A dramatic comeback in Frederick and a disappointing loss in Baltimore

A dramatic comeback in Frederick and a disappointing loss in Baltimore
Some baseball games have many twists and turns. For reporters trying to produce a story on the game, key elements of the game and the story keep changing. That was true of last night's Carolina League playoff series opener in Frederick between the Keys and Lynchburg. First the story was Lynchburg's starting pitcher dominating the Keys. But then Frederick changed the script, scored four runs in the seventh and finally got to Lynchburg's Aaron Civale. The Keys led 5-4. But not long after that,...
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Walk-off win: Frederick stuns Lynchburg in playoff opener

Walk-off win: Frederick stuns Lynchburg in playoff opener
FREDERICK, Md. - The Single-A Frederick Keys scored four runs in the last of the ninth to stun the Lynchburg Hillcats 10-9 tonight and take the opener of a best-of-three Carolina League playoff series. Frederick can win the series on Friday night at Lynchburg. The Keys kept coming back tonight. They were down 4-1 after six innings and 9-5 after the top of the eighth. But they pulled off this improbable win, overcame four errors and beat the team with the best record in the league. The Keys came...
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Playoffs begin with Frederick looking for an upset (updated)

Playoffs begin with Frederick looking for an upset (updated)
FREDERICK, Md. - When the Carolina League playoffs begin tonight at Frederick's Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium, there is a clear favorite. It's not the home team. In what has now been reduced to a best-of-three series, the Single-A Frederick Keys (68-71) host the Lynchburg Hillcats (87-52) in Game 1 of the Northern Division Championship Series. With the impending threat of Hurrican Irma, the Carolina League today announced that both semifinal series are now best-of-three, reduced from...
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O's game blog: Kevin Gausman faces NY in homestand finale

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman faces NY in homestand finale
After splitting two games, the Orioles and New York Yankees wrap up their three-game series this afternoon at Camden Yards. The Yankees won 7-4 Monday and the Orioles won 7-6 on Tuesday night before Wednesday's rainout. Manny Machado's two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth gave the Orioles the 7-6 win as they pulled out their 12th walk-off win of the season. Machado hit his third walk-off homer since Aug. 18. Mark Trumbo, Welington Castillo and Trey Mancini have also hit walk-off...
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Kendall on Mullins, Hays stacks up, Gausman faces New York

Kendall on Mullins, Hays stacks up, Gausman faces New York
BOWIE, Md. - When the Eastern League playoffs begin tonight as Double-A Bowie hosts Altoona in a best of five series, Baysox manager Gary Kendall is confident he can count on outfielder Cedric Mullins. The young man was the talk of Orioles spring training camp in March as he kept getting called over from minor league camp and kept impressing manager Buck Showalter. He even hit an opposite field homer off Boston closer Craig Kimbrel. The Orioles skipped Mullins, who played last year for Single-A...
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Eastern League playoff notes and quotes from Bowie

Eastern League playoff notes and quotes from Bowie
BOWIE, Md. - It has been an exciting few days here in Bowie. On Tuesday, the Double-A Bowie Baysox sent outfielder Austin Hays to join the Orioles. Today, Bowie's Garabez Rosa was named the Eastern League Most Valuable Player. But tonight's scheduled playoff series opener between Bowie and Altoona has been rained out. The first two games in Bowie are now scheduled for Thursday and Friday nights at 7:05 p.m at Prince George's Stadium. Go to baysox.com for ticket information. Rosa joins Calvin...
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Bowie's Garabez Rosa named Eastern League MVP

Bowie's Garabez Rosa named Eastern League MVP
After a season where he led the league in batting and RBIs, Double-A Bowie's Garabez Rosa has been named the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern League for 2017. Rosa topped all hitters in batting average (.310), hits (162) and RBIs (91). The 162 hits are the second-highest single-season total in Orioles franchise history and the 91 RBIs are tied for seventh most all-time. He also finished second in the Eastern League in total bases (232) and tied for second in runs scored (75). He hit 14 home...
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More on Machado's heroics, plus Hays on his power

More on Machado's heroics, plus Hays on his power
New York Yankees right-hander Dellin Betances has allowed three homers in 52 2/3 innings this year and two of them have come the past two nights against the Orioles. Betances made two big mistakes in the ninth last night. First, he walked Tim Beckham to give Manny Machado a chance. And he left a breaking ball up in the zone that Machado could mash. He did. It was a walk-off two-run home run in the last of the ninth as the Orioles, once down 6-1, beat the Yankees 7-6. Machado has three walk-off...
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Manny Machado hits two-run walk-off homer in ninth (with quotes)

Manny Machado hits two-run walk-off homer in ninth (with quotes)
Well, Oriole magic can happen even in the early morning hour of a Wednesday. With the Orioles down to their last out, Manny Machado hit a walk-off two-run homer off right-hander Dellin Betances as the Orioles stunned the New York Yankees 7-6 in the ninth inning at Camden Yards. They rallied from a 6-1 deficit to win. Betances made a big mistake. He walked Tim Beckham with two outs and none on in the ninth. That gave Machado an at-bat and he would follow with his second homer of the night for...
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O's game blog: Notes on Austin Hays, Alex Wells and more

O's game blog: Notes on Austin Hays, Alex Wells and more
Tonight's Orioles-Yankees game will not start on time. As of about 6:40 p.m. it was raining steadily at Oriole Park and the tarp is on the field. No start time was announced and we'll keep you posted when we hear any updates. Earlier today, the Orioles announced that Single-A Delmarva lefty Alex Wells has been named their minor league Pitcher of the Year, winning the Jim Palmer Award. The 20-year left-hander from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia finished 11-5 with a 2.38 ERA for the...
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Chris Davis on nomination for the Robert Clemente Award

Chris Davis on nomination for the Robert Clemente Award
The Orioles' Chris Davis is the club's 2017 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, the most prominent individual player award bestowed by MLB. The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a player from each club who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. "It is definitely an honor," Davis said this afternoon. "For as long as I can remember it's...
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Delmarva's Alex Wells named O's minor league Pitcher of Year

Delmarva's Alex Wells named O's minor league Pitcher of Year
After a year in which he led the South Atlantic League in ERA and didn't walk a batter over his last 68 innings, Single-A Delmarva's Alex Wells has been named the Orioles minor league Pitcher of the Year. He wins the Jim Palmer Award. The 20-year left-hander from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia finished 11-5 with a 2.38 ERA for the Shorebirds. He also led the South Atlantic League in WHIP at 0.91 and finished tied for second in wins. Wells walked just 10 batters all year and fanned 113...
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Minor league notes and a look at the Yankees-O's series

Minor league notes and a look at the Yankees-O's series
All but one of the Orioles' minor league affiliates have completed the regular season after Monday's games. Short-season Single-A Aberdeen (40-33) still has three games to play and is three games behind in the New York-Penn League wild card race. Single-A Frederick (68-71) and Double-A Bowie (72-68) will begin the playoffs at home on Wednesday night. While Frederick finished three games under .500, its second-half record (37-33) got the Keys in and they will host Lynchburg Wednesday and...
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O's early lead evaporates in 7-4 loss in series opener (with quotes)

O's early lead evaporates in 7-4 loss in series opener (with quotes)
The Orioles hit two early homers. They had right-hander Dylan Bundy on the mound and he blanked the New York Yankees through three innings. With a 3-0 lead, the Orioles were off to a good start today. But it didn't last. The Yankees would score seven runs over the next three innings to storm back and beat the Orioles 7-4 today in front of 37,622 at Camden Yards. New York takes the opener of a three-game series. Bundy, who had pitched a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts Tuesday against...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Yankees in series opener

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Yankees in series opener
On Tuesday night, Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy (13-8, 3.94 ERA) pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout with a career-high 12 strikeouts against Seattle. He faces the Yankees today in his follow-up act. The Orioles (70-67) and Yankees (73-63) play the opener of a three-game series this afternoon. Baltimore trails New York by 3 ½ games for second in the division and also for the first AL wild card spot. The Orioles and Angels are both 1 ½ games behind the Twins for the first AL wild...
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Mark Trumbo's bat heats up, plus minor league playoffs news

Mark Trumbo's bat heats up, plus minor league playoffs news
Mark Trumbo produced his ninth career walk-off hit yesterday, his line drive single to left in the 12th lifting the Orioles to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Perhaps that hit and some hits in recent games means Trumbo's bat may be coming around down the stretch. He went 3-for-6 Sunday and also hit his 21st homer. In the four-game series he went 8-for-20 with a homer and four RBIs. Trumbo said he's made some good contact up the middle in recent days and feels that's a good sign for...
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Trumbo, Tillman, Schoop and more after 12-inning win

Trumbo, Tillman, Schoop and more after 12-inning win
As it turned out, the Orioles would not go hitless today with runners in scoring position. They were 0-for-16 when Mark Trumbo batted with runners at first and second and two outs in the 12th inning. Trumbo lined a Danny Barnes 1-0 changeup to left and well beyond the diving attempt of Steve Pearce. Jonathan Schoop scored easily as the Orioles beat Toronto 5-4 with their 11th walk-off win of the year. But before Trumbo could win it, the Orioles were down 4-3 and had to tie it in the ninth...
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O's tie it in ninth, get walk-off win in 12th against Blue Jays

O's tie it in ninth, get walk-off win in 12th against Blue Jays
Three outs from a damaging loss, the Orioles instead pulled out an important win. They got a game-tying homer in the last of the ninth and Mark Trumbo's walk-off single in the last of the 12th to beat Toronto 5-4. They trailed Toronto 4-3 heading to the last of the ninth and Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna, who has 35 saves, came on. But catcher Welington Castillo greeted him with his second solo homer of the day and the Orioles had life. With two outs, Osuna walked Manny Machado and Jonathan...
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O's Manny Machado is AL Player of the Month for August

O's Manny Machado is AL Player of the Month for August
Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has been named the American League Player of the Month for August. In 29 games during the month, Machado hit .341/.348/.690 with six doubles, one triple, 12 homers, 35 RBIs and an OPS of 1.039. His 35 RBIs led the American League and ranked second in the majors. Machado's 12 home runs were tied with the Blue Jays' Josh Donaldson and the Yankees' Gary Sánchez for the league lead during the month. His slugging percentage ranked fourth in the AL. Machado...
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O's game blog: Chris Tillman pitches series finale

O's game blog: Chris Tillman pitches series finale
Right-hander Chris Tillman (1-7, 7.91 ERA), who has had a season's worth of struggles in 2017, will try to pitch the Orioles to a four-game split with Toronto this afternoon. The Blue Jays had lost 10 of 12 games when this series began, but they've held the Orioles to three runs over the last two games and have taken two of three in this series. The Orioles have gone 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position in the past two nights. The Orioles (69-67) have now fallen 2 1/2 games back for the...
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