Post-game Notes: O's drop close one in Tigertown

Post-game Notes:  O's drop close one in Tigertown
Jeremy Guthrie had a strong outing in a losing cause Wednesday night. He allowed six hits and three runs over 7 1/3 as he falls to 7-11, 5.28. Two of the runs charged to Guthrie scored after he left the game. It was his 10th quality start of this season. The Orioles fall to 8-14 in his 22 starts. Guthrie allowed his AL-leading 27th homer, a solo shot by Magglio Ordonez in the fifth inning. Guthrie is now 3-6, 6.08 in 11 road starts. Not much action vs. Jackson - Detroit right-hander...
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Afternoon baseball: O's at Detroit

Afternoon baseball:  O's at Detroit
Game Preview Orioles (45-62) at Detroit (56-50) It's beginning to become an all too familiar story. The Orioles will play hard, be in the game to the final out, but in the end, lose a close one. It happened again Wednesday night, when Detroit beat the Orioles 4-2. The Tigers lead the four-game series, two wins to one. In the series finale today, at 1:05 p.m. the O's send right-hander David Hernandez (3-3, 3.28) to the mound vs. 20-year-old righty Rick Porcello (9-7, 4.36). Edwin...
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Today's pitchers: Hernandez vs. Porcello

Today's pitchers:  Hernandez vs. Porcello
RHP David Hernandez (3-3, 3.28) today makes his 9th start of this season, his 6th on the road and his 2nd of the year vs. Detroit. Hernandez won his Major League debut in Baltimore on May 28 vs. the Tigers. That night, he allowed five hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings. Hernandez took a loss last Saturday vs. Boston, allowing two runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 4-0. In his two previous starts, at New York and Boston, Hernandez pitched to an ERA of...
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Tigers gain early lead and top Orioles, 7-3

Tigers gain early lead and top Orioles, 7-3
Brandon Inge hit a two-run homer during a four-run second inning that gave Detroit an early lead. The Tigers went on to a 7-3 win over the Orioles Thursday afternoon, to take three of four in the series. O's right-hander David Hernandez, who had pitched to an ERA of 2.70 over his last five starts, today lasted just three innings. He gave up seven hits and five runs. Hernandez had allowed six runs total over his last four starts. He is now 3-4, 3.96. The O's scored on a Felix Pie RBI...
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Post-game Notes: Detroit gets series finale

Post-game Notes:  Detroit gets series finale
David Hernandez pitched so well at New York and Boston, but today lasted just three innings at Detroit. He gave up seven hits and five runs and is now 3-4, 3.96. Hernandez threw just 81 pitches, ending a run of six straight starts with 100 or more pitches. He had pitched to an ERA of 2.70 in his five starts before today. The Orioles are now 4-5 in Hernandez starts this year. The Tigers win the season series, 5 wins to 3. The O's are now 12-12 vs. the AL Central and are 17-15 at Comerica...
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Post-game notes: Birds fall to 0-2

Post-game notes:  Birds fall to 0-2
The Orioles, who went 17-22 in one-run games last year, have dropped two close ones to start the 2010 season after Wednesday's second straight, 4-3 loss vs. Tampa. Evan Longoria's solo homer in the 8th gave the Rays a 4-2 lead and insurance that offset a Garrett Atkins RBI double in the 9th. Longoria's two-run double in the 5th put Tampa ahead 3-2. The RISP stat tonight: The Orioles were 1 for 12 batting with runners in scoring position Tuesday and Wednesday were just a little better at...
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An educated opinion on Josh Bell

An educated opinion on Josh Bell
There are not many people in the baseball industry that know new Bowie Baysox third baseman Josh Bell better than De Jon Watson. Watson is the assistant general manager in charge of player development for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that traded Bell to the Orioles. He has gotten to know the player and person well since Bell began his Dodgers' minor league career in 2005. This year, before Bell and Steve Johnson were traded to the Orioles for George Sherrill, the 22-year-old,...
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Weekend preview: Orioles at Toronto

Weekend preview:  Orioles at Toronto
Game Preview Orioles (45-63) at Toronto (51-56) After losing three of four games vs. first-place Detroit, the O's road trip moves on to Canada where tonight the Orioles meet fourth-place Toronto. The O's have lost six of seven, 13 of 17 and 26 of the last 39 games. They are 17-37 on the road on the year and have lost 17 of their past 23 road contests. Pitching Matchups at Toronto: Fri, 7:22p - Jason Berken (1-9, 6.93) v. Ricky Romero (10-4, 3.53) Sat, 1:07p - Chris Tillman (0-0, 6.75) v....
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Tonight's pitchers: Berken vs. Romero

Tonight's pitchers:  Berken vs. Romero
RHP Jason Berken (1-9, 6.93) tonight will make his 14th start of the season, his 6th on the road and his 3rd of the year vs. Toronto. Berken remains winless since beating Toronto in his Major League debut on May 26th. That night he gave up seven hits and two runs over five innings. His most recent start was his worst of the year. Sunday he took the loss vs. Boston and gave up six runs and seven hits in just 1 1/3 innings, throwing only 53 pitches. Berken is 0-9 over his last 12 starts and...
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Looking around the Minor Leagues

Looking around the Minor Leagues
Some news and notes around the O's Minor Leagues. With all the players that have made their way from Norfolk to Baltimore this year, the Tides still have a good record at 61-51 and are three games out of first place. Brandon Snyder is hitting .424 with 13 RBI over his last 15 games. He has seven multi-hit games in that stretch. Justin Turner is batting .347 over 34 games. Jeff Fiorentino is 4th in the IL in OBP and 5th in batting and slugging. Joey Gathright is batting .389 during an...
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Berken gets his second win as O's top Jays

Berken gets his second win as O's top Jays
The Orioles rallied from a mid-game 3-0 deficit and Jason Berken finally got that elusive second Major League win as the Birds beat Toronto 7-5 Friday night to start a three-game series. Berken won his big league debut May 26th vs. Toronto but then went 0-9 over 12 starts - until tonight. Dave Trembley talks with Gary and Buck after the O's 7-5 win Berken, now 2-9, gave up five hits and three runs over six innings. He allowed back-to-back solo homers to Vernon Wells and Alex Rios in the...
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Post-game Notes: Berken and O's top Toronto

Post-game Notes:  Berken and O's top Toronto
Two starts ago Jason Berken left his start vs. Kansas City with a lead after giving up two runs over six innings, only to see his potential win go by the board when the Royals tied the game. Tonight, when he got the lead the O's kept it and Berken got his second win of the year as the Orioles beat Toronto. Berken beat the same team May 26th in his Major League debut. He was 0-9 over his last 12 starts until getting this win. It was his third quality start of the year as he allowed five...
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Afternoon baseball: Tillman takes on Toronto

Afternoon baseball:  Tillman takes on Toronto
Game Preview Orioles (46-63) at Toronto (51-57) For most of this season, the Orioles have struggled when playing AL East opponents. But not vs. Toronto. The O's have 15 division wins on the year and are 6-4 vs. Toronto. The Birds are 9-23 vs. the three other AL East teams. Today at 1:07 p.m. in game two of this three-game series, Chris Tillman (0-0, 6.75) pitches for the Orioles vs. former University of Maryland pitcher Brett Cecil (5-1, 4.36). Nolan Reimold and Nick Markakis knocked in...
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Today's pitchers: Tillman vs. Cecil

Today's pitchers:  Tillman vs. Cecil
RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 6.75) today will make his third Major League start of this season and the first of his career vs. Toronto. In his Major League debut, July 29 vs. KC, Tillman gave up three runs in 4 2/3. Monday at Detroit, he allowed five runs over six innings. Through those two starts, right-handed batters are hitting .304 vs. Tillman and lefties are batting .333. The Orioles are 1-1 in the two starts. In 18 starts earlier at Triple-A Norfolk, he went 8-6, 2.70 and allowed 2ER or...
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Lind wins it in 10th for Jays

Lind wins it in 10th for Jays
Adam Lind's RBI double to left with one out in the last of the tenth gave Toronto a 3-2 win over the Orioles on Saturday afternoon. The series is even at a win each. Joe Inglett led off the 10th with an infield hit, and, after a fielders choice and single by Aaron Hill, Lind hit one off the left field wall to end the game. Chris Tillman started and produced the best of his three starts so far for the Orioles, but did not get a decision. Mark VIviano talks with Danys Baez about the Orioles...
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Post-game Notes: O's fall in ten vs. Jays

Post-game Notes:  O's fall in ten vs. Jays
The Orioles fall to 4-4 in extra-inning games and are now 11-15 in one-run games and have lost six one-run decisions in a row. Tillman time - Chris Tillman pitched 6 2/3 innings, the longest outing of his three starts to date. The only runs he allowed came on an Alex Rios two-run homer in the second. He gave up four hits, those two runs, with three walks and four strikeouts. He threw 110 pitches, 66 for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 5.19. Through three starts, Tillman is still without...
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Sunday baseball: O's at Jays

Sunday baseball:  O's at Jays
Game Preview Orioles (46-64) at Toronto (52-57) The Orioles inconsistent offense was in down mode on Saturday in a 3-2, 10-inning loss vs. Toronto. The O's left 10 men on base and went 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles scored 13 runs in the first two games of their series at Detroit, then plated just five runs in the series final two games. They scored seven in Friday's win at Toronto and just two in yesterday's loss. Today they'll play the third and deciding game...
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Today's pitchers: Matusz vs. Halladay

Today's pitchers:  Matusz vs.  Halladay
LHP Brian Matusz (1-0, 1.80) today makes his second Major League start of this season. He got the win Tuesday at Detroit. In five innings, he gave up six hits and one run with three walks and five strikeouts. Matusz threw 99 pitches. In 19 starts this year between Frederick and Bowie, the 22-year-old Matusz went 11-2, 1.91 and fanned 121 in 113 innings. He began the year at Frederick, going 4-2, 2.16 in 11 starts. Matusz made his first Double-A start on June 17th and pitched even better...
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The home run problem

The home run problem
Giving up the longball continues to be a problem for the O's pitching staff. The Orioles entered play today with 138 homers allowed, the most by any staff in the American League. Brian Matusz gave up three homers today in his 2 2/3 innings outing. O's pitchers have now allowed at least one long ball in 12 of the last 13 games, giving up 23 in that stretch. Chris Tillman and Matusz have combined to allow eight homers in 25 innings so far. Meanwhile, the Orioles have hit 108 homers on the...
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Jays use longball to win series finale

Jays use longball to win series finale
Brian Matusz could not follow up his winning Major League debut at Detroit with another strong outing. Matusz got rocked for three homers today as his outing lasted just 2 2/3 innings as Toronto beat the Birds, 7-3, to win the series, two games to one. Kevin Millar hit a solo homer in the second while Vernon Wells and Marco Scutaro hit two-run shots in the third off the 22-year-old left hander. Matusz allowed five runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings to fall to 1-1 on the year. Brian Matusz...
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