Hunter Harvey expected to throw 75 to 80 pitches tonight at Aberdeen

Hunter Harvey expected to throw 75 to 80 pitches tonight at Aberdeen
ABERDEEN, Md. - After five outings in the Gulf Coast League, the Orioles first round draft pick, right-hander Hunter Harvey makes his debut tonight for short-season, Single-A Aberdeen. Harvey will face the Hudson Valley Renegades here at Ripken Stadium at 7:05 p.m. after working to a 1.35 ERA over 13 1/3 innings in the GCL with two walks and 18 strikeouts. Harvey is the son of former big league pitcher Bryan Harvey, who is here for this game. He is scheduled to throw around 75 to 80 pitches...
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Hunter Harvey makes Aberdeen debut tonight as IronBirds' playoff chase continues

Hunter Harvey makes Aberdeen debut tonight as IronBirds' playoff chase continues
This is the Aberdeen IronBirds' 12th year in the short-season Single-A New York-Penn League. With 16 games left in the regular season, Aberdeen is hoping for its first playoff berth. The IronBirds are 30-26 and lead their division by 1 1/2 games over Brooklyn and 4 1/2 over Hudson Valley. They host Hudson Valley tonight at Ripken Stadium as Hunter Harvey, the Orioles' 2013 first-round pick, makes his debut with Aberdeen. The IronBirds have won 10 of their last 15 games and manager Matt...
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When it comes to the close games, the O's have lacked that 2012 magic

When it comes to the close games, the O's have lacked that 2012 magic
For the Orioles, what a difference a year makes in one-run games. From an amazing 29-9 mark last season to 14-22 this year. Last season, from June 1 through the end of the regular season, the Orioles went 21-4 in one-run games. That is a remarkably low total of four one-run losses in four months. In comparison, the Orioles lost four one-run games on their last road trip of eight games. They have now lost six consecutive one-run decisions and are 1-8 in their last nine one-run games. That is...
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Postgame comments from Jones, Wieters and Tillman

Postgame comments from Jones, Wieters and Tillman
After the Orioles left a season-high 15 on base and went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position, Adam Jones was asked if the players needed to change their approach tonight during some key at-bats? "You can't change your approach," Jones said. "Once you change, other things will start failing. If you are an aggressive hitter, you have to go up there and be aggressive. We are an aggressive team and sometimes (David) Price used that against us, getting us out the zone a little bit. "Any...
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O's with missed chances all night in 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay

O's with missed chances all night in 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay
A long night of missed chances ended with the Orioles losing a key game to Tampa Bay and feeling like the result would have been much different with just one or two clutch hits that never came. The Orioles set a new season high by leaving 15 men on base tonight and they went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position in a 4-3 loss to the Rays in the series opener at Camden Yards. The O's missed chances read like this tonight: * Runners on second and third with one out in the second and no...
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Chris Tillman takes another shot at his 15th win tonight

Chris Tillman takes another shot at his 15th win tonight
Chris Tillman tries for the third time tonight to become the Orioles' first 15-game winner since Erik Bedard in 2006. A win this evening would make Tillman the 29th O's pitcher to record a 15-win year. Tillman pitched well in two starts on the recent road trip - giving up just three runs over 14 innings - but didn't get a win as the O's went 1-1 in those games. He left with a lead in both. Still, the Orioles are a rather impressive 13-2 in Tillman's last 15 starts and 18-6 in his 24...
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Hunter Harvey talks about making his Aberdeen debut tomorrow

Hunter Harvey talks about making his Aberdeen debut tomorrow
ABERDEEN, Md. - For pitcher Hunter Harvey, the Orioles 2013 first round draft pick, his first few weeks as a pro have gone really well. Now the next step in his climb up the minor league ladder has arrived and he'll make a start for the short-season, Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds on Tuesday night at Ripken Stadium. In Aberdeen this afternoon, Harvey said he's excited for his IronBirds debut. "The first time I've been in this area," Harvey said." "I know how well they have been doing and...
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O's playoff push shifts into a higher gear starting tonight

O's playoff push shifts into a higher gear starting tonight
I'm sure Orioles players might tell us their playoff push began 123 games ago. They may even say it began weeks before that under the hot Florida sun on the back fields in Sarasota. But the playoff push really heats up tonight. The Orioles still have nine games remaining with Boston - and they'll see the Red Sox soon enough - but starting tonight they play back-to-back series with the two teams ahead of them for a pair of American League wild card spots. They host Tampa Bay for three...
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Postgame comments from Jones, Davis and Feldman after the O's beat the Rockies

Postgame comments from Jones, Davis and Feldman after the O's beat the Rockies
After they combined for seven hits, two homers and four RBIs today, Adam Jones talked about the combination of Chris Davis batting third with him fourth in the O's batting order. "I like the combination of me and Chris," Jones said. "If it's four and five (in the order), we've done the same damage. Me and him following each other, we both make each other better. We both drive the ball, we are both athletic to score on doubles. Whatever has been working with me and him, it's a pretty...
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Feldman gets the win, Jones and Davis homer as O's top Rockies

Feldman gets the win, Jones and Davis homer as O's top Rockies
Scott Feldman pitched a strong game, Adam Jones joined an exclusive homer club and Brian Roberts came up with another key hit as the Orioles beat Colorado 7-2 this afternoon in front of 22,238 at Camden Yards. The O's won the series after losing the Friday opener and improved to 67-56. Not to be upstaged, Chris Davis hit another homer, a two-run shot in the eight to extend the lead to 7-2. It was his 45th of the year and leaves him one behind Jim Gentile, who hit 46 in 1961, for third on the...
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Brian Roberts on what it will take to make the playoffs

Brian Roberts on what it will take to make the playoffs
For the Orioles, there are now 122 games down and 40 left to play in the 2013 regular season. They are 5 1/2 games back of Boston for the AL East lead and trail Oakland by three games for the AL's second wild card spot, as they begin play this afternoon. The chase is on for wild card berths with Cleveland 3 1/2 back of Oakland, Kansas City five games back and New York six out. Brian Roberts was asked what it is going to take for the O's to make the playoffs. "It all boils down to pitching...
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Troy Patton on the end of his run of 26 consecutive appearances without a walk

Troy Patton on the end of his run of 26 consecutive appearances without a walk
When Troy Patton came into the game last night and walked the only batter he faced in the sixth inning, it was news. Patton had not walked any batter in any outing since May 31 against Detroit, going 26 consecutive appearances without a walk. It is the second-longest streak in club history behind Koji Uehara's run of 36 straight appearances without a walk from July 19, 2010 to April 15, 2011. Since June 1, Patton has a 2.05 ERA. He has walked one and fanned 21 over 26 1/3 innings. A player...
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J.J. Hardy feels confident he can play on Sunday (plus Norris and Roberts quotes)

J.J. Hardy feels confident he can play on Sunday (plus Norris and Roberts quotes)
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy, who was a late scratch from tonight's starting lineup due to back spasms, provided an update on that after tonight's game. "Today right before BP, I was getting my glove ready and got up out of my chair and my low back started to spasm on me," Hardy said. "Went in to get some treatment and it has loosened up a lot since." Does he think he can play on Sunday in the series finale? "Yeah, I think so," he said. "I feel like I probably could have played...
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O's use seven-run third to beat Colorado, end four-game skid

O's use seven-run third to beat Colorado, end four-game skid
The Orioles came up with their biggest inning of the year tonight as they posted an 8-4 win over the Colorado Rockies to end a four-game losing streak. The O's sent 12 batters to the plate and knocked out Rockies starter Chad Bettis during their seven-run, six-hit bottom of the third to open an 8-1 lead. The inning featured RBI singles by Nick Marakakis and Adam Jones, a run scored on an error and two-run doubles from Brian Roberts and Manny Machado. The error on shortstop Troy Tulowitzki...
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A look at Dariel Alvarez so far and his thoughts on joining the O's organization

A look at Dariel Alvarez so far and his thoughts on joining the O's organization
Before having a big game last night at Harry Grove Stadium, Cuban outfielder Dariel Alvarez was a guest on the Frederick Keys radio network's pregame show. Through his interpreter, O's minor league coach Ramon Sambo, Alvarez took a few questions from Keys broadcaster Adam Pohl. The 24-year-old Alvarez talked about playing baseball in the United States. Has it been about what he expected? "It has been hard, like I expected it to be. I'm facing the pitching I thought I would, but you just...
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Bud Norris takes the mound to try and stop a losing streak tonight

Bud Norris takes the mound to try and stop a losing streak tonight
After taking the loss in relief on Wednesday at Arizona, Bud Norris returns to a starting role tonight as he faces Colorado at Camden Yards. Norris is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA for the Orioles and they've won each of his three starts. In his only Camden Yards start, one day after he got traded from Houston, he beat the Astros with six innings of four-hit, two-run ball. In four career starts against the Rockies, he is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. He has an ERA of 2.57 in two starts at Houston and 17.54 ERA...
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Josh Stinson talks about returning to the Orioles

Josh Stinson talks about returning to the Orioles
Josh Stinson returned to the Orioles today from Triple-A Norfolk for the third time. His first stay lasted just one day and the second stay lasted only two days. He joked he is shooting to be here three days this time. Stinson first came up to start against Toronto on April 24 and gave up five runs and four homers over 5 2/3 innings. He returned for two games, but did not pitch July 10 and 11. "Anytime you get called up, you're excited. Just come up here and do whatever job they need," he...
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Showalter talks about Davis hitting third and Markakis batting fifth

Showalter talks about Davis hitting third and Markakis batting fifth
For the second game in a row, Chris Davis will bat third for the Orioles and Nick Markakis will hit fifth. It's no secret that Markakis is struggling to drive the ball recently. He has gone 24 games without an extra-base hit and 44 games without a homer since June 24. He's getting his hits, not just any for extra bases recently. Markakis has just two extra-base hits (both doubles) in 38 games since July 1. Davis is obviously a threat anywhere you put him in the order. For tonight, that is...
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O's are now four games out of the playoffs with teams behind them gaining ground (Walker update)

O's are now four games out of the playoffs with teams behind them gaining ground (Walker update)
When the Orioles began the second half going 4-0 and scoring 23 runs, they looked like a team poised to go on a hot streak. But then they lost five of the next six. When the Orioles started their last road trip going 4-1 they looked poised for a great trip. Then they lost three straight at Arizona, each in walkoff fashion. When Nate McLouth hit a leadoff homer last night you had the feeling the O's may get it going against Colorado and start a nine-game homestand with a much-needed win. And...
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K-Rod updates his injury (plus other postgame quotes)

K-Rod updates his injury (plus other postgame quotes)
Francisco Rodriguez walked off the mound beside trainer Richie Bancells in the eighth inning tonight, but said he does not expect to end up on the disabled list. He gave up a homer and one batter later, left with a strained right groin, an injury he also dealt with in 2011. "This did not start today," Rodriguez said. "Been for the last week kind of grabbing a bit and a little soreness. Today it got a little worse. But come in tomorrow, get some treatment and go get them, I'll be all...
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