O's game blog: The road trip moves on to Minnesota

O's game blog: The road trip moves on to Minnesota
When the Milwaukee Brewers blanked the Orioles 4-0 last night at Miller Park, they became the fifth team this year to sweep three straight from Baltimore. Tonight the Orioles face one of the previous four. They've also been swept by the Royals, Astros, Yankees and Twins. The Orioles (40-44) begin a four-game series tonight at Minnesota (43-41). It's the final series before the All-Star break. Right-hander Dylan Bundy (8-7, 4.02 ERA) will make his 18th start for the Orioles. After pitching...
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Bowie skipper talks Austin Hays, plus other notes

Bowie skipper talks Austin Hays, plus other notes
BOWIE, Md. - Orioles minor league outfielder Austin Hays turned 22 yesterday. He will probably remember being 21 rather fondly. In just over a 12-month span, he has been drafted in the third round by the Orioles out of Jacksonville University, hit .336 at short season Single-A Aberdeen, hit .328 at Single-A Frederick and now is batting .339 at Double-A Bowie. Isn't it supposed to get harder as you go up? Hays was recently named the organization's Player of the Month for June, batting .373...
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O's game blog: Birds trying to salvage a series finale

O's game blog: Birds trying to salvage a series finale
With losses by 8-1 and 6-2 scores in the first two games of the series, the Orioles need a win tonight to avoid being swept in this three-game set at Milwaukee. The Orioles have been swept three straight this year at Kansas City, Houston, in New York versus the Yankees and at home against Minnesota. At 40-43, the Orioles have matched a season high at three games under the .500 mark and have fallen 8 1/2 games out in the American League East. Their road record is 15-27 and they have lost 16 of...
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Nice rookie season: Trey Mancini has hit for average and power

Nice rookie season: Trey Mancini has hit for average and power
Orioles rookie Trey Mancini hit better than .300 for his minor league career. He is doing that this year in the majors, showing even more power than he showed for much of his time on the farm. For his minors career, Mancini hit .306/.357./472 with an OPS of .829. For the 2017 Orioles, he is batting .305/.351/.544 with an OPS of .895. Mancini hit 20 homers last year, but seven came when he began the 2016 season with Double-A Bowie. For Triple-A Norfolk in tough-to-homer Harbor Park, he had 13...
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O's game blog: Jimenez on the mound at Milwaukee

O's game blog: Jimenez on the mound at Milwaukee
So that was not the start of a road trip that the Orioles wanted. Left-hander Wade Miley gave up seven runs over 1 2/3 innings as they fell behind big early in the game and lost 8-1 at Milwaukee on Monday. In the last five games, O's pitchers have had a few ups and downs. In that stretch they've allowed zero, six, 10, one and eight runs. As for Miley, this was his shortest non-injury start of the year and fourth game where he has pitched three innings or less. Three of those have come over...
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Are the O's considering Tanner Scott a future starter?

Are the O's considering Tanner Scott a future starter?
When it was announced last Thursday that hard-throwing Double-A Bowie left-hander Tanner Scott was selected for the All-Star Futures Game, manager Buck Showalter made some nice comments about Scott and the strong season he is having. He also said this: "Who knows, he might even be a starting pitcher one day. If he can grasp the changeup like he's grasped the slider, who knows? He's doing well and has really gotten a grip on his walks. He's been fun to watch and we've had a good plan." The...
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O's game blog: Road trip begins in Milwaukee (O's lose 8-1)

O's game blog: Road trip begins in Milwaukee (O's lose 8-1)
When the Orioles begin a three-game series and seven-game road trip in Milwaukee this afternoon, they will be a facing a team that is in first place. While the Orioles (40-41) are in fourth place and 6 1/2 games out in the American League East, the Brewers (44-40) lead the National League Central by two games over the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs. Milwaukee, which saw a three-game win streak snapped Sunday, has spent 43 days in first place. The Brewers are 23-23 at home and 4-3...
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Notes and quotes with Dan Duquette, Kevin Gausman and more

Notes and quotes with Dan Duquette, Kevin Gausman and more
The Orioles may have a losing record at the season's halfway point, but for now, they are not considered sellers with the July 31 trade deadline approaching. It is all subject to change, but Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has made that clear in a few interviews now. The latest was Sunday when he was my guest on "Orioles Baseball Tonight" 105.7 the Fan in Baltimore. I asked Duquette to size up the first half. "I think everybody has seen the same thing," he said. "We were in...
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Postgame Gausman, Machado, Showalter quotes (updated)

Postgame Gausman, Machado, Showalter quotes (updated)
When he was sitting with an ERA of 6.60 in mid-June, you had to wonder if Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman would ever turn around his season. He may be doing that right now. Today, he followed up Tuesday's start of 5 1/3 scoreless in Toronto with seven scoreless in the Orioles' 7-1 win over the Rays. The Orioles avoided being swept as Gausman allowed just two singles and fanned nine while improving to 5-7 with an ERA of 5.61. He's allowed no runs and six hits in 12 1/3 those last two...
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Gausman deals, Machado homers as O's take series finale

Gausman deals, Machado homers as O's take series finale
Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman pitched a gem. Manny Machado hit a blast. Those were the highlights this afternoon as the two former Orioles first-round picks led the club to a 7-1 win over the Rays at Oriole Park. Using a fastball that nearly hit 100 mph and a, at times, swing-and-miss splitter, Gausman threw seven scoreless innings, allowing only two singles. No Rays runner reached third against him. He walked two and fanned nine to tie a season high in strikeouts and come within one of a...
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Duquette on Sedlock, plus Showalter comments (O's lead 4-0)

Duquette on Sedlock, plus Showalter comments (O's lead 4-0)
The Orioles' top draft pick from 2016, right-handed pitcher Cody Sedlock, went on the disabled list for the Single-A Frederick Keys on Saturday with a right elbow flexor strain. The No. 27 overall selection last year, Sedlock is 4-4 with 6.46 ERA. He got off to a great start for the Keys, pitching to an ERA of 1.64 over his first four starts, but has allowed five runs or more in six of his past nine starts. Earlier today, O's executive vice president Dan Duquette was my guest on 105.7 The...
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Right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis returns to O's roster

Right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis returns to O's roster
The Orioles are adjusting their bullpen once again. Right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis has returned to the team and right-hander Alec Asher has been optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk. Asher will pitch as a starter for the Tides. The 25-year-old Yacabonis was with the Orioles briefly last month. His contract was purchased and he was added to the 25-man and 40-man rosters on June 11. He got into three games before being optioned back to Norfolk on June 15 after the game. He posted a 10.80 ERA in those...
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O's game blog: Orioles need a win to avoid a sweep

O's game blog: Orioles need a win to avoid a sweep
The Rays have not swept three from the Orioles in Baltimore since May 17-19, 2013. After their comeback win Friday and blowout win Saturday, the Rays can sweep the Orioles today. Even if the Orioles get the victory, they are going to hit the season's 81-game midpoint today with a losing record. They are 39-41 heading into this series finale and Tampa Bay is 43-40. The Orioles were a strike away from a win Friday that would have moved them into third place ahead of the Rays, but now they trail...
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Dylan Bundy approaches 2016 innings total, plus other notes

Dylan Bundy approaches 2016 innings total, plus other notes
It has gotten this bad for the Orioles rotation. The one pitcher that could almost always be counted on is now struggling himself. Just 6 2/3 innings short of his 2016 season total now, Dylan Bundy allowed a season-high three homers in yesterday's 10-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Bundy gave up a trio of homers of over 400 feet each to tie his career high as he allowed five runs over four innings. He beat the Rays a week ago yesterday allowing three runs over seven innings at Tropicana Field. But this...
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Tampa Bay hits four homers in 10-3 rout of Orioles (quotes added)

Tampa Bay hits four homers in 10-3 rout of Orioles (quotes added)
Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy gave up a season high in homers while also recording his shortest start of 2017. It was not a good combination for him or the Orioles today. Pitching on six day's rest, Bundy allowed seven hits and five runs over four frames, as the Rays hammered the Orioles 10-3 at Camden Yards. When this series began, the Orioles were 10-3 at home versus the Rays since the start of last season. Now they've dropped the first two in this series. On Sunday, the Rays go for...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Tampa Bay

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Tampa Bay
The Orioles were a strike away from a win last night, but they could not get that 27th out or that last strike to wrap up a victory. Tampa Bay tied it in the ninth against Brad Brach and won it in the 10th against Darren O'Day. Today's scheduled start of 4:05 p.m. has been delayed by the threat of inclement weather with storms on the way. The tarp is on the field. Update: We are underway at Camden Yards. After a rain delay of 1 hour and 12 minutes, first pitch was at 5:17 p.m. The Rays' 6-4...
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Zach Britton feels ready to rejoin the Orioles

Zach Britton feels ready to rejoin the Orioles
Orioles closer Zach Britton has pronounced himself ready to return to the big league club after pitching back-to-back days the last two days for Double-A Bowie and Single-A Frederick. He still does have one more rehab outing to go Monday at Triple-A Norfolk and his official return should be next Wednesday in Milwaukee. Last night, Britton pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning at Frederick. It was his sixth minor league rehab outing spread through four different affiliates, with Norfolk being the...
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The scoop on Schoop: Coolbaugh on his breakout season

The scoop on Schoop: Coolbaugh on his breakout season
With a batting average hovering near .300 and an OPS 130 points ahead of last year, Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop is having his best season. The 25-year-old from Curacao is maturing on offense before our very eyes with a career-best walk rate and is on pace for 31 homers and 100 RBIs. Orioles hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh has watched Schoop raise his game while avoiding pitches down in the zone. Schoop has chased fewer pitches this year and he has sure done damage with those that are...
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One strike from victory, O's instead lose in extras (quotes added)

One strike from victory, O's instead lose in extras (quotes added)
One strike away from a win that would have moved them into third place, instead the Orioles suffered a deflating extra-inning loss tonight. Steven Souza Jr.'s three-run homer in the 10th off Darren O'Day lifted Tampa Bay to the 6-4 victory. After Brad Brach suffered a blown save with two outs in the ninth as the Rays tied it, O'Day came on for the 10th of a 3-3 game. He walked Corey Dickerson, who advanced to second on a groundout. Then he intentionally walked Logan Morrison. That set the...
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O's game blog: Chris Tillman on the mound in series opener

O's game blog: Chris Tillman on the mound in series opener
Last night the Orioles saw one struggling right-hander pitch a gem to lead them to a win in Toronto. Can it happen for them again tonight as they open a series in Baltimore? Chris Tillman (1-5, 8.39 ERA) will make his 11th start of 2017, looking to jump-start a season that has been running in neutral for him. The Orioles host Tampa Bay in their final home series before the All-Star break. Over his last four starts, Tillman has pitched to a 13.80 ERA and has given up five or more runs each time....
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