Hot starts on the farm: Ring, Mountcastle deliver with bats (plus O's notes)

Hot starts on the farm: Ring, Mountcastle deliver with bats (plus O's notes)
One player is a high draft pick and the Orioles were confident he would do well as he moved up a level on the farm this year. He has so far. Another has basically come out of nowhere. But they both have gotten off to very strong starts with the bat. The first player is Single-A Frederick shortstop Ryan Mountcastle. He was taken with the 36th overall pick in the 2015 draft. The other is Single-A Delmarva outfielder Jake Ring. He was taken with the 931st pick (in the 31st round) of the 2016...
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Night of frustration: Gausman, Jones ejected and O's lose at Fenway

Night of frustration: Gausman, Jones ejected and O's lose at Fenway
At this point, what else could go wrong? Last night, Boston pitcher Chris Sale threw a 98 mph fastball behind Manny Machado and was not ejected. Tonight, Baltimore's Kevin Gausman threw a 77 mph curveball that hit Xander Bogaerts and he was ejected by a home plate umpire with an itchy trigger finger. There were no outs in the second inning at the time. That put the Orioles in a bind. They went on to a 4-2 loss to Boston. Major League Baseball officials told the management of the Orioles and...
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O's game blog: Gausman faces Boston; today's minor league results

O's game blog: Gausman faces Boston; today's minor league results
The Orioles send struggling right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-2, 7.50 ERA) to the mound tonight at Fenway Park. The Orioles and Boston have exchanged 5-2 wins the past two nights. Gausman will be making his seventh start. As play begins tonight the Orioles (16-9) and New York Yankees are tied for the American League East lead. Both are 2 1/2 games ahead of Boston, 3 1/2 up on Tampa Bay and eight games ahead of Toronto. Comparing Gausman's first three and past three 2017 starts: First three: 3.94...
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In Machado-Boston feud, a former Red Sox player sides with Machado

In Machado-Boston feud, a former Red Sox player sides with Machado
So it's pretty clear that when Boston lefty Chris Sale's 98 mph fastball went buzzing behind Manny Machado's legs in the first inning last night, the Orioles third baseman had about reached his breaking point. During his postgame interview, he went past that point as the emotions boiled over and came out during an expletive-laced response to the latest pitch thrown in his direction by a Boston pitcher. "Coward stuff," Machado said. "I mean, that's stuff that you don't (expletive) do,...
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O's game blog: O's battle Chris Sale (Sale and Sox win 5-2)

O's game blog: O's battle Chris Sale (Sale and Sox win 5-2)
Is the reverse lock in effect tonight? Little-known right-hander Alec Asher (1-0, 2.16 ERA) makes the second start of his Orioles career against left-hander Chris Sale (1-2, 1.19 ERA), a five-time All-Star who currently ranks first in the American League in strikeouts and second in ERA and WHIP. Let's just the say the Orioles are the underdog. The Orioles acquired Asher near the end of spring training in a March 28 trade with Philadelphia for a player to be named or cash considerations. He...
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A look at reasons for Dylan Bundy's great year

A look at reasons for Dylan Bundy's great year
They lacked a three-run homer, but the Orioles sure had some pitching and defense in last night's 5-2 win over Boston. Earl Weaver would have approved of that victory. He would loved to have seen right-hander Dylan Bundy use a combination of talent, smarts, work ethic and a great mix of pitches to get off to such a strong start. How about a 4-1 record and an ERA of 1.82? The Orioles are 5-1 in his six outings and he's produced six of six quality starts. Six times this year, an O's starter...
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O's game blog: Bundy faces Boston (Bundy and O's beat Boston)

O's game blog: Bundy faces Boston (Bundy and O's beat Boston)
The Orioles begin a four-game series tonight at Boston's Fenway Park. The Orioles won all three series there last season, going 6-3. They went 1-1 this year in a two-game series on April 11-12, losing the series opener 8-1 and then winning the next night 12-5. Since the 2012 season, the Orioles are 57-42 (.576) against the Red Sox. Since that season in Boston, the Orioles have a record of 30-19 (.612). After splitting that series in Boston and taking two of three from the Red Sox earlier at...
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Thoughts on Wade Miley, the AL East and O's-Boston series

Thoughts on Wade Miley, the AL East and O's-Boston series
The Orioles played just two extra-inning contests among their first 19 games this year. Now they have gone extras in three of the past four games, winning two of the three. Last year, Zach Britton went 47-for-47 in save chances. But over the weekend, with Britton pitching on a rehab assignment with Double-A Bowie, the Orioles blew two ninth-inning leads. At least the one yesterday was only a blown save and not also a blown game. The Orioles beat the Yankees 7-4 in 11 innings to tie New York...
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A look at the Orioles' crazy, improbable and dramatic win in the Bronx

A look at the Orioles' crazy, improbable and dramatic win in the Bronx
The Orioles escaped Yankee Stadium with a win today. They avoided getting swept in the three-game series. They did it the hard way. The real, real, real hard way. Once a team with a closer than almost never blew a ninth-inning lead, today the O's blew a lead in the ninth for the second time in this series. But right-hander Logan Verrett escaped a major jam in the 10th and the Orioles scored three in the 11th to beat the Yankees 7-4. The teams are once again tied atop the American League East...
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O's game blog: Orioles look to salvage series finale

O's game blog: Orioles look to salvage series finale
After losing 14-11 in 10 innings on Friday and 12-4 on Saturday afternoon to the New York Yankees, the Orioles have lost their first series of the season. They need a win today to avoid being swept three in a row. The Yankees' last three-game sweep of the Birds in New York was from July 21-23, 2015. The teams entered the second game of this series tied for first in the American League East. Now New York (15-7) leads the Orioles (14-8) by a game atop the division. The Orioles are 12-7 (.632) in...
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Ubaldo Jiménez struggles again; Yankees on verge of sweep

Ubaldo Jiménez struggles again; Yankees on verge of sweep
So for the Orioles, the process of regrouping after Friday's blown eight-run lead is going to take a little while. At least longer than a day after they were crushed 12-4 by the Yankees on Saturday afternoon. The O's pitchers entered the weekend with the third-best team ERA in the American League at 3.41 and now it is 4.24. The rotation ERA has gone up the last two days from 3.77 to 4.28. In 17 1/3 innings in the series, the O's staff has allowed 24 hits and 26 runs on nine homers. New York...
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O's game blog: Orioles try to even series (O's trounced, 12-4)

O's game blog: Orioles try to even series (O's trounced, 12-4)
The Orioles have been either tied for or alone in first place every day of the 2017 season. But a loss today at Yankee Stadium would end that streak. The Orioles and Yankees begin today tied atop the American League East at 14-7, both 2 ½ games ahead of the Red Sox and 3 1/2 up on the Rays. We'll soon find out if the Orioles bounce back from blowing a 9-1 lead and losing last night. It was the first time the Orioles had ever blown an eight-run lead in a loss to the Yankees. According to...
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Orioles don't have long to regroup after brutal loss in the Bronx

Orioles don't have long to regroup after brutal loss in the Bronx
As far as painful losses go, that one ranks right up there. The Orioles blew a 9-1 lead. They blew a three-run lead in the ninth. They lost to a bitter rival. They lost at Yankee Stadium. They are no longer alone in first place atop the American League East. We could discuss how it unraveled, who is to blame and what it all means, but the Orioles have another game to play this afternoon. A loss today will just make Friday's defeat even worse, while a win could begin the regrouping process. No...
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O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on the mound in series opener

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on the mound in series opener
Since the Orioles took two of three from the Yankees April 7-9 in Baltimore, New York has been doing a lot of winning. The Yankees began the year 1-4, but they are 12-3 since then and just took a two-game series from Boston with 3-1 and 3-0 wins. This is the Yankees' best 15-game stretch since July 9-July 28, 2015. New York is 8-1 at home and 3-0 in home series. Tonight these clubs begin a three-game series in the Bronx with the first-place Orioles (14-6) leading the second-place Yankees...
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Do the Orioles face a tough call on Chris Tillman?

Do the Orioles face a tough call on Chris Tillman?
Is a pitcher with an ERA of 6.35 and a batting average against of .319 in three minor league rehab starts ready to pitch in the majors? Those numbers suggest he's not, but Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman was pretty emphatic that the answer is yes when he was interviewed last night. Making his third rehab start and coming back from shoulder discomfort, Tillman pitched five innings for Single-A Frederick at Potomac. The small crowd at Pfitzner Stadium saw him allow eight hits and six runs...
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Despite mixed results, Chris Tillman feels ready to rejoin O's

Despite mixed results, Chris Tillman feels ready to rejoin O's
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman made his third minor league rehab start here tonight. Pitching for Single-A Frederick, he gave up six runs to the Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium. But despite a shaky pitching line, Tillman said felt great and he feels ready to join the Orioles' rotation and make his 2017 season debut. Tillman expects that decision to be made after he throws a side session Sunday. He could pitch for the Orioles on Tuesday in Boston or make another...
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Without everything clicking, Orioles are playing .700 baseball

Without everything clicking, Orioles are playing .700 baseball
So here are a few things going on with the 2017 Baltimore Orioles. Their opening day starter Kevin Gausman has an ERA of 7.50. Right-hander Chris Tillman has been on the disabled list all year and closer Zach Britton has been on the DL the last 10 games. All-Star third baseman Manny Machado is batting .205 and 2016 MLB homer leader Mark Trumbo is hitting .190. Trumbo has gone 13 games without an RBI and Chris Davis has one over his last 11 games. The O's rank 11th in the American League in...
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Bundy on his outing and reduced velocity (plus other quotes)

Bundy on his outing and reduced velocity (plus other quotes)
Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy delivered another solid performance tonight. He did it with reduced fastball velocity and heavy use of his secondary pitches. But he was good again, allowing four hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 5-4 by scoring two runs in the last of the 11th. He left with a 3-2 lead that turned into a tie and one-run deficit before the O's pulled the game out in the 11th. Well before Seth Smith's bases-loaded walk ended the...
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Walk-off walk: Seth Smith's bases-loaded walk gives O's a 5-4 win

Walk-off walk: Seth Smith's bases-loaded walk gives O's a 5-4 win
The Orioles scored two runs in the last of the 11th tonight, turning defeat into victory, to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 and improve to 14-6 through 20 games. Down 4-3 heading to the 11th, they loaded the bases on two singles and a walk with one out against Alex Colome. They would tie the game on Jonathan Schoop's sac fly and won it when Danny Farquhar walked Seth Smith on four pitches with the bases loaded. The Orioles avoided losing their first series of the year. The Orioles loaded the bases on a...
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O's game blog: Dylan Bundy looks for fourth win in series finale

O's game blog: Dylan Bundy looks for fourth win in series finale
They have not lost a series all year and the Orioles will try to keep that stat intact tonight at Camden Yards. But they'll need to win in the third and deciding game of their series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Orioles are 5-0-1 in their six series on the season. The only series they did not win was a two-game split against Boston at Camden Yards on April 11-12. The Orioles hit three homers Monday in a 6-3 comeback victory in the series opener. Then they were held to two hits by the Rays in...
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