Jim Johnson on the loss and end of his saves streak (plus Flaherty and Tillman quotes)

Jim Johnson on the loss and end of his saves streak (plus Flaherty and Tillman quotes)
After the longest regular season saves streak in Orioles history had come to an end tonight, Jim Johnson said it was pretty simple. It was matter of not executing pitches in the top of the ninth when San Diego scored twice against him to come back and beat the Orioles 3-2. "It was location," Johnson said. "As soon as I got off the field, I went and looked (at the video). Pitches were in different spots than they are normally at. It's about execution. At this level, the talent is too good....
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San Diego ends Jim Johnson's saves streak, beats Orioles 3-2

San Diego ends Jim Johnson's saves streak, beats Orioles 3-2
The Orioles were 18-1 when leading after eight innings this year. Make that 18-2. Jim Johnson's consecutive saves streak ended at 35 tonight when San Diego scored twice off him in the top of the ninth to stun the Orioles 3-2 at Camden Yards. Chris Denorfia and Everth Cabrera came up with RBI singles in the ninth off Johnson, who suffered his first blown save last July 27. He was 15-for-15 this year. The loss spoiled another good outing by Chris Tillman. He pitched seven strong innings...
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Adam Jones talks about Manny Machado

Adam Jones talks about Manny Machado
During a live video chat this afternoon here on MASNsports.com, a fan asked Adam Jones about Manny Machado and how well he is playing right now. In 38 games, the 20-year-old Machado is batting .331 with five homers, 24 RBIs and an .891 OPS. "This kid is special, to be honest with you," Jones said. "He fouled that ball off his ankle the other day in Minnesota. He crushed himself. But the kid is tough. He shows up every day ready to play and he's only 20. That is the remarkable part about...
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Navarro and Burnett talk about rejoining the Orioles

Navarro and Burnett talk about rejoining the Orioles
To take the roster spots of Mike Belfiore, who was optioned to Triple-A yesterday, and Wei-Yin Chen, who was placed on the disabled list today, the Orioles recalled pitcher Alex Burnett and infielder Yamaico Navarro from Norfolk. Both players have been on the O's roster already this season, twice before in the case of Burnett. The 25-year-old Navarro, who returns for a second stint, was with the Orioles from April 5-6 but did not see game action. In 34 games with Norfolk, Navarro was batting...
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Miguel Gonzalez still hopes to pitch in a minor league game later this week

Miguel Gonzalez still hopes to pitch in a minor league game later this week
That blister on the right thumb of Orioles pitcher Miguel Gonzalez is finally healing. The Orioles are hopeful he can pitch in a minor league game, perhaps as soon as Thursday, which could line him up for a return to the rotation next Monday or Tuesday against the Yankees. Manager Buck Showalter said today that Gonzalez might not even need to throw six or seven innings in what could be one rehab start and could just throw between two and five innings. But Gonzalez, who is eligible to return...
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When looking at possible changes, does the club look at the big picture too?

When looking at possible changes, does the club look at the big picture too?
Most reporters that cover the Orioles likely get similar questions, but here are some I have been getting lately: * How long can the Orioles go with Ryan Flaherty struggling on offense? * Is Jair Jurrjens the next minor league pitcher to get a shot in the rotation? * When will the Orioles callup Kevin Gausman? * Will Manny Machado be moving back to shortstop? OK, haven't gotten that last one in a while but just wanted to make sure I had your attention. Bet that one did the trick. My...
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Help for Urrutia and LJ Hoes' bat heats up at Triple-A

Help for Urrutia and LJ Hoes' bat heats up at Triple-A
At Double-A Bowie, there is help for Henry. As Cuban outfielder
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As he works to chase fewer pitches, Adam Jones batting average is on the rise

As he works to chase fewer pitches, Adam Jones batting average is on the rise
In the third inning yesterday, Adam Jones hit a line drive homer. It got out of the park in a hurry. When I say in a hurry, no home run hit in the major leagues this season exited the park faster. According to ESPN Stats and Information, that homer had a flight time of 3.09 seconds, the quickest of any home run this season. Does any play-by-play guy even have a call that fast? While the homer was impressive maybe an at-bat Jones had last Wednesday in the first inning of a game was impressive...
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Chen leaves with injury as O's beat Twins to win another series

Chen leaves with injury as O's beat Twins to win another series
The Orioles won another game. They won another series. They won again on the road. But did they lose a starting pitcher? Wei-Yin Chen pitched five shutout innings today in the Orioles' 6-0 win over Minnesota, but he left the game with a strained right oblique. Chen appeared on his way to going deep into a game for an O's staff that could have used it. Orioles starters had pitched just eight innings in this series and had allowed 16 earned runs over 14 innings in the last three games. Now...
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Orioles have won six of last seven series heading into Minnesota finale (Davis HR note)

Orioles have won six of last seven series heading into Minnesota finale (Davis HR note)
So far this year, the Orioles have been more consistent than streaky. Their longest winning streak is four games. Their longest losing streak is three games, which came in the fifth, sixth and seventh games of the year. The Orioles have lost back-to-back games just twice this year. A loss today would be the third time for that. On their way to a 22-15 record, they have won eight of 11 series, including two in a row and six of their last seven. They need a win today to add to that, and the...
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On a rainy night in Bowie, Kevin Gausman takes another step on the road to Baltimore

On a rainy night in Bowie, Kevin Gausman takes another step on the road to Baltimore
BOWIE, Md. - It was not the easiest night to play or pitch. There was on-and-off rain. And, for a rare occasion, Kevin Gausman saw his command a bit on and off, too. The Orioles' 2012 first-round pick still pitched well, giving up just one run, but after walking just one batter in his first six starts over 35 2/3 innings, Gausman walked three last night in Double-A Bowie's 2-1 loss to Erie, going to a three-ball count nine times. "For the conditions, I felt pretty good," Gausman said. "I...
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Gausman with two scoreless to start his night at Bowie (leaves after 4 2/3)

Gausman with two scoreless to start his night at Bowie (leaves  after 4 2/3)
BOWIE, Md. - Throwing a steady diet of upper 90s fastballs, Kevin Gausman has pitched two scoreless innings tonight here at Bowie, and the Baysox have a 1-0 lead after the second frame. The game was scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m., but began 55 minutes late due to a rain delay. After seeing several pitches register at 97 mph on the stadium radar gun, one pitch was clocked at 100 mph during the top of the second. Whether is a true reading or not, I'm not sure, but I am sure I saw triple...
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In Bowie, Zach Clark talks about his first start tomorrow using the knuckleball

In Bowie, Zach Clark talks about his first start tomorrow using the knuckleball
BOWIE, Md. - If you want to talk about a player with perseverance, you could start with pitcher Zach Clark. In his eighth season in the Orioles' organization, he finally made the big leagues recently. But just a few days later, he was designated for assignment and now he is back here with Double-A Bowie, learning to throw a knuckleball. It's been a wild few days for the 29-year-old Clark, but the player I spoke to this afternoon is embracing this chance to show the Orioles what he can do...
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A stat comparison that shows Manny Machado ahead of Harper and Trout

A stat comparison that shows Manny Machado ahead of Harper and Trout
It sounds like a few fans turned the game off on MASN last night when the Orioles fell behind the Twins 6-0. If they didn't make their way back to the broadcast, they missed a stunning comeback and 9-6 win. The Orioles, Red Sox and Yankees all won Friday night to remain tied atop the AL East with New York actually a few percentage points ahead of the other two clubs. When I worked with former Orioles executive Jim Duquette on the radio last night on Baltimore's 105.7 FM The Fan, he showed...
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Down 6-0, the Orioles rally to stun the Twins, 9-6, in series opener

Down 6-0, the Orioles rally to stun the Twins, 9-6, in series opener
Well, to say the least, that was an impressive win. Down 6-0 as they came to bat in the top of the sixth tonight, the Orioles scored six to tie the game over a two-inning span and then scored three in the top of the 10th to stun the Twins, 9-6, tonight. This was the first time the Orioles won when down 6-0 since June 25, 2010 against the Nationals. The Orioles scored the game's last nine runs while their bullpen kept Minnesota off the board after the Twins scored six runs in the first five...
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Twins are 5-2 so far against AL East

Twins are 5-2 so far against AL East
This might surprise you, but the Minnesota Twins, a team that has lost 99 and 96 games the last two seasons, are 5-2 this season against the American League East. The Twins host the Orioles for three games over the weekend beginning tonight at Target Field. The Twins took two of three in Baltimore in the second series of the year and they just took three of four at Fenway Park, winning the last three in that series by scores of 6-1, 15-8 and 5-3. Minnesota is 16-15 on the season, 7-6 at home...
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Henry Urrutia gets off to a solid start with Bowie, but there is more work to do

Henry Urrutia gets off to a solid start with Bowie, but there is more work to do
If you just look at the stat sheet, you can't help but be impressed by Double-A Bowie outfielder Henry Urrutia. The Cuban defector signed by the Orioles last July is swinging a good bat for the Baysox during his first 15 games in the Orioles organization. The 26-year-old Urrutia is batting .317 with eight doubles, two homers, 15 RBIs, a .550 slugging percentage and .929 OPS. Urrutia is 7-for-19 (.368) with runners in scoring position and has six multi-hit games. But the Orioles realize that,...
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Matt Wieters and Freddy Garcia talk about the Royals' four-run fourth inning

Matt Wieters and Freddy Garcia talk about the Royals' four-run fourth inning
Matt Wieters didn't throw any pitches tonight, but he took responsibility for one that went over the left field wall in the top of the fourth. Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer hit two-run homers in that frame to beat Freddy Garcia and the Orioles 6-2 at Camden Yards. "The ball Hosmer hit, you can put that one on me," Wieters said. "That was the wrong pitch at the wrong time. It was a pitch that kind of was a power pitch for him and the ball to Gordon was just a little bit up. I think...
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Guthrie tops Garcia as Royals win to avoid series sweep

Guthrie tops Garcia as Royals win to avoid series sweep
Orioles starter Freddy Garcia gave up just five hits tonight, but four of them came consecutively in the top of the fourth and two were homers as the Kansas City Royals beat the Orioles 6-2 to salvage the final game of a three-game series. Winning pitcher Jeremy Guthrie was facing the Orioles for the first time and extended his consecutive unbeaten starts streak to 18. He is 10-0 since his last loss, which came last Aug. 8. Guthrie, an Oriole from 2007 through 2011, went six innings, allowing...
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Freddy Garcia talks about making his second start for the Orioles (updated)

Freddy Garcia talks about making his second start for the Orioles (updated)
After taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his Orioles debut Saturday at Anaheim, what does Freddy Garcia have in store for an encore? We find out tonight when the 36-year-old Venezuelan makes the start opposite former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie. "Real excited (to get back out there)," Garcia said Wednesday. "Nice to be back in the big leagues and I'm trying to do the best I can to stay here. Was real happy with that first start, but that is in the past now. "I don't need to change...
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