O's game blog: It's Jimenez against Smyly tonight at Camden Yards

O's game blog: It's Jimenez against Smyly tonight at Camden Yards
The Orioles are averaging just three runs per game at home this year and have scored three runs or fewer in 12 of their 17 home games. They are 9-8 in those games and will try to get their bats going at the Yard tonight. In the second game of this series between first-place teams, Ubaldo Jimenez (2-4, 4.73 ERA) faces lefty Drew Smyly (2-2, 2.96 ERA). Smyly, a reliever in 2013, has made four starts this season. In eight career innings against the Orioles, he has not given up a run and allowed...
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Kevin Gausman on returning to the Orioles and getting tomorrow's start

Kevin Gausman on returning to the Orioles and getting tomorrow's start
The Triple-A Norfolk Tides played at Indianapolis last night, so it took Kevin Gausman a couple of flights to get here. But after a trek from Indy to Atlanta to Norfolk, he's now in the O's clubhouse and set to start tomorrow against Detroit. "Obviously, really excited," Gausman said. "Pitched against them last year, so you know, little bit different lineup without (Prince) Fielder in there. Going to do my research and talk to the guys today. See what Bud (Norris) did last night against...
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Orioles offense this season: inconsistent and struggling to score at home (Gausman note)

Orioles offense this season: inconsistent and struggling to score at home (Gausman note)
Maybe lost a bit last night in all of the postgame talk about Bud Norris hitting Torii Hunter was that besides Norris hitting the Tigers right fielder, the Orioles didn't hit much of anything else last night. They aren't hitting much of anything at all these days. Where has the offense gone? The Orioles went to Minnesota and scored six runs in three games. They went to Tampa and scored 12 runs in three games. They came home against Houston and scored 11 runs in three games. They scored one...
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Bud Norris on hitting Torii Hunter and his ejection

Bud Norris on hitting Torii Hunter and his ejection
Bud Norris said this was the first ejection of his career tonight and he didn't feel it was justified. Norris was ejected after hitting Torii Hunter in the top of the eighth. That followed a two-run homer by Ian Kinsler that gave Detroit a 4-1 lead. "First of all I respect Torii Hunter and the game he has played for a long time. But I'm out there trying to do my job late in the game," Norris said. "I threw a first-pitch slider. He took a really aggressive hack at it, so I felt he was...
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O's offense comes up short in series opener with Detroit

O's offense comes up short in series opener with Detroit
For the Orioles it was another night with not much offense at Camden Yards. Bud Norris kept it close for a while, but Detroit scored twice in the fourth and eighth innings to beat the Orioles 4-1. The dugouts and bullpens emptied onto the field in the top of the eighth. After Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer to put Detroit ahead 4-1, Norris hit Torii Hunter. Home plate umpire James Hoye ejected Norris as players from both dugouts ran onto the field. The incident did not escalate from there and...
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O's game blog: Orioles and Detroit meet in series opener

O's game blog: Orioles and Detroit meet in series opener
As the Orioles begin a series tonight against Detroit, they are still trying to get their bats going in home games. It's been somewhat strange but the Orioles have a team batting average of .283 and average 5.2 runs per game on the road while batting just .242 and scoring only 3.1 runs per game at the Yard. The Orioles have scored three runs or less in 11 of 16 home games, the latest of which was yesterday in a 5-2 loss to Houston. They scored 11 runs in that series. Detroit has won of the...
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Preston Guilmet talks about joining the Orioles

Preston Guilmet talks about joining the Orioles
The latest pitcher to join the Orioles' bullpen is 26-year-old right-hander Preston Guilmet. He was acquired by the Orioles in a trade for minor leaguer Torsten Boss April 7 and today he was officially recalled. "I'm excited to be with the club, really excited to have the opportunity," he said. "This is awesome, it's what we all try to do. To get the chance to help the Orioles, that is what we're working for. "Just excited to have an opportunity to help this club. I know it's a great...
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Troy Patton not surprised his name has surfaced in trade rumors

Troy Patton not surprised his name has surfaced in trade rumors
When a report came out over the weekend that the Orioles were floating Troy Patton's name in trade talks, Patton said that didn't surprise him even a little bit. "I kind of assumed," Patton said this afternoon. "When my suspension came out and I still got a deal from the team I kind of thought my name might be circling around for a while. We'll see how that goes. "It's not the first time since I've been here that this has been the case where I could potentially be gone. But there is...
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Getting a test from the Tigers

Getting a test from the Tigers
After facing the team with the worst record in the major leagues, the Orioles now play a three-game series against the team with the best record. Detroit is in town for a series beginning tonight. The Tigers are 21-12 overall, 8-4 on the road and their plus-37 run differential ranks second in the American League to Oakland at plus-61. The Orioles, by the way, are minus-2 and have been outscored 148-150 on the year despite leading the AL East at 20-15. The Orioles were actually outscored over...
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Caleb Joseph is soaking up every minute he spends as an Oriole

Caleb Joseph is soaking up every minute he spends as an Oriole
There were reports over the weekend indicating that the Orioles are aggressively pursuing adding another catcher. That may be true, but Caleb Joseph is one of their current catchers. A major leaguer for just five days, right now he's aggressively pursuing what the big league experience is all about. For a long time, it looked like the 27-year-old Joseph might never make it onto a big league roster. He played at Double-A Bowie for parts of the last four seasons and no player has ever played in...
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Matt Wieters talks about going on the disabled list (plus Tillman and Davis quotes)

Matt Wieters talks about going on the disabled list (plus Tillman and Davis quotes)
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters met with reporters after the game to discuss the decision that led to him going on the disabled list today with a right elbow strain. "Ultimately it was what is going to get me back catching as quick as possible," he said. "Letting it completely rest, as opposed to trying to go get half ready every day, it may have been slowing us down a little bit. Now let it completely rest and hopefully get back catching even sooner." Wieters did confirm that nothing new...
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O's fall 5-2 to Houston as Astros avoid the sweep

O's fall 5-2 to Houston as Astros avoid the sweep
It is hard to sweep any team and the Orioles could not pull that off for the second series in a row. Trailing by three runs after one inning, they never caught up today in a 5-2 loss to Houston. The season's second sellout of 45,944 looked on during a beautiful afternoon at Camden Yards. Chris Tillman gave up a three-run homer to Jason Castro in the top of the first and needed 32 pitches to get through that inning. He walked the first two Astros he faced ahead of Castro's fifth homer. But...
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O's game blog: O's look for sweep today against Houston

O's game blog: O's look for sweep today against Houston
The last time the Orioles swept back-to-back three-game series was April 22-May 1, 2005 at Toronto and against Tampa bay. The Orioles are going for a sweep of the Houston Astros here today with Chris Tillman on the mound. He has made six starts this year and the Orioles are 5-1 in those games. In fact, they are 36-18 in Tillman starts since 2012. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.80 ERA. He gave up three runs in six innings Tuesday against Tampa Bay. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer...
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Chris Davis and Buck Showalter on Davis' return to the lineup

Chris Davis and Buck Showalter on Davis' return to the lineup
The Orioles will have Chris Davis back in the lineup today for the first time since April 25. He's been activated off the disabled list and he's batting third this afternoon against Houston. Does manager Buck Showalter expect Davis' timing to be off a bit at the plate at the start? "No. I'm not expecting that," Showalter said today. "I wouldn't activate him if... like yesterday I was talking to (Bowie manager) Gary Kendall. I said, 'Gary, field might be wet, but if he can't play...
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Some streak talk and a take on Tommy Hunter

Some streak talk and a take on Tommy Hunter
Jinx alert, here comes the mention of streaks. The Orioles have won five games in a row and they've all been games decided by one or two runs. They have now won nine straight games decided by one or two runs. Their record in one- and two-run games is 13-6. Here is a real good streak note: Orioles starting pitchers have gone 12 straight games allowing three or fewer earned runs with an ERA of 3.04 in that stretch. That is impressive. If mention of streaks makes you nervous, what are you...
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After Bowie game, Chris Davis said he feels ready to return to the Orioles

After Bowie game, Chris Davis said he feels ready to return to the Orioles
BOWIE, Md. - After playing nine innings at first base and getting four at-bats tonight for Double-A Bowie in its 7-6 loss to New Britain, Chris Davis feels he's ready to return to the Orioles. Out since April 26 with strained left oblique, Davis went 1-for-4 with a single in the eighth inning. He can be activated by the Orioles for Sunday's game and said he feels ready to rejoin the team. "I think so, but we'll find out," he said tonight in the Baysox clubhouse. "I'm going to go back and...
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Chris Davis in Bowie: "It's exciting to be in the lineup, no matter where it is" (Davis singles)

Chris Davis in Bowie: "It's exciting to be in the lineup, no matter where it is" (Davis singles)
BOWIE, Md. - Chris Davis arrived in Bowie a little after 4 p.m. today. There was no on-field batting practice, so he took some swings in the cage and took a few ground balls on the field. Now it's almost time for him to play a rehab game at 6:35 p.m., one that could soon lead him back to the lineup in Baltimore. Davis has been on the disabled list since April 27 with a left oblique strain. Will this will be a one-night appearance in Bowie? He's able to come off the DL on Sunday. "I don't...
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Chris Davis plays in Bowie for the second time tonight

Chris Davis plays in Bowie for the second time tonight
BOWIE, Md. - The last time Chris Davis played in Double-A Bowie, he batted third and played third base. It was Sept. 5, 2011. Davis had been in the Orioles organization for just weeks and the Orioles were still weeks away from ruining Boston's season on the final day of the year. So, yeah, it's been a while. Tonight's Baysox lineup is out and, as expected, Davis will bat second and play at first base. He is wearing No. 24. The last time he played at Bowie, Davis was on the major league...
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Machado, Schoop and Hoes on the same field in Baltimore, not Bowie

Machado, Schoop and Hoes on the same field in Baltimore, not Bowie
Watching Manny Machado, LJ Hoes and Jonathan Schoop all play in the same game last night, I could have been easily confused and thought I was watching a game at Single-A Frederick or Double-A Bowie. But this was Baltimore, this was the big leagues, and those O's developed players all had good moments in the game last night. Schoop's single put the Orioles ahead in the seventh. Schoop has four RBIs his last three games. When he bats eighth, Schoop is hitting just .146 but as the No. 9 hitter...
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Schoop, Pearce, Chen and Clevenger comment after O's win over Houston

Schoop, Pearce, Chen and Clevenger comment after O's win over Houston
A lot of Orioles came through tonight in a 4-3 win over Houston. That included 22-year-old rookie second baseman Jonathan Schoop. His two-out single in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and was a clutch hit for the Orioles. "Just was looking for a pitch I could hit to put us on top," Schoop said. "Think it was a fastball or a cutter. I was ready for it and drove it up the middle. "I am trying to be more relaxed if I can and don't try to do too much. Go up there, look for your pitch and hit...
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