Yankees score four in ninth to stun Orioles 5-3

Yankees score four in ninth to stun Orioles 5-3
One out away from an uplifting victory, the Orioles suffered a walk-off loss tonight in The Bronx. Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer with two on and two out against Zach Britton in the last of the ninth as the Orioles lost 5-3 at New York. Beltran hit a high 3-1 fastball out on Britton's 27th pitch of the inning. The lefty took the mound with a 3-1 lead but gave up a leadoff single. He then got the next two outs and looked to be on his way to his 10th save. But a walk and RBI single by...
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O's game blog: Jimenez on the mound in New York series opener (with Clark note)

O's game blog: Jimenez on the mound in New York series opener (with Clark note)
While the New York Yankees were sweeping first-place Toronto, the Orioles were taking two of three from Tampa Bay, and it's gotten closer at the top of the American League East. Toronto now leads the division by 1 1/2 games over the Yankees and 2 1/2 over the Orioles as the Birds begin an important three-game series tonight in The Bronx. The Orioles are one game out of first in the loss column. New York plays three games in Toronto starting Monday. The Orioles have not played New York since...
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The Orioles' Gulf Coast League roster

The Orioles' Gulf Coast League roster
The Orioles' entry in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League begins a new season this afternoon playing against the GCL Rays in the season opener. The GCL Orioles' opening day roster (with round noted for 2014 draft picks): Pitchers: Almonte, Jefferies - 22 Alvarado, Cristian - 19 Aquino, Wilmer - 22 Ayers, Daniel - 19 Fermin, Yeraldo - 22 Floranus, Wendell - 19 Grendell, Kevin - 20 Homick, Max - 22 Isenia, Jonatan - 21 Jimenez, Francisco - 19 Lin, Yi-Hsiang - 21 McAdams, Sean - 20 Novak, Jan -...
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The search to put it all together continues tonight for the Orioles

The search to put it all together continues tonight for the Orioles
If the Orioles can get their offense going consistently and keep up some of the pitching we've seen recently, maybe they can finally go on a long winning streak or a long stretch where they win a large percentage of their games. That is probably what it is going to take for the club to create some distance above the .500 mark. The most games under .500 the O's were this year was three games twice early in the season. The most games over .500 is six at 20-14 on May 10. The club's longest win...
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Minor moves: Mancini, Yastrzemski, Yacabonis promoted to Frederick

Minor moves: Mancini, Yastrzemski, Yacabonis promoted to Frederick
With the second half starting tonight in the Single-A Carolina League and Single-A South Atlantic League, the Orioles are using this time to move three players up from Delmarva to Frederick. First baseman Trey Mancini, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis are moving up and will join the Keys for tonight's game at Carolina. Mancini, an eighth-round pick last year out of Notre Dame, is batting .317 for the Shorebirds with 13 doubles, three triples, three homers and 42...
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A few random off-day thoughts

A few random off-day thoughts
Some thoughts and observations as we settle in for an O's off-day before their series this weekend at Yankee Stadium: Kevin Gausman's innings: Because the Orioles used Gausman out of the bullpen last season at the major league level, he ended the year with just 129 2/3 innings between the minors and majors. So that means he is probably slated to pitch around 175 innings this year. That is why the Orioles were limiting Gausman's innings so much early in the year at Triple-A when he went over...
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Kevin Gausman pitches six scoreless innings as the O's beat the Rays

Kevin Gausman pitches six scoreless innings as the O's beat the Rays
Kevin Gausman provided the Orioles with another outstanding start today, and during an afternoon where runs were hard to come by, they sure needed it. Gausman went six scoreless innings and Nelson Cruz ended his homer drought as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 2-0 at Tropicana Field. The Orioles took two of three in the series and improved to 37-34 for the season. This was the Orioles' sixth shutout of the year and their third in the last 10 games. They are 11-5 in American League East road...
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O's game blog: Gausman against Cobb in Tampa Bay series finale

O's game blog: Gausman against Cobb in Tampa Bay series finale
The Orioles have not lost a road series to an American League East rival this year and they'd like to avoid doing that today. They are 10-5 in American League East road games and 3-0-1 in four series. The Orioles went 2-1 at New York, 2-2 at Boston, 2-1 at Toronto, 3-0 at Tampa Bay and now are 1-1 in this series against the Rays. When the Orioles made the 2012 playoffs, they went 9-3 in AL East road series and went 21-15 on the road in the division. Kevin Gausman (2-1, 3.71 ERA) gets the...
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Great Britton: The ninth is becoming drama-free for the Orioles

Great Britton: The ninth is becoming drama-free for the Orioles
Here is a pretty impressive stat: In Zach Britton's last five saves, he has needed just 42 total pitches to get those 15 outs. Talk about a lack of drama in the ninth inning. Orioles fans could get used to that. We can't expect Britton to keep doing it this efficiently, but in those outings he needed, in order, eight, eight, 10, 10 and six pitches to get those saves. He is 8-for-9 in save chances this season. He is pounding that two-seamer and getting grounder after grounder. He got three...
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Chris Davis hits slam, Steve Pearce adds two-run shot in win over Tampa Bay

Chris Davis hits slam, Steve Pearce adds two-run shot in win over Tampa Bay
When Chris Davis homered in the third inning tonight, it was not one of those majestic 400-plus foot homers that carry well into the stands. But it sure was a welcome sight for Davis and O's fans, no matter how far it traveled. Davis hit his third career grand slam in that five-run third as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 7-5 to improve to 36-34 and even this series at a win each. With Toronto losing to New York, the O's moved within four games of first place in the American League East. Davis'...
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O's game blog: Gonzalez returns as bats look to heat up at the Trop

O's game blog: Gonzalez returns as bats look to heat up at the Trop
The search for runs continues tonight for the Orioles. When Delmon Young homered in the ninth last night, they got to four and that has often been a magic number for a win. But this time, the Orioles lost 5-4 to the Rays. The O's are 26-10 (.722) when they score four or more runs and 9-24 (.273) when they score three runs or less. A look at how some hitters have fared recently: * Chris Davis is 1-for-14 his last four games and is batting .158 (12-for-76) with four homers and eight RBIs his...
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Solid mental approach leads to All-Star season for Mike Yastrzemski

Solid mental approach leads to All-Star season for Mike Yastrzemski
Sure, he has a famous baseball name, but this year Mike Yastrzemski is making a name for himself. He's had a huge year, filling up the stat sheet for Single-A Delmarva, and is one of seven Shorebirds that will play in tonight's South Atlantic League All-Star game in Hickory, N.C. Over 63 games, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski is batting .306 with 14 doubles, a league-leading 10 triples, 10 homers and 44 RBIs. The Orioles' 14th-round pick in 2013 out of Vanderbilt has an OBP...
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Sands' two-run pinch homer in eighth breaks tie, Tampa Bay wins series opener

Sands' two-run pinch homer in eighth breaks tie, Tampa Bay wins series opener
Another quality start, but another loss for the Baltimore Orioles. Another night with not much offense and this one went wrong with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. After the Orioles tied the game 3-3 in the top of the eighth, Brian Matusz came on to face lefty David DeJesus with two outs and a man on first, but the Rays instead sent up pinch hitter Jerry Sands, a right-handed hitter. Sands hit a two-run homer to left on a 2-0 pitch to snap the tie and lift Tampa Bay to a 5-4 win...
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O's game blog: Chen has 1.45 ERA over his last three starts

O's game blog: Chen has 1.45 ERA over his last three starts
The Orioles are beginning a six-game road trip and maybe that is good news. The club has won more and scored more runs this year away from Camden Yards. The Orioles are 16-17 at home, averaging 3.18 runs per game. They are 19-16 on the road, scoring 5.09 runs per game. The Orioles send Wei-Yin Chen (7-2, 3.76 ERA) to the mound tonight in St. Petersburg against right-hander Jake Odorizzi (2-7, 4.85 ERA). Chen is 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA and .203 average against over his last three starts with just...
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With improved pitching, but a lack of offense, O's are treading water right now

With improved pitching, but a lack of offense, O's are treading water right now
There are those among you that insist the Orioles are nothing more than a .500 team that will fall short of a playoff berth this season. The last 10 games gave that opinion more credibility. While the clubhouse take seemed to be that the club is fine and they'll be more chances to face Toronto later in the year, this was the chance for the Orioles to trim their first-place deficit to 2 1/2 games against a Toronto team that was not playing as well as it once was. The Birds faced J.A. Happ who...
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In return to mound, Bundy allows one run for Aberdeen

In return to mound, Bundy allows one run for Aberdeen
Less than a year since he underwent Tommy John surgery, right-hander Dylan Bundy returned to a pro mound tonight as he gave up one run over five innings for short-season Single-A Aberdeen at Hudson Valley. Bundy gave up five hits and threw 65 pitches in his outing for the IronBirds. He walked none and struck out six. He left with Aberdeen trailing 1-0. Bundy's fastball was sitting in the 91 to 93 mph range. Bundy threw 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 first, getting three groundball outs. He gave up a...
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Adam Jones and Chris Tillman comment after loss to Toronto

Adam Jones and Chris Tillman comment after loss to Toronto
Adam Jones would not characterize it as frustrating, but the Orioles left their series with Toronto right where they started it. They split the four games and are 4 1/2 games back of the first-place Blue Jays. "Not frustrating," Jones said. "They're a good team, man. We could have got swept. We could have swept them. Look at the bright side, we got two out of four. Now let's go on the road and start the series off right tomorrow in Tampa. "It's not a missed opportunity. Because we are...
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O's bats quiet as Jays take finale to split four-game series

O's bats quiet as Jays take finale to split four-game series
The Orioles are still trying to put it all together and match up strong starting pitching with solid hitting. Today was another day with half the equation. While Chris Tillman produced the rotation's seventh straight quality start, the bats were mostly quiet in a 5-2 loss to Toronto in front of 46,469, the fifth sellout of 2014. The Orioles split this four-game series with first-place Toronto and leave it right where they started at 4 1/2 games out. Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ, who had an...
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Davis on his off-day, Hundley on Saturday's play at the plate

Davis on his off-day, Hundley on Saturday's play at the plate
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis hit a two-run homer in yesterday's 3-2 win over Toronto, but he's not starting today. It is just a day off and there is no injury or any physical reason he is not starting, Davis said. "With everything that has been going on lately, obviously, been putting in a lot of extra work, swinging a lot," Davis said. "Just kind of get me a mental break from getting prepared. Doesn't mean I won't be used. Hopefully I won't need to be used. Maybe we score 20...
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O's game blog: Orioles go for series win against Toronto

O's game blog: Orioles go for series win against Toronto
The Orioles will try to win an important series against Toronto this afternoon. A win will move the O's within 2 1/2 games of the first-place Blue Jays while a loss will drop them, once again, 4 1/2 games out. The Orioles have taken two of the first three games in this series and they've now won nine of their last 11 American League East contests. They are 17-10 on the year within the division and that's the best record by any AL East club in division games. The Orioles are 5-2-1 in AL...
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