Toronto scores four in ninth off Jim Johnson to win 6-5

Toronto scores four in ninth off Jim Johnson to win 6-5
A shaky save would have been better than a blown save, but the O's didn't get one today. Toronto No. 9 hitter Munenori Kawasaki drilled a two-run double on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the last of the ninth as the Blue Jays stunned the Orioles 6-5. Toronto scored four in the ninth off Jim Johnson, who suffered his fourth blown save in his last five chances. The O's went to the bottom of the ninth up 5-2 but Toronto pulled within 5-3 on a J.P. Arencibia RBI single and 5-4 on a Mark DeRosa...
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O's need a victory today to win another AL East series (updated)

O's need a victory today to win another AL East series (updated)
The Orioles have a chance to win another American League East series today. So far this season, they have won five of seven series within the division. They recently had a five-game AL East losing streak, which included being swept by Tampa Bay. That streak ended when they won the last two games of the Yankees series. Overall, they are 13-11 versus the AL East this year: At Tampa Bay: 2-1 At Boston: 2-1 At New York: 1-2 Vs. Tampa Bay: 2-1 Vs. Toronto: 2-1 Vs. Tampa Bay: 0-3 Vs. New York:...
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The homer-happy Birds

The homer-happy Birds
The 2013 Orioles are suddenly bashing and mashing baseballs. The Orioles have become homer happy. If those homers lead to wins, that makes their fans happy. In the last few days, they have been. The Orioles have won four of the last five games, hitting 15 homers in that stretch. Over their last 12 games, they have hit 26 homers with nine games of two or more homers. The Orioles are on a pace to hit 225 homers for the season. Last year's Birds bashed a few, 214 to be exact, which was second...
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Orioles beat Toronto 6-5 with Garcia getting the win and J. Johnson the save

Orioles beat Toronto 6-5 with Garcia getting the win and J. Johnson the save
For the fourth time this season, the Orioles faced a pitcher that won a Cy Young Award in 2012. They are now 4-0 in those games after producing a 6-5 win over R.A. Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays. Dickey gave up nine hits and six runs over 6 2/3. He falls to 4-6 on the year with an ERA of 4.85, and Toronto is 4-7 in his 11 starts. In four starts against the Orioles this season, Dickey and Tampa Bay's David Price have pitched to a combined 6.20 ERA, allowing 30 hits and 17 earned runs over...
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O's look to keep impressive mark against 2012 Cy Young winners going today (bats stay hot)

O's look to keep impressive mark against 2012 Cy Young winners going today (bats stay hot)
As the Orioles get set to face R.A Dickey for the second time this year today, it will also be their fourth game this season against a 2012 Cy Young Award winner. The Orioles scored 21 runs and went 3-0 in those first three games against Dickey and Tampa Bay's David Price. On opening night, they beat Tampa Bay 7-4 when Price started, and they won again April 18, 10-6, in 10 innings in another Price start. Five days later, they beat Dickey and Toronto, 4-3. While they didn't pin a personal...
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Watching the Chris Davis show has been fun this year

Watching the Chris Davis show has been fun this year
Manny Machado is the topic of plenty of Orioles stories and headlines these days, and rightfully so. Some other topics in the news about the club recently include its bullpen struggles and the call-up of Kevin Gausman. But while all these legit stories have taken up recent headlines, Chris Davis just continues to have a remarkable year. He possibly could be leading or close to leading the American League in the Triple Crown categories right now if not for Miguel Cabrera. After hitting another...
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O's hit season-high four homers, Machado equals Ty Cobb in win over Jays

O's hit season-high four homers, Machado equals Ty Cobb in win over Jays
The Orioles scored three runs just three batters into tonight's game and the early offensive onslaught continued into the third inning as they bashed their way to a 10-6 win at Toronto tonight. Amid the Orioles hitting a season-high four homers and tying their season high for runs, Manny Machado put his name in the record book again when he singled in the seventh inning. It was his fifth straight road game with three hits or more. According to Elias, the only other player younger than 21...
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O's offense trending up, now can pitching get in line? (More offense tonight)

O's offense trending up, now can pitching get in line? (More offense tonight)
The Orioles have somewhat quietly put together a real nice run on offense. They rank third in the American League and also third in MLB with 232 runs scored. Over the last 12 games, that offense has been humming real well with a team average of .302 and 62 runs scored with 33 doubles, three triples and 21 homers. The Orioles averaged 3.2 extra-base hits a game during the season's first 35 games and that number is 4.8 over these last dozen games. The downside is all those hits and runs have...
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The go-go O's? From worst to first in stolen bases

The go-go O's? From worst to first in stolen bases
The numbers tell the story and it is an impressive change for the better for the Orioles. Last season they stole 58 bases all year to rank last in the American League. This season they have 37 stolen bases and that ranks first in the AL. At this pace the Orioles would steal 127 bases to more than double last year's total. They are also stealing at an impressive percentage. Last year not only did they not steal many bases, but the team stolen base percentage of 67 percent tied for last in the...
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The message for O's minor league batters and a take on Gausman

The message for O's minor league batters and a take on Gausman
During a recent visit to Bowie's Prince George's Stadium to cover a Baysox game, I noticed some stat sheets taped to the home clubhouse wall. They were stats for Baysox players, but also a variety of team stats for each club in the O's organization. They went beyond just some of the basic stats and the sheets were put there by Mike Boulanger, the Orioles second-year minor league hitting coordinator. I asked Boulanger what this was all about. "Part of it is peer pressure," he said....
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Gausman takes the loss in his debut as Blue Jays beat the Orioles, 12-6

Gausman takes the loss in his debut as Blue Jays beat the Orioles, 12-6
For a while it looked like this could be a real feel good evening for the Orioles. They gave Kevin Gausman an early 3-0 lead in his major league debut and Gausman kept Toronto off the board in the first three innings on just two singles. But the Blue Jays got to the 22-year-old right-hander for four runs over the fourth and fifth innings and then Edwin Encarnacion blasted a grand slam in the sixth off Pedro Strop as Toronto beat the Orioles 12-6. The O's fall to 25-22 in losing for the...
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A look at Gausman's recent outings, season innings limit and more (game update)

A look at Gausman's recent outings, season innings limit and more (game update)
As he makes his major league debut for the Orioles tonight, Kevin Gausman does so at a time he has been pitching as well as he has all year. Since pitching to an ERA of 5.63 over his first three starts for Double-A Bowie, the 22-year-old right-hander has pitched to an ERA of 1.78 with a batting average against of .218 over his past five starts, allowing six earned runs in 30 1/3 innings. Gausman has fanned 17 batters in 10 2/3 innings over his last two starts. He has that incredible...
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O's 2012 second-round draft pick Kline to undergo right ankle/fibula surgery today

O's 2012 second-round draft pick Kline to undergo right ankle/fibula surgery today
Right-hander Branden Kline, the Orioles' second-round draft pick last June out of the University of Virginia, is having surgery today to repair a right ankle/fibula fracture. The recovery time after the procedure is six to eight weeks, so the Orioles remain hopeful he can return to pitch this year. Orioles orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens will perform the surgery. Kline was injured, not in a game, but during conditioning drills between starts. Kline, from Thomas Johnson High in Frederick, was...
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Is the Orioles' starting pitching now in good shape?

Is the Orioles' starting pitching now in good shape?
For the Orioles, besides ending their six-game losing streak, the best development over the last few days was seeing their starting pitchers deliver some solid performances. Jason Hammel had pitched to an ERA of 10.43 over his previous three starts until giving the club a solid 6 2/3 innings last night. No doubt, seeing Hammel throw well was a big development for him and the team. The Orioles have gotten a season-high four straight quality starts, which means your starter goes six innings or...
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Postgame comments from Davis, Wieters, Markakis and Hammel

Postgame comments from Davis, Wieters, Markakis and Hammel
Not long after the Orioles had finished off a second straight win over the Yankees, Matt Wieters talked about Jason Hammel and his strong outing in this win. "I'd say this was probably the best outing he's had this year. They have a lot of tough lefty hitters in that lineup, and he had to locate and mix in his change-up, which was big for him tonight. That was the Hammel we saw last year," Wieters said after the right-hander gave up two runs and six hits over 6 2/3 to improve to 6-2. It...
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Jason Hammel records quality start, O's bash three homers and top N.Y.

Jason Hammel records quality start, O's bash three homers and top N.Y.
Jason Hammel recorded his first quality start tonight since April 25, and the Orioles scored five runs off Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda as they beat New York 6-3 to win the series, two victories to one. That is back-to-back wins for the Birds after a six-game slide. They have won 10 of 15 series on the year and moved to within three games of the first-place Yankees. Hammel, who had pitched to an ERA of 10.43 over his last three starts, went 6 2/3 this time, giving up six hits and two runs....
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No shutout this time (updated)

No shutout this time (updated)
The Orioles entered this game with a real challenge tonight, facing New York right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. He shut out the O's on five hits and 113 pitches April 14 at New York, giving up just one hit to the last 17 batters he faced that night. Kuroda is 6-2 with a 1.99 ERA on the year. He ranks second in the AL in ERA, and he's tied for fourth in wins and WHIP at 0.95. Over his last four starts, he has pitched to an ERA of 1.21 and, in three career starts previously against the O's, he is...
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Duquette provides an update on Jonathan Schoop and talks about Gausman

Duquette provides an update on Jonathan Schoop and talks about Gausman
In a press briefing with reporters at Camden Yards this afternoon to talk about the call-up of Kevin Gausman, Orioles vice president Dan Duquette was also asked about infield prospect Jonathan Schoop, who is on the Triple-A Norfolk disabled list. The news doesn't sound very encouraging on Schoop. He has not played since May 12 and will see a doctor in California next week. "It sounds like he has a stress fracture of his low back," Duquette said. "He will need a period of rest, probably...
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After arriving in Baltimore, Gausman looks forward to his big league debut

After arriving in Baltimore, Gausman looks forward to his big league debut
Kevin Gausman got the news last night that he was headed to join the Orioles. He arrived in the Orioles clubhouse just after 3 p.m. today and later talked about his start tomorrow night when he will make his major league debut at Toronto. "Obviously, it is going to be real exciting," Gausman said. "You know, trying not to think about it too much and just keep doing what I've been doing, throwing strikes. Just try to pitch my game." So who did he first call after getting the good news...
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After rough stretch, Jason Hammel looks to turn it around tonight

After rough stretch, Jason Hammel looks to turn it around tonight
In his first six starts this season, Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel pitched to an ERA of 3.79 and American League batters hit just .244 off him. In his last three starts, his ERA is 10.43 and opponents are batting .409. Hammel gave up seven runs in just 4 2/3 innings Friday against Tampa Bay. Over the past three starts, he has gone 14 2/3 innings, allowing 27 hits and 17 earned runs. What is going on with the O's opening night starter right now? For one thing, Hammel insists his struggles...
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