No more road woes for the O's

No more road woes for the O's
The Detroit Tigers recently went through a stretch of 17 home games that spanned the end of the first half and start of the second going 16-1. They entered the Orioles series with a 16-3 record in their last 19 home games. But the Orioles went to Comerica Park, lost the first game of that series, but came back to win the next two. In the road trip before that, the Orioles went 2-1 both at New York and on the road vs. Tampa Bay. That is three straight road series wins against AL contending...
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Some Motown magic: O's rally from five down to beat Tigers, take series

Some Motown magic: O's rally from five down to beat Tigers, take series
Wei-Yin Chen became the first Orioles pitcher to win more than 11 games in a season today since Erik Bedard won 13 in 2007. But it sure looked like he wouldn't do that early in today's game. Chen gave up five runs in the first inning, but the Orioles rallied to get him a win, 7-5 over the Detroit Tigers in front of 40,511 at Comerica Park. The O's won two of three there this weekend. Detroit got first-inning homers from Omar Infante and Jhonny Peralta to go ahead by five before the Orioles...
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O's face Fister in finale (Birds knock him out early)

O's face Fister in finale (Birds knock him out early)
If the Orioles are to win a big series today against another wild card contender, they will have to beat Detroit's Doug Fister, a pitcher on a real roll. Fister is 7-7 with a 3.24 ERA through 18 starts this season. But over his last four games, he is 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA. In seven starts since the All-Star break, Fister is 5-1 with a 1.52 ERA and seven quality starts. In those seven games, he has given up one earned run or less five times with a batting average against of .199. He has a...
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The case for the defense

The case for the defense
Here is a question for you: Can a team create offense out of its defense? Sure it can - in basketball or football. You steal the ball and it leads to a slam dunk. You force a turnover setting up your offense on the opponent's 10-yard line. But in baseball? The Orioles may have done that in a way last night. The game was tied 0-0 and Detroit had a rally going in the last of the sixth. They got two on with none out. It looked like that Zach Britton had held the Tigers down for a while, but now...
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Zach Britton comes up with a big outing as O's beat Detroit

Zach Britton comes up with a big outing as O's beat Detroit
Zach Britton certainly proved the doubters wrong tonight. With many questioning Buck Showalter's decision to turn to him for tonight's start since he had struggled lately, Britton stepped up and gave the Orioles seven scoreless innings in a 3-2 win over Detroit. With the win, the Orioles tied a club record with their 12th consecutive win in one-run games. They had done this three times before, most recently from June 2 to July 8, 1979. Jim Johnson got the final three outs to record his...
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Britton keeps the Tigers off the board early in Detroit

Britton keeps the Tigers off the board early in Detroit
In his return to the majors and the Orioles rotation, Zach Britton would like it to be more than a one-night appearance. Over the first three innings tonight, he has pitched out of a few jams and kept the Tigers off the board in a game that is 0-0 heading to the fourth. Britton has allowed four hits through three frames with two walks and two strikeouts. But he got a big double-play ball to end the first and another DP ball in the second. Detroit got an Austin Jackson leadoff double in the...
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Kevin Gausman gives up two homers in Carolina League debut

Kevin Gausman gives up two homers in Carolina League debut
Orioles 2012 first-round pick Kevin Gausman gave up no runs and just one hit in his first six innings for short-season Single-A Aberdeen this year. But tonight, in his debut for Single-A Frederick, he gave up a homer to the first batter he faced. Then the same guy got to him an inning later for an inside-the-park, three-run homer. Winston-Salem's switch-hitting center fielder, Keenyn Walker, led off the game and hit one over the wall in right-center at Frederick's Harry Grove Stadium. Then...
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Should the Orioles call up Dylan Bundy in September? (Gausman audio)

Should the Orioles call up Dylan Bundy in September? (Gausman audio)
If the Orioles called up Dylan Bundy to pitch in a few games in September, I have no doubt that would excite the fans. It would be amazing, thrilling and very, very cool to see that happen for a 19-year-old kid. And Bundy is probably good enough or very close to that to handle it right now. But I don't think the Orioles should do it. This kid has had an amazing year. He will easily win the Orioles minor league Pitcher of the Year award and may be baseball's No. 1 prospect right now. For...
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O's lose lead and game in series opener at Detroit

O's lose lead and game in series opener at Detroit
Well, for a while it looked like the Orioles might pin a loss on Justin Verlander for the first time ever. In the end, they didn't pin a loss on anyone as the Detroit Tigers beat the Orioles 5-3 in Game 1 to start a big three-game series. The Orioles just could not handle the middle of the Tigers order tonight as Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder went a combined 4-for-6 with two walks, three homers and all five Tigers RBIs. Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer for the Orioles off Verlander in...
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O's with some missed chances early against Verlander (updated)

O's with some missed chances early against Verlander (updated)
The Orioles sure missed some scoring chances in the first three innings tonight against Justin Verlander. The game was tied 1-1 heading to the bottom of the third but the O's left five runners on base over the first three innings. Nick Markakis doubled in the first but later was thrown out at home on a play where it looked like he was safe but the call was out at the plate. Chris Davis walked and stole second in the second, but was stranded there. In the third, the Orioles tied the game 1-1...
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A look at some recent improved Orioles pitching

A look at some recent improved Orioles pitching
Don't look now, but the Orioles' pitching has taken a turn for the better. This stat may have snuck up quietly on us, but over the 13 games since Aug. 3, the O's team ERA is 2.58. They just gave up 10 runs to Boston in a three-game series and six of those came last night. The Sox are third in the AL in runs and average 4.9 per game. The 13-game run, during which the Orioles are 9-4, has lowered their team ERA on the year from 4.25 to 4.06. That now ranks eighth in the AL. A similar...
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Could a big finish to 2012 put Mark Reynolds into the Orioles' plans for 2013?

Could a big finish to 2012 put Mark Reynolds into the Orioles' plans for 2013?
For most of the 2012 season, one that has mostly not been a good one for him, the assumption has been that Mark Reynolds would likely not return to the Orioles for the 2013 season. But after Reynolds' recent hot streak at the plate, is there a chance that could change? Can Reynolds still play his way into the Orioles' plans for next season? The Orioles hold a team option on his contract, but it would cost them $11 million for next year and that seems very unlikely to get picked up. But if...
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The O's battle Buchholz as they shoot for an 8-2 homestand

The O's battle Buchholz as they shoot for an 8-2 homestand
Tonight's Red Sox starter, Clay Buchholz, has three career shutouts, and all three have come against the Orioles. What are the odds? Not only that, but some fans will remember that Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the Orioles in just his second major league game on September 1, 2007. In his career, the right-hander is 6-3 with a 3.67 ERA vs. the Orioles. But, over his last eight starts against them, he is 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA. Buchholz has already faced the Orioles three times this year,...
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The Orioles now lead the AL in one- and two-run win percentage

The Orioles now lead the AL in one- and two-run win percentage
Orioles manager Buck Showalter is usually more than willing to give you a thoughtful answer to just about any question a reporter might ask during his pregame media session every day. But I found a question that didn't thrill him today. It was when I blurted out, "Hey Buck, what is the key to the Orioles success in the close games?" "I'm not going to jinx that," he said. But after winning 5-3 over Boston last night, the Orioles now lead the AL in winning percentage in both one- and...
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Steve Johnson is ready for his next chance, whenever it comes

Steve Johnson is ready for his next chance, whenever it comes
Orioles pitcher Steve Johnson is now listed as the O's starter for Saturday night's game at Detroit. If he is not needed in relief tonight, the Baltimore native will make that start and be back on the mound for, at that point, what would be the first time in 10 days. The last several days have been a whirlwind for the 24-year-old right-hander. He made his first Orioles start here on August 8 and got the win against Seattle, giving up two runs and five hits over six innings. The next day he...
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Dan Duquette on O's pitching philosophy: "We don't like the cutter"

Dan Duquette on O's pitching philosophy: "We don't like the cutter"
In an interview with Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette on Wednesday at Camden Yards, Duquette made it clear he is not a fan of young pitchers throwing cut fastballs. The Orioles have forbid their top pitching prospect, Dylan Bundy, from throwing his cutter this year and based on Duquette's comments yesterday, that policy may not be changing anytime soon. "The philosophy of the organization is to encourage pitchers to develop a good delivery, command of...
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Sox error opened door and O's kicked it in for 5-3 victory

Sox error opened door and O's kicked it in for 5-3 victory
One mark of a good team is to have a big innning when your opponent makes a critical mistake. Tonight, a key error by Boston opened the door for the Orioles and they kicked it in by scoring five times in bottom of the sixth in a 5-3 win over Boston. The win gives the Orioles a record of 64-53 and they are 11 games over .500 for the first time since June 18 when they were 39-28. The Orioles have now won five of the last six series against Boston and are 8-3 this year against the Red Sox. They...
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Miguel Gonzalez is pitching against his former organization tonight

Miguel Gonzalez is pitching against his former organization tonight
I wonder if Miguel Gonzalez will have some extra motivation for tonight's game. He'll be pitching against his previous organization, Boston, tonight. It's not that the Red Sox let him go, though. In fact, they signed him away from the Angels as a Rule 5 pick in December of 2008. Then he needed Tommy John surgery and spent the entire 2009 season on their major league roster without pitching an inning. Last year, Gonzalez pitched at three levels on the Red Sox farm, with most of his innings...
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J.J. Hardy talks about Manny Machado's defense at third

J.J. Hardy talks about Manny Machado's defense at third
There are few players more qualified to talk about defense than Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy. He's a good guy to go to for an early assessment of how Manny Machado is doing at third base as the guy that plays right next to him on the field. "He has made some nice plays and he's made the routine plays," Hardy said. "He looks comfortable. I think sometimes the guys will come up and can look like a deer in headlights, but he's always aware of what is going on. Always, you know, checking...
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Thome on Bundy: "He looks like a great pitcher"

Thome on Bundy: "He looks like a great pitcher"
Jim Thome was in Bowie last night. Not to play on an injury-rehab assignment but to watch a top prospect play. He was sent to watch Dylan Bundy make his Double-A debut and left impressed with the 19-year-old right-hander. "His physical appearance - his arm, you know," Thome said about Bundy. "I'm not going to tell you everything (I liked about him), but he's got so much upside to him. He might be one of the best young pitchers I've seen in quite a while. "He looks like a great pitcher....
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