A look ahead to the Boston series and more O's notes/quotes

A look ahead to the Boston series and more O's notes/quotes
The Orioles get their last shot this regular season at the Boston Red Sox starting tonight. The Orioles host a four-game series at Camden Yards. After the Red Sox beat the Yankees 5-4 last night, they come to town leading the Orioles by three games and the Blue Jays by four atop the American League East. Boston posted another comeback win over New York and completed its first four-game sweep of the Yankees since June of 1990. At 85-64, Boston is 39-32 on the road and 19-9 in AL East games since...
Continue reading

Mark Trumbo on his big home run (plus more clubhouse quotes)

Mark Trumbo on his big home run (plus more clubhouse quotes)
Two of the Orioles' strengths all year - power and their bullpen - helped carry them to an important 2-1 win over Tampa Bay this afternoon. They improved to 82-67 and could move to within two games of first if Boston loses to New York tonight. They will be within at least three games of the top spot when the Orioles and Red Sox begin their four-game series Monday night. After Manny Machado's new career-high 36th homer tied this game 1-1 in the sixth today, Mark Trumbo's 43rd homer was a...
Continue reading

Mark Trumbo's tiebreaking homer in eighth lifts O's to win

Mark Trumbo's tiebreaking homer in eighth lifts O's to win
Frustrated again by some missed chances that left runs on the board, the Orioles turned to what they do best to get one more run than the Tampa Bay Rays today. Mark Trumbo blasted a tiebreaking homer to center field in the last of the eighth as the Orioles beat the Rays 2-1 to even the series at two wins each. The Orioles improved to 82-67 and moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Boston. The Red Sox play the Yankees tonight. With the game tied 1-1, Trumbo blasted No. 43 to center field. It...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Wade Miley on the mound in series finale

O's game blog: Wade Miley on the mound in series finale
After losing two of three games to last-place Tampa Bay, the Orioles need a win today at Camden Yards to split this four-game series. Tampa Bay won 7-6 here on Thursday and 5-2 last night, holding the Orioles to seven hits, while the O's were 5-4 comeback winners on Friday night. At 81-67, the Orioles are tied with Toronto for second place in the American League East, three games behind Boston (84-64). The Orioles and Blue Jays hold both AL wild card spots right now, and in that race lead...
Continue reading

Trey Mancini talks about his first callup to the major leagues

Trey Mancini talks about his first callup to the major leagues
When Trey Mancini got a text from a club official last night saying to keep his phone nearby, he figured something was up. Not long after, Mancini got a call telling him he was headed to the big leagues for the first time. "It is a dream come true," Mancini said this morning in the Orioles clubhouse. "The reason I have been playing baseball since I was 4 years old is to one day make the major leagues. It hasn't all really hit me yet because it all happened really fast. I found out last...
Continue reading

More from the minor league award winners (plus O's notes)

More from the minor league award winners (plus O's notes)
When the Orioles' minor league Player and Pitcher of the Year sat at a table at Camden Yards before last night's game, taking questions from reporters at a press conference, we saw a bit of a contrast. On one side of Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette was catcher Chance Sisco. The expectations were high for Sisco, selected in the second round of the 2013 draft with the 61st overall pick. On the other side was lefty reliever Donnie Hart, who was not drafted...
Continue reading

Adam Jones and Chris Tillman on falling three back in AL East

Adam Jones and Chris Tillman on falling three back in AL East
The Orioles won two of three at Boston, six of nine of their road trip and pulled within a game of first place coming home for an 11-game homestand. But now they have lost two of three to last-place Tampa Bay to fall three games out in the American League East. Tonight, the Orioles had just four hits after the third inning in a 5-2 loss to the Rays to fall to 81-67. "Man, it is not like we are going out there playing against ourselves; we are playing against other major leaguers," Orioles...
Continue reading

O's can't hold early lead and lose to Tampa Bay

O's can't hold early lead and lose to Tampa Bay
One night after the stirring ending to beat Tampa Bay at Camden Yards, the Orioles could not hold an early 2-0 lead and lost to the Rays to fall three games off the American League East pace. It was a damaging loss as Tampa Bay beat the Orioles 5-2 in front of 27,823 at Camden Yards. The O's fall to 1-2 on this homestand and to 81-67 for the year, as they failed to score after the second inning. They are three games back of division-leading Boston with 14 games to play. Orioles starting...
Continue reading

Hearing from the minor league award winners

Hearing from the minor league award winners
The Orioles honored their winners of scouting and player development awards for 2016 before tonight's game. The honorees were also at a press conference earlier tonight at Camden Yards. 2016 AWARD WINNERS * Brooks Robinson Player of the Year: Chance Sisco ( Triple-A Norfolk/Double-A Bowie) * Jim Palmer Pitcher of the Year: Donnie Hart (Bowie) * Elrod Hendricks Community Service Award: Drew Dosch (Bowie) * Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award: Dave Walker * Jim Russo Scout of the Year...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Orioles are 12-5 against Rays

O's game blog: Orioles are 12-5 against Rays
The Orioles host Tampa Bay tonight in the third game of this four-game series and 11-game homestand. The Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks will follow the Rays to Camden Yards during this final homestand of the regular season. The Orioles, 81-66 overall and 30-30 in the second half, are tied with Toronto with both teams 2 1/2 games behind Boston for first in the American League East. The Red Sox (84-64) rallied from 5-2 down to beat the New York Yankees 6-5 this afternoon. The Orioles...
Continue reading

Not in lineup, Mark Trumbo provides an update on his back spasms

Not in lineup, Mark Trumbo provides an update on his back spasms
The Orioles' Mark Trumbo feels he could play in tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. But for the second game in a row, he is not starting due to back spasms. Trumbo is batting .248 with a major league-leading 42 homers and 100 RBIs, ninth-most in the majors. He has missed just two of the team's first 147 games. He might miss a third tonight, but he said this afternoon that the issue has improved. "It has," Trumbo said. "I'm not starting tonight, but I'm definitely available to hit...
Continue reading

More notes and quotes from Friday's win over the Rays

More notes and quotes from Friday's win over the Rays
How many times have we seen the Orioles execute a relay play well to get an out at the plate or on the bases? Many times, but it is always important to play good defense and it is pretty critical when it happens to get the last out to preserve a one-run win. We've seen Orioles closer Zach Britton pick up his team so many times that the reverse was probably due for Britton. The Orioles' game-ending relay play Friday night from left fielder Michael Bourn to third baseman Manny Machado to...
Continue reading

Orioles talk about the ending and win over the Rays

Orioles talk about the ending and win over the Rays
In a short time with the Orioles - just 12 games - outfielder Michael Bourn has made a nice impact. Tonight in a short time at the end of Friday's game he made a big impact. Bourn drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth and was involved with the relay play that cut down the potential tying run at the plate to secure the Orioles' 5-4 win over the Rays. Bourn's sac fly in the eighth capped a two-run rally from a 4-3 deficit. Then the relay ended the game and kept closer Zach...
Continue reading

Rally complete: O's come from four runs down to beat Rays 5-4

Rally complete: O's come from four runs down to beat Rays 5-4
For the Orioles, the rally finally came. With some big help from Tampa Bay right-hander Brad Boxberger. The Orioles scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to take a one-run lead and they went on to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 tonight in front of 30,094 loud fans at Camden Yards. The O's came from 4-0 down to post an important win. The game ended on an out at the plate. Zach Britton got his 44th save but it was not easy. After Steven Souza Jr. flied out to the wall in left for the second out, Mike...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Jimenez faces Archer at Camden Yards

O's game blog: Jimenez faces Archer at Camden Yards
After opening an 11-game homestand with a 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay last night, the Orioles host the Rays tonight in the second game of a four-game series. Now at 80-66, the Orioles are tied for second with Toronto in the American League East, two games behind Boston. They are tied with the Blue Jays for both American League wild card spots with both teams now leading Detroit and Seattle by two games, New York by three and Houston by four games. Six different Orioles have reached 20 home runs this...
Continue reading

A look at the Orioles' minor league award winners for 2016

A look at the Orioles' minor league award winners for 2016
The Orioles today named catcher Chance Sisco their minor league Player of the Year and pitcher Donnie Hart their minor league Pitcher of the Year. Sisco wins the Brooks Robinson award and Hart the Jim Palmer award. They head the club's player development and scouting awards for 2016. The winners will be honored in an on-field ceremony at Camden Yards tomorrow with awards presented by Orioles director of minor league operations Kent Qualls and director of scouting Gary Rajsich. The 21-year-old...
Continue reading

One pitcher's take on Chance Sisco's defense (plus O's notes)

One pitcher's take on Chance Sisco's defense (plus O's notes)
Throughout his career, catcher Chance Sisco has continued to move up the list of top Orioles prospects. Drafted out of a California high school in the second round in 2013, Sisco was the organization's No. 10 prospect, according to Baseball America, at the end of the 2013 season. He moved up to No. 4 after 2014 and to No. 3 after last year. Now Sisco seems primed to make a move for the No. 1 spot when new rankings come out this offseason. He also is expected to be named the Brooks Robinson...
Continue reading

Matt Wieters and Yovani Gallardo on the Orioles' loss to the Rays

Matt Wieters and Yovani Gallardo on the Orioles' loss to the Rays
There were two tough ninth innings for the Orioles tonight. One with missed chances in Baltimore and one where Boston scored five runs for a walk-off win at home against New York. The late-inning drama and tough loss in Baltimore leave the Orioles two games behind Boston with 16 games to play for the American League East lead. Catcher Matt Wieters was asked about O's starter Yovani Gallardo, who allowed two walks and Evan Longoria's three-run homer three batters into the game. He gave up six...
Continue reading

Orioles come up short in series opener against Rays

Orioles come up short in series opener against Rays
For the Orioles, it was one frustrating night. In the first of an 11-game homestand, they got poor pitching early in the game and some non-productive at-bats later. It all added up to a 7-6 loss to the Tampa Rays in the opener of a four-game series. The Orioles fall to 80-66. Should New York go on to beat Boston, they will have missed a chance to tie for first in the American League East. But, a Boston loss would keep them a game off the pace in the division. In their final frustrating at-bats...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Tampa Bay in town as 11-game homestand begins

O's game blog: Tampa Bay in town as 11-game homestand begins
Now within one game of the American League East lead while leading the chase for the No. 1 AL wild card spot by one game, the Orioles open an 11-game homestand tonight. It's the last homestand of the regular season, as they host Tampa Bay and Boston for four games Arizona for three. Tonight the Orioles, 80-65 overall and 29-29 in the second half, host the Rays (62-83) to start a four-game series at Camden Yards. The Orioles have the best record of any AL East team versus Tampa Bay this year....
Continue reading