In case you haven't noticed, the Orioles are scoring some runs lately. They have scored 38 the last five games and 77 in the last 13, averaging 5.9 per game in that time as they began play tonight.
They have scored 27 runs on 36 hits in the last four games vs. the Yankees.
The homers are up, too. The Orioles have hit 17 over the last eight games and they haven't all been hit by Mark Reynolds, although he's been the clear ringleader.
The latest homer count:
* Chris Davis has six over his...
Even as he plays in this big series at Camden Yards, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado certainly has not forgotten the Double-A Bowie teammates he left behind a few weeks ago.
Machado was a big part of the team's success this year and he's excited to see that their winning continued even after he left for the majors.
He said he talked to a few of his former Baysox teammates on Thursday, the day after they won Game 1 of their playoff series with Akron.
"I talked to (Jonathan) Schoop...
As you have probably read, the Orioles' players were saying plenty of great things about the amazing crowd at Camden Yards last night. The sellout of 46,298 was roaring throughout the game.
Matt Wieters was asked again today about the atmosphere in the ballpark last night.
"It was the best I've played in front of here and I think it will be similar the rest of the series. But we have to focus on tonight's game. It we keep winning, they'll keep coming out," Wieters said.
"It gives you...
It was simply an amazing night at Camden Yards. From Cal Ripken Jr.'s statue ceremony and seeing the Orioles greats return again to one of the best home crowds just about anyone can remember at the Yard to the remarkable first inning that was topped by the last of the eighth inning, it was quite a night.
Every time you think the Orioles can't top their latest comeback or great win, they do.
The Yankees scored five runs in the first inning to lead the Orioles 5-0 on July 31 and couldn't...
Adam Jones answered the question about as definitively as he answered the Yankees' comeback tonight.
Jones put the homer he hit tonight to break the 6-6 tie in the last of the eighth at the top of his list on his all-time hit parade.
"That right there is the biggest hit I've ever had in my life," Jones said. "Everything else has been leading up to this. It's my 100th Orioles home run. If someone knows how to find that ball, let me get it. But (it's) the biggest hit I've ever had....
The Orioles let the lead get away, but certainly not the win tonight as they beat the Yankees 10-6 at Camden Yards behind a stunning power display in the last of the eighth. A frenzied sellout crowd of 46,298 looked on at Camden Yards.
The Orioles and Yankees are once again tied for first with identical 77-60 records.
Coming to bat right after seeing a 6-1 lead turn into a 6-6 tie, the O's unloaded on David Robertson. First, Adam Jones homered to left for a 7-6 lead one pitch after...
Some mid-game notes after the four-run first had Camden Yards rocking about as loudly as anyone here could remember.
Is the sink back on Jason Hammel's fastball? Did it ever go away?
No, but Hammel's ground-to-air out ratio did decrease during this season from 1.95 in April to 1.32 in May, 1.33 in June and 1.21 in July.
But Hammel got the first five Yankees out tonight on groundballs and then fanned Curtis Granderson to end the top of the second. He needed just 22 pitches over the first...
There were several interesting moments during today's statue ceremony for Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.
Among the most memorable was when Cal's brother, Bill Ripken, spoke and gave a passionate defense of Ripken's consecutive games streak.
"There were some doubters and haters that along the way blamed Junior for any of the Orioles' problems," Bill Ripken said. "He was selfish. For those people, I don't get you at all.
"The streak was about giving us the best chance to win every...
With a big series against the Yankees now hours away, Adam Jones said the Orioles are confident that they can beat the Yankees.
"We believe we can play with them," Jones said. "Not looking at the jerseys. You know who is over there and there are superstars. When I first got called up I was like, 'There's Alex Rodriguez, he seems like he's 7-5.'
"But over the years, you learn, you can play with these guys. They have been the elite of the game. But you can play with them. You wouldn't...
When the Orioles faced the Yankees last weekend, they pitched very well against New York. The Yankees' team average was just .167 in that series, and the Birds held that lineup to just 15 hits over 90 at-bats in three games. The AL's fourth highest scoring team was held to eight total runs.
While the Orioles hit six homers in that series, New York had just four extra-base hits in the series and went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Obviously the Orioles would sign up for pitching...
Long-time fans of the Orioles' Double-A Bowie affiliate can relate to long-suffering O's fans. The Orioles have made zero playoff appearances since 1997. Bowie had made just one since that year until this season.
The Orioles have not won the World Series since 1983. The Baysox have never won the Eastern League championship even though they have been playing since 1993. In fact, Bowie has never even won a playoff series, losing in the playoff's first round in 1993, 1994, 1997 and 2008.
So...
BOWIE, Md. - In what was his best outing yet at the Double-A level, Orioles top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy gave up just one run over six innings tonight as Bowie beat Akron 4-2 in Game 1 of a best-of-five Eastern League playoff series.
The Baysox played some tight defense behind him and backed the right-hander with homers from Rhyne Hughes, Ty Kelly and Ronnie Welty.
Bundy said he felt some playoff intensity out there tonight.
"Definitely, we want to win this thing. Quicker you win it,...
Tonight's playoff live blog: Welcome to tonight's live blog from Bowie where the Baysox host Akron in Game 1 of a best-of-five playoff series.
I will post notes and updates during tonight's game which will begin at 7:05 p.m. with Dylan Bundy making the start. Feel free to post any comments or questions you have in this blog.
Akron takes the early lead: With one out in the top of the second, the Aeroes Matt Lawson hit a solo homer to left off Bundy for a 1-0 lead. Now the Baysox are batting...
BOWIE, Md - The Double-A Bowie Baysox' pursuit of their first-ever Eastern League championship begins tonight when the Baysox host Akron at Prince George's Stadium in Game 1 of a best-of-five series. The winner of this series will meet the Trenton-Reading winner in the championship series that starts next Tuesday.
The Baysox' first season was 1993 and this is the team's 20th, but they have never won the Eastern League title. In fact, Bowie has never even won a playoff series, losing in the...
BOWIE, Md - Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman is with the Baysox in Bowie, but not to pitch in the Eastern League playoffs. He's just going to get a workout in today before he rejoins the Orioles tomorrow when the team returns to Baltimore.
Tillman left Sunday's start in New York after just three innings saying his elbow felt "dead." An MRI on that right elbow revealed some inflammation in a nerve, but no structural damage.
Tillman said he felt pretty sure the MRI would not turn up...
Have the Orioles gone from a team that got off to a good start, to a surprise team, to a team of destiny to now, just a damn good team?
Could be.
Or maybe all four still apply, especially the last one.
Buster Olney said it well in a recent appearance on ESPN radio, when he said the Orioles "can smell it now." You can insert your own joke here, but you get the point. Now they can feel it, now they can taste it, call it what you will.
What Zach Britton said after the game last night has...
Mark Reynolds hit another big home run. Zach Britton pitched another strong game. The surging Orioles picked up another win.
It was close for a while, but ended as a blowout 12-0 victory over Toronto as the Orioles take the first two games in the series by shutouts. They have now held their opponents off the scoreboard for 22 straight innings.
This win could lead them to a first-place tie in the American League East. Tampa Bay is leading New York 5-2 in the eighth and the Orioles would tie...
Is Zach Britton's stuff getting better as the season goes on?
He is certainly pitching better and the stat sheet will tell you that his ground-ball ratio is identical to what it was when his ERA was 8.35 over his first four O's starts this season. But his ERA is 2.36 over his last four starts and 1.25 over the last three.
Why the improvement then?
My theory is that his slider and other secondary pitches have gotten better and been a real key for him. It sure was in his last start against...
Here are two stats that are clearly related: Since Aug. 3, the Orioles are 20-9. Since Aug. 3, their starting pitching ERA is 3.75.
Around that time in early August, the Orioles' starting pitching ERA for the year was 4.81, just a tick under its highest mark on the year. Now that figure is 4.58 to rank ninth in the AL; earlier, the Orioles were ranked 11th and 12th in starting pitcher ERA. That still rates a little below average in the AL, where the average mark is 4.40, but it's trending in...
He may no longer be young enough to get listed on some of those top prospects lists, and his defense has been questioned at times, but Robbie Widlansky has simply had one of the best offensive seasons of anyone on the O's farm this year for Double-A Bowie.
Consider that he has hit well against both left (.305) and right-handed pitchers (.318). Consider that he is second among all Orioles minor leaguers in batting average and first in RBIs. Consider his .387 average with runners in scoring...