Renato Núñez says pregame work is starting to pay off

Renato Núñez says pregame work is starting to pay off
Orioles third baseman Renato Núñez said he feels like he's made some recent improvements on his defense at third base, which is starting to show during games. In a small sample size of 30 games for the Orioles, Núñez has made four errors, but just one in his past 13 games. Errors, of course are just one defensive stat to look at. In the case of Núñez, the eye test shows he has just looked much more comfortable at the hot corner in recent games. He said he's worked very hard...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Yankees on "Sunday Night Baseball"

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Yankees on "Sunday Night Baseball"
It is certainly not a showcase of two contenders, but for a few hours tonight, the Orioles will be in a national spotlight when they host the New York Yankees. The game will be shown nationally on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball." According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles are 13-18 all-time in ESPN Sunday games. The Birds will need a win tonight to avoid being swept in four straight by the Yankees. The clubs split their first 12 meetings this season before New York won here Friday night...
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The Orioles need a win tonight to avoid the four-game sweep

The Orioles need a win tonight to avoid the four-game sweep
Maybe the New York Yankees just got tired of hearing about the Orioles beating them six out of 12 times when this series began. They stormed back to beat the Orioles in 10 innings Friday night and then bashed five homers in two wins on Saturday. The Yankees have won the first three in this series by 7-5 (10), 10-3 and 5-1 scores. Before we lament the fact that New York has scored 22 runs and bashed eight homers in this series, the Orioles scored just four runs in two games yesterday. Their...
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O's don't score until ninth as Yankees sweep (with quotes)

O's don't score until ninth as Yankees sweep (with quotes)
It was a night where Orioles right-hander Andrew Cashner was getting in a lot of trouble, but he was minimizing the damage. But against struggling right-hander Sonny Gray, the Orioles didn't do any damage. The Orioles were nearly shut out for the 13th time as they lost 5-1 to New York, which sweeps the day-night doubleheader. The Yankees can sweep a four-game series here on Sunday night. The Yankees scored in the first inning in both games today. Tonight, Brett Gardner smoked the first pitch...
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O's game blog: Andrew Cashner on the mound as O's look for split

O's game blog: Andrew Cashner on the mound as O's look for split
Orioles pitchers have allowed 17 runs and 21 hits, including seven homers, in the first two games of this series against the New York Yankees, losing 7-5 in 10 innings and 10-3. Tonight, the Orioles host New York in the third game of a four-game series. The Yankees hit four homers off four different pitchers to win the day portion of this day-night doubleheader, 10-3, in front of 32,445 at Camden Yards. The Orioles (37-92) have lost six in a row and fall to 6-8 against New York and to 21-42 at...
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Yacabonis gets early exit as O's drop Game 1 (postgame quotes)

Yacabonis gets early exit as O's drop Game 1 (postgame quotes)
After losing a late lead last night, the Orioles were ahead early in today's game. But that lead didn't last long, either, as New York scored six runs over the third and fourth innings to pull ahead and away to a 10-3 win in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader at Oriole Park. The Orioles' (37-92) latest losing streak has reached six in a row. They have had seven losing streaks of at least six games in the 2018 season. They've now lost eight of nine, 13 of 15 and 17 of their last 21...
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O's game blog: Jimmy Yacabonis takes the mound in Game 1

O's game blog: Jimmy Yacabonis takes the mound in Game 1
The Orioles host the Yankees twice today at Camden Yards. It's a day-night doubleheader with games at 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. New York rallied for a 7-5 win in 10 innings last night at Oriole Park as Neil Walker and Luke Voit hit 10th-inning homers off Cody Carroll to break a 4-4 tie. The Orioles (37-91) have lost five in a row and this is their 10th losing streak of at least five games this year. They have four losing streaks of seven games or more and a nine-game streak is the longest of the...
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This one gets away from the 'pen, plus more on Players' Weekend

This one gets away from the 'pen, plus more on Players' Weekend
So that is two bullpen meltdowns for the Orioles in the last two games. Their 'pen has allowed 10 runs in five innings over the last two games against Toronto and New York. The Orioles went ahead of the Yankees 4-2 in the seventh last night on Jonathan Villar's two-run homer but they lost 7-5 in 10 innings Gleyber Torres punched a two-run single into right against Mychal Givens in the eighth to tie it 4-4 and Cody Carroll allowed homers in the 10th to Neil Walker and Luke Voit as the Yankees...
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O's lose late lead and fall 7-5 in 10 to the Yankees (postgame quotes)

O's lose late lead and fall 7-5 in 10 to the Yankees (postgame quotes)
The Orioles bullpen has had some good moments in recent games. But tonight will not be added to the list. The New York Yankees scored two in the eighth to tie the game and three in the 10th to win 7-5 over the Orioles at Camden Yards. The Orioles (37-91) have lost five in a row, seven of eight and 16 of the last 20 games. New York (80-47) has the second-best record in the majors, won for the 12th time in 17 games and is now 7-6 against the Orioles. O's right-hander Cody Carroll, traded from...
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O's game blog: Orioles host Yankees as homestand begins

O's game blog: Orioles host Yankees as homestand begins
After a 1-5 road trip and an off-day, the Orioles begin a six-day, seven-game homestand tonight at Oriole Park. They are looking to break a four-game losing streak as they host the Yankees to start a series that includes Saturday's day-night doubleheader. Toronto will be in Baltimore starting Monday for a three-game series. While the Orioles are just 1-12 this season versus Toronto and 2-14 against Boston, they are 6-6 versus the Yankees. They won the season series in three straight years from...
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Zach Britton on returning to Baltimore with the Yankees

Zach Britton on returning to Baltimore with the Yankees
When former Orioles closer Zach Britton walked underneath the stands at Camden Yards today and down a tunnel, his destination for the first time in this park was the visiting clubhouse. He made it there eventually. "Walking down the tunnel and going past the home side, I stopped in for a second just to say hi," Britton said this afternoon during an interview in the Yankees dugout. "I've never been on the visiting side, so this is all new. I tried to talk to teammates that I didn't get a...
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O's are settling in with speed atop the lineup

O's are settling in with speed atop the lineup
We have seen it for five games now: center fielder Cedric Mullins as the Orioles leadoff batter and followed in the batting order by infielder Jonathan Villar hitting second. It certainly provides the Orioles with the kind of speed at the top of the order that we have not seen often in recent years. To this point the duo has not had either a significant impact or impressive stats batting at the top of the order. But the sample is small and I'm all for seeing more of it and seeing what those...
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A look at the rotation recently, plus notes on Castro, Hess and more

A look at the rotation recently, plus notes on Castro, Hess and more
TORONTO - The Orioles' starting rotation has had a wild ride the last turn through. On Saturday, Alex Cobb pitched a complete game, allowing two runs at Cleveland on 100 pitches. Yesterday, David Hess went seven innings, allowing three hits and one run at Toronto. But in between, the trio of Yefry Ramírez, Andrew Cashner and Dylan Bundy allowed 19 runs in 13 innings. Ramírez has allowed 15 walks and 20 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings in his past four starts. Bundy has allowed 21 earned...
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David Hess was strong, but trip ends with yet another Toronto loss

David Hess was strong, but trip ends with yet another Toronto loss
TORONTO - Today, Orioles right-hander David Hess controlled what he could control. He pitched a gem at Toronto. But he could not help an offense that got just two hits or a bullpen that gave up five runs after he left the game. The Orioles lost 6-0 today to Toronto to fall to 37-90 for the year and go 0-10 at Rogers Centre this season. But Hess seems to have turned his season back around. He had a four-start stretch in June where he gave up 21 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. Now, over his last...
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David Hess takes tough loss and O's go 0-10 in Toronto

David Hess takes tough loss and O's go 0-10 in Toronto
TORONTO - Who knew that Orioles right-hander David Hess, entering with an ERA of 5.95 and Toronto lefty Thomas Pannone, making his first big league start, would produce such a great pitcher's duel. But that duo did today at Rogers Centre. Hess took a no-hitter to the fifth and Pannone to the seventh. In the end the game was decided in the seventh inning when the O's blew a big rally and Toronto got a key home run. And the Blue Jays win was cemented and the pitcher's duel ended with a...
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Showalter pregame on Trumbo and more (plus a game update)

Showalter pregame on Trumbo and more (plus a game update)
TORONTO - The Orioles are still waiting to hear the decision by Mark Trumbo of the next course of action for his injured right knee. Trumbo went on the disabled list Monday with right knee inflammation. He has sought several opinions including one from Dr. James Andrews and one from Dr. Leigh Ann Curl, the head orthopaedic surgeon for the Baltimore Ravens. The Orioles would hate to lose Trumbo for an extended period. Since the All-Star break, he is hitting .284 with five homers and 16...
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O's game blog: O's look to avoid sweep with David Hess on mound

O's game blog: O's look to avoid sweep with David Hess on mound
TORONTO - Well this is the Orioles last chance. Last chance to win a game in Toronto in the 2018 season. They take an 0-9 record at Rogers Centre into this afternoon's finale of a three-game series with the Blue Jays winning the first two. The Orioles have been outscored 57-28 in the ballpark this year including 13-5 in this series. The Orioles have lost four games this year by one run at Toronto and one by two runs. Toronto (57-69) had lost four straight before the Orioles got to town. The...
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Message to Mullins: Make improvements or possibly give up switch-hitting

Message to Mullins: Make improvements or possibly give up switch-hitting
TORONTO - When it comes to exciting rookie center fielder Cedric Mullins, no doubt he has impressed Orioles manager Buck Showalter in many ways. With his speed, his defense, his maturity. But this year it was how he attacked a weakness during his time in the minor leagues that may have impressed his manager the most. In 2016 and 2017 on the farm, the switch-hitting Mullins produced much better numbers batting left-handed than he did hitting lefties from the right side. Mullins knew he needed to...
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Bundy hit hard as O's lose again (Hunter Harvey update)

Bundy hit hard as O's lose again (Hunter Harvey update)
TORONTO - Tonight it went from bad to worse for struggling Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy. After giving up 15 runs in his past two starts, he allowed seven more, and three more home runs, as Toronto beat the Orioles 8-2 at Rogers Centre. He failed to get an out in the fifth inning and allowed at least one run in four of the five innings in which he took the mound. Bundy went four innings plus two batters and gave up 10 hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 72 pitches and is now...
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O's set most of rotation for weekend (plus a game update)

O's set most of rotation for weekend (plus a game update)
TORONTO - We are still waiting to hear further word on Mark Trumbo, who went on the disabled list yesterday due to right knee inflammation. He can come back off the DL for the game at Kansas City on Aug. 31. But whether he will make it back for that game seems to be in question. Manager Buck Showalter said the team got an update from the latest MRI, and that he might have more on that for reporters after the game. "He talked to Mike (Jacobs, team orthopedist) afterwards and he's exploring his...
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