Orioles and Astros Game 2 lineups

Orioles and Astros Game 2 lineups
Adam Jones is in right field for Game 2 of today's doubleheader, as the Orioles try to gain a split. Jonathan Villar is the shortstop and Steve Wilkerson is playing second base. Tim Beckham is the designated hitter and John Andreoli is in left field. For the Orioles Cedric Mullins CF Jonathan VIllar SS Adam Jones RF Trey Mancini 1B Tim Beckham DH Renato Núñez 3B John Andreoli LF Austin Wynns C Steve Wilkerson 2B Yefry Ramírez RHP For the Astros Jose Altuve 2B Myles Straw LF Alex...
Continue reading

Orioles drop Game 1, 4-3, after rallying to tie

Orioles drop Game 1, 4-3, after rallying to tie
Getting a baserunner against Justin Verlander today eased some of the pressure on the Orioles. An Adam Jones double with two outs in the fourth inning, an infield hit for Renato Núñez with one out in the fifth. A little something to break the strikeout monotony. Dylan Bundy was working on a three-hit shutout through the fifth and happened to be the second-best pitcher in the game. His six strikeouts were four fewer than Verlander's total. And nobody likes a showoff. Tony Kemp led off the...
Continue reading

Adam Jones on charity work and baseball decisions (tied 3-3)

Adam Jones on charity work and baseball decisions (tied 3-3)
Adam Jones has two standing ovations today and the Orioles didn't have a baserunner until he doubled off Astros starter Justin Verlander with two outs in the fourth inning. Verlander retired the first 11 batters with seven strikeouts before Jones lined a ball into left-center field. Dylan Bundy has blanked the Astros on three hits in five innings. The game remains scoreless. The Orioles didn't take batting practice today, but Jones found himself in the dugout talking to the media about his...
Continue reading

Castro won't pitch this weekend as Orioles conclude season

Castro won't pitch this weekend as Orioles conclude season
Orioles reliever Miguel Castro confirmed today that he won't get back on a mound during the final series and his season has drawn to a close. Castro wanted to make the attempt despite some swelling in his right knee, but was advised to shut it down. "Thankfully, the knee feels better," he said through interpreter Ramón Alarcón. "At the same time I don't think there's going to be any chance for me to pitch again this weekend. I tried, but the recommendation for me was to take it slow...
Continue reading

Orioles lineup vs. Astros

Orioles lineup vs. Astros
Adam Jones is the Orioles' designated hitter today for Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Astros. DJ Stewart is in right field and Joey Rickard is in left. Jonathan Villar has moved back to second base while Tim Beckham handles shortstop. Caleb Joseph is catching. Justin Verlander faced the Orioles on April 3 in Houston and allowed three earned runs (four total) with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He's 10-5 with a 3.75 ERA and 1.176 WHIP in 20 career starts against them. Beckham is...
Continue reading

Mancini on Jones: "That only comes around once in a blue moon"

Mancini on Jones: "That only comes around once in a blue moon"
The sixth and final doubleheader of the 2018 season will be played today, giving fans perhaps twice as many chances to cheer Adam Jones before he hits free agency. Jones could start in right field and later serve as designated hitter. He also could sit out one of the games, his presence in the lineup a certainty on Sunday. Teammates tend to fumble for words while expressing what Jones has meant to the organization and especially within the community. A simple question can tie them up like a...
Continue reading

Astros interrupt Jones celebration with 2-1 win (updated)

Astros interrupt Jones celebration with 2-1 win (updated)
The first chance for fans to bathe Adam Jones in applause tonight came with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. The Most Valuable Oriole for 2018 focused on his pending at-bat rather than an ovation that gained momentum as Astros starter Gerrit Cole stepped behind the mound and plate umpire Bill Miller held up his hand to signal for time. Jonathan Villar stood at second base after a single and ground ball. A game was scoreless. A team captain likely was playing in his final homestand at...
Continue reading

Updating Davis and injuries, Jones as MVO (O's down 2-1)

Updating Davis and injuries, Jones as MVO (O's down 2-1)
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis isn't expected to play this weekend, which shuts him down over the final week of the season and ensures that he's going to finish with the worst average among qualifiers in baseball history. Davis has a .168/.243/.296 slash line in 522 plate appearances, his last start coming on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. Rob Deer and Dan Uggla shared the record at .179. The decision to sit Davis isn't based on his health. Starters Andrew Cashner and Alex Cobb and reliever...
Continue reading

Orioles lineup vs. Astros

Orioles lineup vs. Astros
The sun is shining at Camden Yards and the Orioles are sticking with the same lineup that wasn't used last night due to the postponement. DJ Stewart is in left field and Adam Jones is in right. Corban Joseph is the designated hitter. Jace Peterson is the third baseman and Austin Wynns is catching. Steve Wilkerson gets another start at second base while Jonathan Villar sides over to shortstop. Chris Davis and Tim Beckham are on the bench. Davis hasn't played since Saturday in New York. The...
Continue reading

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
The run that left-hander Tanner Scott allowed Wednesday in Game 2 of the doubleheader in Boston marked the third time in 11 outings that he was scored upon and the fourth in 15. He didn't surrendered more than one run in those games spanning 16 innings. Chipping away at the ERA has been a tedious process, but he's lowered it from 6.57 on Aug. 15 to 5.26. Scott has registered a 6.67 ERA and 1.778 WHIP in 27 games in the first half and a 3.81 ERA and 1.192 WHIP after the break. His September...
Continue reading

Orioles-Astros game postponed due to rain (updated)

Orioles-Astros game postponed due to rain (updated)
Rain and an ominous forecast lacking in a window to play has forced the postponement of tonight's game between the Orioles and Astros at Camden Yards. The teams will play a single-admission doubleheader on Saturday, with Game 1 at 4:05 p.m. The nightcap will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener. The Orioles are subjected to their eighth postponement of the season and their sixth at home. Two games in Boston were washed away, the most recent on Tuesday night. The...
Continue reading

Showalter unwilling to grow sentimental over last homestand

Showalter unwilling to grow sentimental over last homestand
The season is down to four games, which could be the countdown for Buck Showalter as Orioles manager. He hasn't been told of his status beyond this season and said he isn't worrying about it. There's an opponent to prepare for and personal feelings that must be stifled. "No. I shouldn't know," Showalter said. "I've got a contract through the end of October, so nobody needs to or has to do that. There's a lot of people in this world like that. Who am I? "I mean, really? Is it that...
Continue reading

Orioles lineup vs. Astros

Orioles lineup vs. Astros
Chris Davis remains out of the Orioles lineup tonight as they open the final homestand of the season. Davis hasn't played since Saturday in New York. Corban Joseph is the designated hitter. Steve Wilkerson is at second base and Jace Peterson is at third base. Renato Núñez is bothered by some soreness in his knee. Miguel Castro remains unavailable because of some swelling in his knee, but he's improved. The Orioles still don't have a starter listed for Sunday. Yefry Ramírez pitches...
Continue reading

Stewart waiting for more chances against left-handers

Stewart waiting for more chances against left-handers
BOSTON - Marked absent in the lineup for yesterday's doubleheader against a pair of Red Sox left-handed starters, Orioles rookie outfielder DJ Stewart should resurface in the final homestand that also brings the 2018 season to a merciful conclusion. The Astros are starting right-handers Gerrit Cole tonight and Justin Verlander on Friday. The last two spots could be bullpen games. The Orioles certainly can relate. Stewart has amassed only three plate appearances against left-handers, drawing a...
Continue reading

Orioles gain split with 10-3 win in nightcap (updated)

Orioles gain split with 10-3 win in nightcap (updated)
BOSTON - The Orioles squeezed a combined 3 2/3 innings out of their starters in today's doubleheader, with Jimmy Yacabonis doing the heavy lifting. Yacabonis worked into the fourth inning in the nightcap, leaving with runners on the corners and one out in a tie game. Manager Buck Showalter would have to mobilize his relievers again while still keeping an eye on the next two games with rookie starters. So much juggling going on, so many balls in the air, so many reasons for players to wonder...
Continue reading

Wrapping up a 19-3 loss in Game 1 (O's lead 6-3)

Wrapping up a 19-3 loss in Game 1 (O's lead 6-3)
BOSTON - Today's 16-run defeat in Game 1 of a doubleheader is the largest for the Orioles since their 30-3 loss to the Rangers back in 2007. Also the first game of a doubleheader. Also hard to digest. Manager Buck Showalter never wants to use a position player to pitch, but he's done it twice this summer, with Danny Valencia and Jace Peterson. Peterson is the ninth player in Orioles history to do it, and he almost tossed a scoreless eighth after getting Ian Kinsler to ground back to the mound...
Continue reading

Orioles Game 2 lineup

Orioles Game 2 lineup
BOSTON - Adam Jones is the designated hitter for Game 2 of today's doubleheader, and Chris Davis stays on the bench against left-hander Chris Sale. Steve Wilkerson stays at second base and Jonathan Villar stays at shortstop. John Andreoli will patrol right field. Jimmy Yacabonis is starting for the Orioles. For the Orioles Cedric Mullins CF Jonathan Villar SS Trey Mancini 1B Adam Jones DH Renato Núñez 3B Joey Rickard LF John Andreoli RF Steve Wilkerson 2B Caleb Joseph C Jimmy Yacabonis...
Continue reading

Orioles surrender 22 hits and use Peterson to pitch in 19-3 loss

Orioles surrender 22 hits and use Peterson to pitch in 19-3 loss
BOSTON - The opener of today's doubleheader became an elimination game for the Orioles. Candidates to start the nightcap were narrowed like a two-lane road winding through a construction zone. Ryan Meisinger faced only six batters in his first major league start, retiring one, and the wheels were in motion. Donnie Hart came in and let three inherited runners score. John Means entered in the third for his major league debut and Cody Carroll replaced him in the sixth and surrendered three home...
Continue reading

Updating the Orioles rotation (O's down 14-3)

Updating the Orioles rotation (O's down 14-3)
BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter knows who's supposed to start Game 2 of today's doubleheader. However, he won't reveal the name until he's certain that the pitcher won't be needed out of the bullpen for the opener. Ryan Meisinger gets his first major league start in Game 1. "He was going to pitch anyway," Showalter said. "They're all probably going to pitch today, so what order ... There's a lot of other things that I'm not going to talk about and the reflection it might have...
Continue reading

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Chris Davis is on the bench today for the third consecutive game as the Red Sox send left-hander David Price to the mound for Game 1 of the doubleheader. Rookie DJ Stewart also is out of the lineup. Adam Jones gets another start in left field, and Joey Rickard is in right. Tim Beckham continues to serve as the designated hitter, with Jonathan Villar at shortstop and Steve Wilkerson at second base. Rookie Austin Wynns is catching. For the Orioles Cedric Mullins CF Jonathan Villar SS...
Continue reading