O's game blog: Series begins vs. Rays

O's game blog: Series begins vs. Rays
After scoring 23 runs in back-to-back wins that followed a 19-game losing streak, the Orioles have a bit of momentum as they head into the series that begins tonight at Oriole Park. But this series is against the team with which they have had the toughest time this year. The first-place Tampa Bay Rays (79-48) come to Baltimore for a three-game weekend series to wrap up a nine-game homestand for the Orioles. The Rays are 15-1 this season against the Orioles and have outscored Baltimore 128-57 in...
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Jorge López gets off to good start in 'pen, plus other O's notes

Jorge López gets off to good start in 'pen, plus other O's notes
It was two innings at the end of a blowout win for the Orioles. But for the second time in two outings, right-hander Jorge López threw scoreless ball out of the bullpen. He's now thrown three scoreless innings in his new role on the pitching staff. Over two innings Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels, López, who went 3-14 with a 6.35 ERA in 25 games as a starter, retired six of seven batters, fanned four, allowing no hits or runs. In his first relief outing, when he pitched one...
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Akin's strong start, Mullins steals, Severino slam as O's win again

Akin's strong start, Mullins steals, Severino slam as O's win again
When the day began and he took the mound with a record of 0-8 and 7.92 ERA, lefty Keegan Akin would probably have been an unlikely candidate to become the first Baltimore pitcher this year not named John Means to go seven innings or more. But he pitched his way out of an early jam in the top of the second and got rolling after that. Akin was stellar on the mound in the heat of Camden Yards this afternoon, and the O's put up a big inning in the last of the fifth to beat the Los Angeles Angels...
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O's game blog: Looking for a series victory

O's game blog: Looking for a series victory
Now that a 19-game losing streak has ended, the Orioles can win a series for the first time in about a month if they beat the Los Angeles Angels today. It's the final game of a three-game series and the sixth game of a nine-game homestand. The Orioles hit three homers off right-hander Shohei Ohtani last night - Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and DJ Stewart all connected - as they won 10-6. It was the Orioles' first win since Aug. 2 and first home win since July 28. After they had scored...
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The homers, the bullpen and the fans get credit for streak-ender

The homers, the bullpen and the fans get credit for streak-ender
It was not an evening billed as "Fantastic Fans Night" as it was in May 1988. Then, just days after the Orioles had snapped their 0-21 start to the season, more than 50,000 fans showed up to welcome them home at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. But when the Orioles rallied for five runs in the last of the eighth last night and took a 10-6 lead over the Los Angeles Angels, a crowd of 15,867 - some of them there, no doubt, because Shohei Ohtani was pitching - roared their approval. It sounded...
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Three homers off Ohtani, eighth-inning rally end losing streak

Three homers off Ohtani, eighth-inning rally end losing streak
The Orioles may have pulled this game out tonight with an eighth-inning rally, but some things that happened before that were also vital as the club snapped a 19-game losing streak, the second-longest in team history. The Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-6 to win for the first time since they beat the New York Yankees 7-1 on Aug. 2. The losing streak ends two short of the club record. It started with the power surge off Los Angeles Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani began the night...
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O's game blog: Birds face Shohei Ohtani at Camden Yards

O's game blog: Birds face Shohei Ohtani at Camden Yards
The pitcher standing between the Orioles tonight and possibly ending the second-longest losing streak in club history is also the major league homer run leader. The Los Angeles Angels' amazing right-hander, Shohei Ohtani, who has hit 40 homers while also posting an 8-1 record and 2.79 ERA on the mound, will bat and pitch versus the Orioles tonight at Camden Yards. He is facing the Orioles as a pitcher for the first time. On the year, Ohtani has thrown 100 innings, allowing 67 hits and just...
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They are No. 1: O's move to top of farm rankings

They are No. 1: O's move to top of farm rankings
They are No. 1, the best farm system in all of Major League Baseball. The Orioles moved to the top spot in the latest organizational rankings released last night by MLBPipeline.com. Just eight days ago, the Orioles were ranked No. 2 by Baseball America. So this news comes at a time when the Orioles have the worst record in the majors and a 19-game losing streak after Tuesday's 14-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles had the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2019, No. 2 the next year and No....
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O's game blog: O's face Dylan Bundy as series begins

O's game blog: O's face Dylan Bundy as series begins
The Orioles drafted him No. 4 overall out of an Oklahoma high school in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. Starting in 2012 and running through the 2019 season, right-hander Dylan Bundy pitched in 127 games with the Orioles. Tonight he will face them for the first time, standing between his former club and their possible ending of an 18-game losing streak. On Dec. 4, 2019, the club traded Bundy to the Los Angeles Angels for minor leaguer right-handers Kyle Bradish, Kyle Brnovich, Isaac Mattson...
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Sizing up some O's and wins and losses since 2020

Sizing up some O's and wins and losses since 2020
Today let's look at some won-loss math involving the Orioles. Will it explain anything or provide greater insight into the current team situation? Maybe, but very likely not in any significant way. I just find it interesting and would love to hear what readers think it means, if anything. Starting with the beginning of the 2020 shortened season and going through the first 31 games of this year, the Orioles over that 91-game sample had a much better record than they have had this year in the 92...
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A look at two talented, young shortstops on the farm

A look at two talented, young shortstops on the farm
The Orioles certainly have some shortstops they like at higher minor league levels, including players like Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson, Mason McCoy and a few others. But they are also pleased so far with what they have seen this season from some talented, young shortstops playing at the lower levels. In the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, they believe that 17-year-old Venezuelan Maikol Hernandez is already showing his solid tools despite modest offensive stats so far. In January,...
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O's game blog: Looking to break the streak against Atlanta

O's game blog: Looking to break the streak against Atlanta
The Orioles need a win today at home against Atlanta to avoid another three-game sweep and to snap a 17-game losing streak. First-place Atlanta has taken the first two games in this series by 3-0 and 5-4 scores. The Orioles hit four solo homers last night. Before this, the last time they hit four in a game was actually their last win: Aug. 2 against New York at Yankee Stadium. Last night Anthony Santander connected for his first two homers of the year batting right-handed. He hit his 11th from...
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The challenge of trying to stay upbeat during a losing streak

The challenge of trying to stay upbeat during a losing streak
As the Orioles' losing streak reached 16 Friday night, the team was remaining upbeat pregame in the clubhouse and keeping their energy and work ethic up amid mounting losses. Media is not allowed back in big league clubhouses yet, so we'll take manager Brandon Hyde's word for it. But that was the experience I had in 2019. The Orioles were losing games, but maintaining a positive attitude then as they are now, which cannot be easy to do. "I give our guys a ton of credit," Hyde said before...
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One-run game, but skid extended as Braves beat O's (updated)

One-run game, but skid extended as Braves beat O's (updated)
Coming into this contest against the Atlanta Braves, the Orioles had not played a game decided by one run since they beat Detroit 4-3 on July 30. During a long losing streak, they had lost every game by two or more runs. Mid-game tonight they were locked in a tight game, but would it still be that way at the finish? It would remain close, and after leading by one early in the game and trailing by one in the fifth, the Orioles went to the ninth down 5-3. Anthony Santander's second homer of the...
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O's game blog: Harvey against Smyly at Camden Yards

O's game blog: Harvey against Smyly at Camden Yards
The latest shot to end a long losing streak is tonight for the Orioles. They host the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a three-game series and it's part of the larger nine-game homestand that runs through next weekend. Lefty Max Fried threw a gem as Atlanta blanked the Orioles 3-0 on Friday night. He allowed just four hits - three singles and a double - and no Oriole advanced past second base. Fried improved to 11-7 with an ERA of 3.49, throwing 90 pitches, 66 for strikes. Over his last...
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Orioles moving struggling Jorge López to bullpen

Orioles moving struggling Jorge López to bullpen
In a few days, the Orioles rotation will undergo a change. That is because struggling right-hander Jorge López is moving to the bullpen, in a role to be determined, as of tonight when the Orioles host Atlanta at Camden Yards. López is 3-14 with a 6.35 ERA in 25 starts, covering 113 1/3 innings. On Aug 2 and Aug. 8, he threw two strong starts, allowing a combined three runs and five hits in 12 innings against the Yankees and Rays. But then he gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings versus...
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This O's draft pick patterns his game after Cedric Mullins

This O's draft pick patterns his game after Cedric Mullins
He said he was a bit shocked to be drafted by the Orioles. But now that he is here, he's very grateful to be wearing the orange and black, and he added that he patterns parts of his game after O's center fielder Cedric Mullins. In one interview with low Single-A Delmarva outfielder Donta' Williams this week, it is clear that he is a confident player and believes he can on day join Mullins as an Oriole. You have to admire the confident outlook of Williams (first name pronounced Don-tay), who,...
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O's game blog: Homestand begins against Braves

O's game blog: Homestand begins against Braves
If the Orioles are to end a 15-game losing streak when they start a long homestand tonight, they will have to beat a first-place team that has been recently playing outstanding baseball. The Orioles (38-82) host the Atlanta Braves (65-56) in the opener of a three-game series and nine-game homestand versus the Braves, Angels and Rays. The Braves have won six in a row, scoring 47 runs, and are 13-2 since Aug. 3. They were in third place and four games behind first when this stretch began. But...
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Top pick Colton Cowser banks hits now while looking to future

Top pick Colton Cowser banks hits now while looking to future
SALISBURY, Md. - Orioles top draft pick Colton Cowser seems to be making a pretty seamless transition to full-season baseball. Promoted to low Single-A Delmarva this week, he went 2-for-6 in his first two games with a double, two runs, an RBI, two walks and one strikeout. He had a 1-for-5 night with a booming RBI double in the third inning last night as Delmarva beat Fredericksburg 11-9. The Shorebirds are 3-0 since the arrival of 12 draft picks this week from the class of 2021. Cowser began...
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O's game blog: Series finale against Rays

O's game blog: Series finale against Rays
There was a time when the Orioles were playing good baseball on the road. But you have to go back to the beginning of the 2021 season. They went 4-2 on their first road trip to Boston and New York. They went 3-2 on a trip to Texas and Miami and 4-2 on a trip to Oakland and Seattle. That one ended with a no-hitter. But if they lose today, the Orioles will have a fourth winless road trip this year. From May 21-30, they went 0-10 at Washington, Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox. And from June...
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