Orioles blank Astros to win season finale

Orioles blank Astros to win season finale
The Orioles lost a lot of games during the 2018 season. But they didn't lose their last one. They used a four-run fourth and got a combined three-pitcher shutout today as they blanked Houston 4-0 in front of 24,916 at Oriole Park. On the final day, Jimmy Yacabonis, Paul Fry and Mychal Givens threw a combined one-hitter. The Orioles recorded their seventh shutout. Fry picked up his first major league win. The Orioles end the 2018 season with a record of 47-115. The year produced the fewest wins...
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O's game blog: The season finale arrives

O's game blog: The season finale arrives
The worst season in Orioles history comes to an end today with Game 162. The Orioles host the Houston Astros in the season finale. The Orioles (46-115) have lost three in a row, 11 of 15, 17 of 22 and 29 of the last 38 games. They are 6-20 in September, their third month with at least 20 losses, after they went 6-20 in June and 8-20 in August. The Orioles are 0-6 versus Houston and 6-26 against American League West teams. Houston (103-58) has won the first three games in the series by scores of...
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A few notes and thoughts ahead of the season finale

A few notes and thoughts ahead of the season finale
The Orioles began this series versus Houston desperate for innings and quality starts from their rotation. They've gotten both the last two days and three games, but they still lost three in a row to the Astros. When this series began Friday night, O's starters had thrown just two quality starts the last 19 games. Now they've gotten three in three games from David Hess, Dylan Bundy and Yefry Ramírez. That trio allowed seven runs in 19 innings in a series in which the Orioles offense has...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy, Yefry Ramírez pitch in the DH

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy, Yefry Ramírez pitch in the DH
After Friday's 2-1 loss, the Orioles host Houston for two games today. The clubs play a single admission doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. Right-hander Dylan Bundy (8-16, 5.49 ERA) will make his 31st start of the season in Game 1. Bundy gave up four runs over three innings and threw 90 pitches on Monday at Boston. In his previous two starts, Bundy had allowed four earned runs over 12 2/3 innings, recording back-to-back quality starts. But Bundy has struggled often since the calender turned...
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David Hess states his case for 2019 rotation job

David Hess states his case for 2019 rotation job
Barring offseason trades and/or something else unforseen, the Orioles are likely set with three starting pitchers for the 2019 season: Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner and Dylan Bundy. With his performance in the final two months, right-hander David Hess has established himself in the hunt for one of the two remaining spots in next year's rotation. For a rotation desperate for innings, Hess delivered last night. Against a 100-win defending World Series champion Houston team, Hess went seven last...
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O's fall 2-1 to Houston to post 113th loss (with postgame quotes)

O's fall 2-1 to Houston to post 113th loss (with postgame quotes)
The Orioles got a strong start from right-hander David Hess, but their inconsistent offense produced little to back him tonight as they lost 2-1 to Houston to start the final series of the 2018 season. With the loss, the Orioles (46-113) tie the 1904 Washington Senators for the fifth-most losses in modern baseball history, dating to 1901. The Boston Braves are fourth with 115 in 1935. Baltimore has lost nine of 13 and 15 of its last 20 games. The Orioles have scored two runs or less in 10 of...
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With solid finish, is Renato Núñez making a case for a 2019 roster spot?

With solid finish, is Renato Núñez making a case for a 2019 roster spot?
Orioles third baseman Renato Núñez has been given the chance to play every day by the rebuilding Orioles. and he's taken advantage of the best opportunity of his young career. The 24-year-old from Venezuela got 15 plate appearances with Oakland in 2016 and 16 last year. Earlier this season, he got 41 plate appearances with Texas before he was designated for assignment and claimed on waivers by the Orioles. This year with Baltimore, he's gotten 206 plate appearances. With the final...
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Notes on the Houston series, future team leadership and more

Notes on the Houston series, future team leadership and more
A few quick thoughts and notes now that the 2018 season is down to three days and four games remaining: Houston hello: On April 2, the Orioles began their 2018 road schedule by playing at Houston. Tonight they close their home schedule in starting a four-game series versus Houston. In between they played 152 games. That's a long time between seeing an opponent that you play twice in one season. The Orioles have lost a lot of games since they were swept in that series at Houston by scores of...
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O's game blog: The final series of the year begins

O's game blog: The final series of the year begins
The Orioles begin their final series of the year tonight hosting four games over three days against the defending World Series champion Houston Astros. The scheduled series opener was rained out last night. Houston (100-58) lost at Toronto on Wednesday, but has clinched its second straight American League West championship. This is the third time in franchise history with 100 wins, topped only by teams in 2017 (101 wins) and 1998 (102 wins). Houston is the first team with back-to-back 100-win...
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If rebuilding O's look to Trey Mancini for leadership, he's ready to provide it

If rebuilding O's look to Trey Mancini for leadership, he's ready to provide it
After the July trades where some veteran leaders exited the Orioles clubhouse, a much younger and less experienced team emerged. There were fewer veteran leaders and there may be fewer yet in 2019. Outfielder/first baseman Trey Mancini looks around the clubhouse and sees that he has become a veteran on this team almost overnight. This time last year, he was wrapping up a strong rookie season, one that led him to a third-place finish for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. A year...
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The road schedule ends, league top 20s and a Victor Victor Mesa note

The road schedule ends, league top 20s and a Victor Victor Mesa note
And then there were four. The Orioles are down to the final series and final four games of the 2018 season, which will end up as their worst in team history. They host the Houston Astros the next four days at Oriole Park. They got blown out in the day portion of Wednesday's doubleheader at Boston, but posted a 10-3 win last night. That continued a crazy run of seemingly all-or-nothing offense for the club. In the last 19 games, the Orioles have scored six runs or more five times, but two runs...
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O's game blog: O's looking for a doubleheader split

O's game blog: O's looking for a doubleheader split
After getting blown out 19-3 earlier today, the Orioles play at Boston again tonight. It will conclude this three-game series, a day-night doubleheader and the Orioles road schedule for 2018. The Red Sox had nine doubles by nine different players and five homers from four players in winning the opener, scoring five runs in the first, three in the fourth, two each in the fifth and sixth, three runs in the seventh and four in the last of the eighth. Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and J.D....
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O's game blog: Ryan Meisinger gets the start in Game 1

O's game blog: Ryan Meisinger gets the start in Game 1
The Orioles end their 2018 road schedule with today's day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park, with games at 1:05 and 7:10 p.m. Boston won the series opener 6-2 Monday night before Tuesday's rainout. The Orioles are 18-61 on the road and have lost seven of eight and 15 of their last 17 away from Baltimore. They've lost eight straight road series and are 3-20-2 in road series for the year, winning series on the road versus the Yankees, Mets and Braves. The Red Sox are 7-1 at home and 15-2...
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Once again, DJ Stewart is overcoming struggles to swing hot bat

Once again, DJ Stewart is overcoming struggles to swing hot bat
Watching outfielder DJ Stewart get on a roll the last six games and go 7-for-14 for the Orioles with five extra-base hits, it can be easy to forget that Stewart struggled at times this year and at times during his career since the Orioles selected him No. 25 overall in round one of the 2015 draft. He joined the organization amid the hype and with the high expectations that any first round draft pick faces. But in 2015 at short season Single-A Aberdeen, Stewart hit .218/.288/.345. He started the...
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One of the best relievers in the Carolina League is now headed to the AFL

One of the best relievers in the Carolina League is now headed to the AFL
If you were to ask an Orioles fan which lefty reliever had the best season of any of the southpaws on the O's farm this season, that fan could make a very strong case for Tyler Erwin, who had an outstanding year for Single-A Frederick. The Orioles are sending Erwin to the Arizona Fall League, which begins next month. He'll play for the Glendale Desert Dogs. In 50 games for the Keys, Erwin, who turned 24 in August, went 4-4 with 18 saves and a 1.58 ERA. Over 68 1/3 innings, he allowed 45 hits...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy pitches Boston series opener

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy pitches Boston series opener
The Orioles begin their final road series of the 2018 season tonight at Boston's Fenway Park. The Orioles won Sunday in New York, to start this last road trip 1-2. The Orioles had 37 hits in the series in the Bronx. It was just the second three-game series all year where the offense produced 10 or more hits in all three games. The other was at home Aug. 27-29 versus Toronto. The Orioles finished the season going 5-4 at Yankee Stadium. Heading into tonight's game they are 3-23 on the road in...
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O's bullpen is finishing strong, providing hope for 2019

O's bullpen is finishing strong, providing hope for 2019
When a team has lost 110 games and seven straight series, it can be hard to notice when something actually does go well. But the Orioles bullpen was solid the last two days in New York and the 'pen has posted an ERA of 2.63 over the last eight games. Several pitchers are throwing well lately: * Tanner Scott has thrown scoreless ball in his last four games and in eight of his last 10 games, allowing two runs in 8 2/3 with three walks and 14 strikeouts. Scott has an ERA of 3.86 in the...
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O's game blog: Looking to avoid a sweep in the Bronx

O's game blog: Looking to avoid a sweep in the Bronx
The Orioles need a win this afternoon at Yankee Stadium to avoid being swept in a three-game series. They hit three homers but lost 10-8 Friday night. The O's outhit New York 12-7 Saturday, and five pitchers held the Yankees offense in check. But the Birds lost, 3-2, in 11 innings. The Orioles (44-110) have lost six of eight, 12 of 15 and 16 of their last 20 games. They have lost the first two games of their past five series. A loss today and the Orioles would be swept in a series of three of...
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DL Hall moves into the top 100, O's lose No. 110

DL Hall moves into the top 100, O's lose No. 110
Baseball America recently made some adjustments to the bottom of its latest top 100 prospects list. A couple of prospects graduated, meaning they no longer have major league rookie eligibility. So BA added two players to the bottom of the list, and one was Orioles pitching prospect DL Hall. The club's No. 1 draft choice in 2017, Hall enters at No. 100. This gives the Orioles four in the top 100, with outfielder Yusniel Díaz No. 44, outfielder Austin Hays No. 58 and infielder Ryan...
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O's game blog: Orioles try to even series in the Bronx

O's game blog: Orioles try to even series in the Bronx
The Orioles play in New York this afternoon, looking to even this three-game series with the Yankees at a win each. New York outscored the Orioles 10-8 last night at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles (44-109) have lost five of seven, 11 of 14 and 23 of their last 30 games. They are 17-59 on the road and have lost 13 of their last 14 away from Oriole Park. After going 0-for-13 in his first five games, the Orioles' DJ Stewart is 4-for-7 in his last three games with a double, two homers, three runs and...
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