardner
RHP A.J. Burnett
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of 2,131, I think we should all run a lap around our houses at exactly the same time. If you're stuck at work, I'm sure your boss will understand if you circle the building.
As I've written in the past, I attended the two games that allowed Cal Ripken to tie and break Lou Gehrig's unbreakable record. I was still working for The Sun, though I wasn't on the Orioles beat. My editors asked me to help out, and I did so with great enthusiasm.
I had to write a...
The official scorer exercised his right to award the win to Alfredo Simon, judging that Jim Johnson and Michael Gonzalez were too ineffective in brief appearances. Once Johnson was skipped, you pick the guy who was the most effective out of the remaining group. It's not real common, but it happens.
Simon turned in a perfect eighth, and Koji Uehara did the same in the ninth by retiring Ben Zobrist, Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria.
"We were all joking, everybody kind of turns when Koji...
Koji Uehara took the ball again today, less than 24 hours after giving up back-to-back home runs.
Uehara closed out an 8-7 victory, earning his sixth save, but he's not the closer. Just the guy who protected a one-run lead in the ninth. That's all. No need to slap a label on him.
This one was easy. Strikeout, pop up and strikeout. Fans were chanting "Koji, Koji, Koji" before the final strike to Evan Longoria.
This season has taken a strange turn in more ways than one.
Alfredo Simon gets...
The Orioles have retaken the lead in the sixth, and the bottom third of the order spirited the comeback.
Admit it, you didn't see that one coming.
Craig Tatum and Cesar Izturis walked with one out against reliever Dan Wheeler. Chad Qualls replaced him and gave up Josh Bell's single to center field on an 0-2 pitch that tied the game.
This was especially significant because Bell had struck out twice against starter Wade Davis, giving him 42 Ks and only two walks in 118 at-bats.
Brian...
Chris Tillman gave up six hits today. Two were triples. Two were home runs.
Not the extra-base ratio he sought in his return to the majors, but the Rays managed only three runs in 5 1/3 innings and he stood to be the winner if the bullpen could hold onto a 4-3 lead.
It didn't. Pinch-hitter Reid Brignac greeted reliever Jim Johnson with a single and B.J. Upton hit a two-run homer, the ball traveling an estimated 410 feet.
Tillman will have to settle for a no-decision.
Evan Longoria's...
Cal Ripken has watched first-round pick Manny Machado at Aberdeen and offers the following scouting report on the young shortstop:
"I like the size, I like the strength. He made a couple of plays in the field really easy, and I like the way the ball jumped off his bat. He's definitely got some good size to him."
A big guy like that can play shortstop?
Ripken smiled.
"A big guy like that can play shortstop," he replied. "He's got the right frame for a shortstop."
Chris Tillman has...
Cal Ripken's ceremonial first pitch was a perfect strike to Jake Fox. Knowing Cal, that shouldn't come as a surprise.
Seeing Fox behind the plate was the shocker. But I digress...
It was nice of the Rays to stand and applaud Ripken as he walked to the mound. They moved to the top step of the dugout. They stopped playing catch. Evan Longoria stood the closest to home plate, and he might have been clapping the hardest.
Buck Showalter was managing the Yankees on the nights that Ripken tied...
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Felix Pie LF
Corey Patterson CF
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis SS
Josh Bell 3B
Chris Tillman RHP
For the Rays:
Jaso DH
Zobrist 1B
Crawford LF
Longoria 3B
Joyce RF
Rodriguez 2B
Upton CF
Navarro C
Bartlett SS
Davis RHP
Cal Ripken will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to celebrate the 15th anniversary of 2,130.
No need to explain the significance of that number.
Also, the Brooks Robinson replica jerseys are now available. They...
Tonight's attendance: 18,943.
Buck Showalter has won more games as Orioles manager this year (18) than Dave Trembley and Juan Samuel.
They don't hand out trophies for that accomplishment, but it's worth noting.
Jeremy Guthrie set a season high with seven strikeouts tonight. He matched his season high with 116 pitches. He's gone at least six innings in 10 straight outings, with eight quality starts during that span.
Is this the strongest Guthrie has felt this late in a season?
"I...
Buck Showalter won his 900th game as manager, a feat that didn't leave a lump in his throat.
More like a shrug in his shoulders.
"My daughter called me a couple nights ago and left me a message, so she made me aware of it and I'd forgotten it a little bit," he said. "It means I've had some good players and someone's given me an opportunity to do this a long time. That's about the extent of it. I've had a lot of losses, too. You got them?"
Yes, 846.
"I remember just about every...
Luke Scott thought he hit a home run in the fifth inning. The umpires ruled that he hit a double. Scott wasn't convinced, and neither was manager Buck Showalter.
Instant replay came into play at Camden Yards for the second time this season, and Scott lost his argument. He had to settle for a double on a ball that hit the orange AT&T sign in right-center field, not above it.
Scott was circling his arm over his head as he chugged into second base, baseball's universal home run sign. Nice...
That didn't take long.
John Jaso, the rare leadoff-hitting catcher, got hold of a 93 mph fastball from Jeremy Guthrie and drove it 436 feet into the seats in right-center field.
So much for back-to-back scoreless outings.
You'll recall that the Angels couldn't push across a run against Guthrie in 8 1/3 innings. The Rays did it in one batter.
Guthrie has posted a 2.51 ERA in nine second-half starts. He's got a 2.79 ERA in three quality starts against the Rays this season, though he's...
Chris Tillman hasn't been promised a specific number of starts over these final weeks of the season. He takes the ball tomorrow for the first time in the majors since July 19. That's the only guarantee.
"He's going to get an opportunity to pitch tomorrow," manager Buck Showalter said. "I haven't seen him pitch other than on tape and everybody here has, so I'm kind of the last guy. We'll see after tomorrow's start where we go."
It's Tillman's turn to be evaluated.
"You've just...
Still no Adam Jones, who continues to receive treatment on his sore upper back. He's also allowing the cortisone injection that he received Thursday night to work its magic.
Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells is upbeat about the progress that Jones has made, according to manager Buck Showalter, but don't look for the center fielder in tomorrow's lineup. He probably won't be there.
"He's a little better today, but I don't think him playing is imminent," Showalter said. "I think it...
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Felix Pie LF
Matt Wieters C
Julio Lugo 3B
Corey Patterson CF
Cesar Izturis SS
Jeremy Guthrie RHP
Here's Tampa Bay's lineup:
Jaso C
Zobrist 2B
Crawford LF
Longoria 3B
Pena 1B
Joyce RF
Hawpe DH
Upton CF
Bartlett SS
Shields RHP
