Minor league notebook: Mountcastle's return, props for Peralta & more

Minor league notebook: Mountcastle's return, props for Peralta & more
Orioles third base prospect Ryan Mountcastle is expected to join Double-A Bowie sometime in the next several days. He's played four games at extended spring training in Florida with two games in the field. He will probably head north after another three or four games in Florida and join the Baysox. Mountcastle had been out since mid-March when he was hit by a pitch in a minor league spring game and suffered a hairline fracture in his right hand. He is ranked as the No. 65 prospect in baseball...
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O's game blog: Orioles try to snap 10-game road losing streak

O's game blog: Orioles try to snap 10-game road losing streak
The Orioles have lost four in a row, not winning since Sunday at home versus Detroit. They have lost 10 straight road games, not winning since Sunday April 8 at New York. Tonight they try to end both streaks at Oakland in the second of three games in this series. The road trip started with the Orioles being swept three at Anaheim, as they were outscored 25-12 by the Angels. Last night they trailed 4-1 after one inning, tied the game in the sixth, only to lose 6-4 at Oakland. The Orioles have...
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O's latest loss had familiar look (plus last night on the farm)

O's latest loss had familiar look (plus last night on the farm)
Once again, the Orioles lost the first inning. Once again, their defense let them down. Once again, they lost. It's May 5 and the Orioles have won road games in one venue all year and that was Yankee Stadium, their 2017 house of horrors. They went 3-1 there from April 5-8 and that was great. But that series is the season highlight. In Houston, Boston, Detroit, Anaheim and now Oakland, the Orioles are a combined 0-13. They've now lost 10 consecutive road games. They allowed two unearned runs...
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O's game blog: Andrew Cashner pitches Oakland series opener

O's game blog: Andrew Cashner pitches Oakland series opener
The Orioles last road win came on Sunday, April 8 at Yankee Stadium. They have lost nine road games in a row since, going 3-13 on the year away from Camden Yards. When they lost to the Angels last night, it marked the fourth time this year the Orioles have gone 0-3 in a road series. They've been swept in Houston, Boston, Detroit and Anaheim. Tonight they try again to improve on what is now an 8-23 record with losses in four of five, nine of 11 and 17 of 21 games. The Orioles begin a three-game...
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Another look at Chris Tillman's struggles as O's get swept

Another look at Chris Tillman's struggles as O's get swept
ANAHEIM, Calif. - For the Orioles, from the clubhouse to the manager's office, it has to be brutal to watch Chris Tillman struggle so badly. He was good for the team for a long time, but it is becoming harder by the day to envision those days returning. He throws seven scoreless against the Tigers and then gets just three outs last night. Tillman allowed seven hits and seven runs in one inning plus two batters as the Los Angeles Angels routed the Orioles 12-3 to complete a three-game...
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Chris Tillman allows seven runs as O's are swept (quotes added)

Chris Tillman allows seven runs as O's are swept (quotes added)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Pitching six days after his best start of the 2018 season, Chris Tillman tonight had his worst. The Los Angeles Angels scored five runs off the right-hander in the last of the first and knocked him out two batters into the second inning as they routed the Orioles 12-3 at Angel Stadium. Albert Pujols went 1-for-4 tonight with a two-run double in the second and he ended the night at 2,999 hits. His chase to become the 32nd player in major league history to get 3,000 hits will...
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Buck Showalter on Chris Davis' comments and more (game update)

Buck Showalter on Chris Davis' comments and more (game update)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter today was asked to weigh in on Chris Davis' postgame comments after last night's 10-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. For the second night in a row, the Orioles had little offense until the ninth inning, when they scored five runs. Davis said the team needs to become less reliant on homers to consistently score. "I felt like we kind of singled them to death in that last inning," Davis said last night. "That has to be our approach, day in and...
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O's game blog: Chris Tillman pitches series finale in Anaheim

O's game blog: Chris Tillman pitches series finale in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, Calif. - As the Orioles take the field tonight, some questions come to mind. Can they get their offense going before the ninth inning? Is Chris Tillman really beginning to pitch better? Will the Orioles ever win another road game? The Orioles have lost eight straight on the road and are 3-12 away from Camden Yards this year. They went 3-1 at Yankee Stadium and are winless everywhere else. A loss tonight and they will have been swept three straight for the fourth time in 2018. Tillman...
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For three Orioles, Angels series provides California homecoming

For three Orioles, Angels series provides California homecoming
ANAHEIM, Calif. - While the Orioles roster contains players from all over the United States - in addition to players from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela - three Orioles are enjoying a homecoming of sorts during this series against the Angels. Not only are outfielder/designated hitter Mark Trumbo, catcher Chance Sisco and pitcher Chris Tillman from California, but all three were born 30 miles or less from Angel Stadium. Trumbo was born in Anaheim and played high school ball at Villa Park...
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Chris Davis calls for a change in the offensive approach (plus other notes)

Chris Davis calls for a change in the offensive approach (plus other notes)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - For two nights in a row in Anaheim, the Orioles offense did little until the ninth inning. The Orioles lost 10-7 last night but scored five in the ninth to make the final more respectable. They entered the final inning behind 10-2. In this series they've scored two runs on six hits in innings one through eight and seven runs on eight hits in the ninth Tuesday and Wednesday. When Chris Davis was asked why it took so long to score, he had this answer: "I don't know. I don't...
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Dylan Bundy allows three homers as Angels beat O's (quotes added)

Dylan Bundy allows three homers as Angels beat O's (quotes added)
It was just 12 days ago that Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy had an ERA of 1.42 that ranked fourth-best in the American League. But for the second game in a row, he got hit hard tonight as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Orioles 10-7 at Angels Stadium. The Orioles are 8-22 and have lost eight straight road games. They start this six-game road trip at 0-2. The Orioles have lost eight of 10 and 16 of their last 20 games. Bundy tied a career high by allowing three homers tonight and now has...
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Showalter on Brach and Trout's intentional walks (game update)

Showalter on Brach and Trout's intentional walks (game update)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter will seldom, if ever, publicly express how he will use - or not use - his relievers. So if he is making any changes involving struggling reliever Brad Brach, he didn't say so today. In fact, the skipper expressed confidence in Brach, who took the loss last night. Over his past four games, Brach has allowed 10 hits and six runs in 3 1/3 innings. His ERA in the ninth inning is 14.73. "He's going to get (more) opportunities," Showalter said....
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After collision last night, Chance Sisco is ready to play tonight

After collision last night, Chance Sisco is ready to play tonight
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Less than 24 hours since last night's collision with third baseman Pedro Álvarez's left arm, Orioles catcher Chance Sisco has soreness near his nose, but nothing worse. No concussion, no cuts. Officially, he suffered a facial contusion. Pretty remarkable since the collision - as Sisco went running to chase a foul pop along third base - left him on the ground for several minutes looking like a boxer that had just been knocked out. Sisco said today he is fine and available...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces the Angels in second game of series

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces the Angels in second game of series
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Orioles have lost seven consecutive road games and will try to break that streak tonight in the second game of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles were held to one hit and no runs last night through eight innings. Then they tied the game 2-2, scoring twice in the top of the ninth. But they lost 3-2 in walk-off fashion in the last of the ninth on Justin Upton's bases-loaded single off right-hander Brad Brach. The Orioles have won two in a row...
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Alex Cobb got his season going in the right direction in trip opener

Alex Cobb got his season going in the right direction in trip opener
ANAHEIM, Calif. - In the Orioles' latest loss - one where the offense came up short again and the defense made a key miscue - starting pitcher Alex Cobb was a bright spot. Signed by the club to a four-year deal worth $57 million on March 21, Cobb had begun his O's career going 0-3 with an ERA of 13.11 and with batters hitting .484 off him. This was very unlike the pitcher who was so solid over many years for Tampa Bay. His late signing, which led to an expedited spring training, hindered his...
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A few notes and quotes after the latest frustrating loss

A few notes and quotes after the latest frustrating loss
ANAHEIM, Calif. - On a chilly night in southern California, the Orioles saw both their losses and frustrations continue to mount. It was another night with not much offense. It was another night where reliever Brad Brach struggled. Those two points headlined their walk-off 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels that was the opener of a six-game road trip. But let's at least start on a positive note. Right-hander Alex Cobb began the night with an ERA of 13.11 and a .484 batting average against....
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Walk-off loss: Orioles fall 3-2 to Angels in trip opener (quotes added)

Walk-off loss: Orioles fall 3-2 to Angels in trip opener (quotes added)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb pitched much better. He seemed headed for a tough-luck loss until the Orioles offense finally came to life in the ninth. But the runs in the ninth only gave the Angels a chance for a walk-off win, which they produced in the last of the ninth. With one out, Brad Brach came on and allowed two straight singles and a walk to Mike Trout. That brought up Justin Upton, who lined an 0-2 single to left to end it as the Los Angeles Angels won 3-2. The...
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Mark Trumbo on return to the roster, plus a game update

Mark Trumbo on return to the roster, plus a game update
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Mark Trumbo only got 23 at-bats in spring training before he was shut down with a right quad strain. He recently resumed playing on the farm and got in a few at-bats for Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. Officially on the disabled list since March 26, his season begins for real tonight. He was activated before tonight's game and is batting sixth as the designated hitter tonight in Anaheim, where he grew up and where he also played from 2010 to 2013 for the Angels. It's...
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Showalter pregame on Machado, Davis, Trumbo and more

Showalter pregame on Machado, Davis, Trumbo and more
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter doesn't miss much, so it is safe to assume he's seen and/or read a few things about shortstop Manny Machado in the last 24 hours. The Los Angeles Dodgers lost Corey Seager for the year and now some feel they will pursue Machado via the trade route. But the skipper said today he is not paying much attention to such talk. "I haven't (watched it). In my office, I have the sound off for a reason," he said. "It is not a subject matter in our...
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Manny Machado on trade rumors: "I want to win with this team"

Manny Machado on trade rumors: "I want to win with this team"
ANAHEIM, Calif. - He was the subject of constant speculation and trade rumors on Monday, but the one person that didn't seem to pay much attention to them was Orioles shortstop Manny Machado. "I didn't read up on it," Machado said this afternoon in the Orioles clubhouse. "I was trying to enjoy my day off as much as I can, laying in bed watching my TV shows. At the end of day, just getting ready to play today. I did not watch baseball at all yesterday." If he had, he would have seen his...
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