AL East showdown: The Orioles begin a big series in New York tonight

AL East showdown: The Orioles begin a big series in New York tonight
The last time the Orioles won a season series from the New York Yankees was in 1997 when they went 8-4. That was the last O's team to get to the playoffs and this team has a chance to do both again. The 2012 Orioles are three games behind New York in the AL East and hold the second wild card position right now. These Orioles are 5-6 against the Yankees. The clubs begin a big weekend series tonight in New York. If you enjoy these games, you'll get to see the clubs play another weekend series...
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Britton, Teagarden and Jones talk after win over Chicago (Baysox clinch)

Britton, Teagarden and Jones talk after win over Chicago (Baysox clinch)
Zach Britton is on a bit of a roll right now. He is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.25 over his last three starts after giving up just one run in eight innings today in a win over the White Sox. Britton set a career high with 10 strikeouts and didn't walk a batter. His previous career best was seven against Los Angeles on Sept. 17, 2011. "I felt real good the whole game, even in the second inning," Britton said. "I made some pretty good pitches, just a little up in the zone. I was able to get down...
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Early power display and Britton's 10 Ks carry the O's to victory

Early power display and Britton's 10 Ks carry the O's to victory
A stunning power display at the plate and a strikeout display on the mound combined to provide the Orioles with a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox this afternoon at Camden Yards, as the Orioles won three of four in this series and completed a 5-1 homestand. The Orioles improved to 72-58 and head to New York for a big three-game series, trailing the first-place Yankees by three games. Chicago starter Jose Quintana retired the first eight batters today before the Orioles struck for five...
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Those O's like to play during the day

Those O's like to play during the day
If they could just play a day game and have it decided by a single run, the Orioles would probably have a great chance for a win. The Birds are 24-12 in day games this year and a major league best 24-6 in one-run games. But now that they have a 5-1 lead on Chicago, they probably aren't interested in a one-run game. The Orioles put together a stunning power display with two outs and no one on in the last of the third today. They went solo homer by Taylor Teagarden, double by Nick Markakis,...
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Wieters said he's holding up fine over the long grind of the season (Bundy note)

Wieters said he's holding up fine over the long grind of the season (Bundy note)
It's probably never that easy for Buck Showalter to write out a lineup that doesn't include Matt Wieters catching. But Buck knows, of course, that you have to give a catcher some breaks, and Wieters is not starting today's 12:35 p.m. game. Wieters said he's holding up just fine physically at this point with 33 regular season games left. "At the end of August, you're not feeling as good as you did in April, but everyone is ready for the grind when the season starts," Wieters said....
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Not his night: Saunders takes loss in O's debut as Chicago tops Birds

Not his night: Saunders takes loss in O's debut as Chicago tops Birds
Joe Saunders was excited about getting his chance to join his hometown team and pitch in a pennant race, but the feel good story ended early for him and the Orioles tonight. Saunders, the Falls Church, Virginia native, gave up four runs in the first inning as Chicago beat the Orioles 8-1 in front of 13,098 at Camden Yards. A win would have pulled the Orioles to within 2 1/2 games of first place New York, which lost this afternoon. A win would have also moved the Orioles 15 games over the .500...
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Matt Wieters talks about catching Joe Saunders tonight

Matt Wieters talks about catching Joe Saunders tonight
A lot of times before a game, Matt Wieters will watch video of a pitcher to see what he can expect in batting against the pitcher that night. Today, the Orioles catcher watched tape of Joe Saunders because he will catch him for the first time tonight as Saunders makes his Orioles debut against Chicago. "I did (watch video of Saunders)," Wieters said. "I think maybe I have three at-bats off him, so you can't get a good read off that. So I just went back to watch his last game or two to get...
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The Orioles made the right call on D. Bundy

The Orioles made the right call on D. Bundy
After Buck Showalter's pregame comments today about sending Dylan Bundy to instructional league when that starts on September 12, it now appears that Bundy will not get a September call-up to Baltimore. I think the organization is making the exact right call. While Bundy is 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA at three levels this year, it is amazing enough for him to have advanced three levels and be ending this season in Double-A at age 19. You just don't see many 19-year-old pitchers reaching the...
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McLouth taking advantage of a second chance in Baltimore

McLouth taking advantage of a second chance in Baltimore
Over the last few games, Nate McLouth, at least for a few days, must be looking like the player that Pittsburgh Pirates fans saw for an entire season in 2008. That year, he batted .276 with a National League-leading 46 doubles along with 26 homers, 94 RBIs and an OPS of .853. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner that season. He was just 26 then and probably seemed like a future star. But fast forward to this year and McLouth's performance had fallen off to the point where he was released...
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No Sale: O's and Tillman top first-place White Sox 6-0

No Sale: O's and Tillman top first-place White Sox 6-0
Chris Sale took the mound tonight at Camden Yards with a record of 15-4 and ERA of 2.65. He ranks tied for third in the American League in wins, fourth in ERA and eighth in strikeouts. He looked like he had some dominant stuff early in the game. But that was before Nick Markakis smoked a three-run double to center field in the bottom of the second to propel the red-hot Orioles to another win. They beat Chicago 6-0 in front of 12,814 at Camden Yards. The Orioles are now 14 games over .500 at...
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The Orioles have been holding their own against the AL's best

The Orioles have been holding their own against the AL's best
Tonight the Orioles play their second game in a stretch of 11 of 14 against first-place teams Chicago and New York. Last night's 4-3 win got the Orioles off to a good start. Right after that stretch ends on Sept. 9 against the Yankees at Camden Yards, the O's then play six straight against Tampa Bay and Oakland, two other playoff contenders. In other words, if they are still in the race for a playoff spot by mid-September, they will have earned it. After that they end the regular season...
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Joe Saunders on growing up an O's fan and now getting ready for his O's debut

Joe Saunders on growing up an O's fan and now getting ready for his O's debut
Growing up in Falls Church, Va., before he would go to Virginia Tech and later become an Angels' first-round draft pick, Joe Saunders would come to Baltimore to watch his favorite team, the Orioles, play. Now, after Sunday's trade from Arizona, Saunders is an Oriole, and he will make his first O's start tomorrow night at Camden Yards. He won't need a ticket to get in this time. "They had Cal here. They had Brady Anderson, Chris Hoiles, Mickey Tettleton, Raffy Palmeiro, Mike Mussina, a...
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The Orioles' starting pitching takes a turn for the better

The Orioles' starting pitching takes a turn for the better
As the Orioles get ready to add Joe Saunders to their rotation, the good news is that the rotation is pitching pretty well right now. Unlike many times this year, there is no clear-cut candidate currently not pitching well to be replaced in the rotation. In fact, since Aug. 4, the Orioles have played 21 games and gotten 13 quality starts (six innings or more, allowing three earned runs or less) in that time. They are 12-1 in those 13 games. One stat that has held firm most of this year is...
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Once again, Jim Johnson was the final hero for the Orioles

Once again, Jim Johnson was the final hero for the Orioles
It's amazing enough that the Orioles have won a club record of 13 straight one-run games, but how about this note: Jim Johnson has gotten a save in 12 of those 13 wins. Moments after Nate McLouth hit a dramatic two-run homer to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the last of the eighth yesterday, there he was on the mound again. Again, trying to protect the slimmest of leads and again doing it beautifully. There were a lot of heroes in another dramatic O's win last night, but at the end, there...
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For Chen, extra rest could be the best

For Chen, extra rest could be the best
Yes, it has been awhile since Wei-Yin Chen pitched for the Orioles. Before tonight, his last outing was Aug. 19 in Detroit, when he gave up five runs and seven hits over five innings. That day he gave up five runs in the first inning. Over his last three starts, Chen has pitched to an ERA of 7.47. Good for an airline, not an ERA. Over 15 2/3 innings in those outings, he gave up 25 hits including four homers, and a batting average against of .362. Buck Showalter is clearly aware of this Chen...
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How will the Orioles hold up over the next 14 games?

How will the Orioles hold up over the next 14 games?
Tonight begins a stretch where the Orioles play seven straight games and 11 of the next 14 against the White Sox and Yankees, a pair of division leaders. Chicago comes to town tonight leading the AL Central by 2 1/2 games over Detroit with a record of 71-55 and six wins in a row. The Chisox just swept the Yankees and Seattle, and are 16 games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 7, 2010. Chicago's last four wins have all been by one run and the White Sox are 15-4 in their last 19 one-run...
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Arrieta talks about renewed mental focus in return to club

Arrieta talks about renewed mental focus in return to club
In Jake Arrieta's last two starts at Triple-A Norfolk, he pitched 12 2/3 innings and gave up just four hits and four runs with seven walks and 16 strikeouts. Coming off those two outings with a better focus on every pitch and adjusted mental outlook, Arrieta is back with the Orioles and, for now, pitching out of the bullpen. He last pitched in an Orioles game on July 5. "Real, real happy to be here," Arrieta said today. "Not necessarily the way I envisioned the year panning out up to this...
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The team meeting that turned around the season for the Bowie Baysox

The team meeting that turned around the season for the Bowie Baysox
Gary Kendall, the manager of the Double-A Bowie Baysox, can remember the exact date. It was June 6 and his team had lost to Portland to fall to a season-worst 11 games under .500 at 23-34. At that point, Kendall, on a suggestion from pitcher Kyler Newby, called a team meeting. "I really didn't think we had any kind of identity, even though I thought there was a lot of talent on the field. We had a meeting in Portland and it was just about owning up to this. It was just a talk about pulling...
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After rainout, D. Bundy talks about rumors of a call to Baltimore

After rainout, D. Bundy talks about rumors of a call to Baltimore
BOWIE, Md. - The Orioles' top pitching prospect, right-hander Dylan Bundy, had his scheduled start rained out today. The game was called about an hour after the scheduled 2:05 p.m. start time and will likely be made up next weekend when the Baysox play at Harrisburg. It has not been yet decided whether Bundy will start tomorrow night. Tommy Hunter was sent from the Orioles to the Baysox and is tomorrow's scheduled starter at this point. So Bundy's next start is on hold for now, with a...
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Dylan Bundy is scheduled to make his third Double-A start today at Bowie (updated)

Dylan Bundy is scheduled to make his third Double-A start today at Bowie (updated)
BOWIE, Md. - Amid rumors the Orioles are considering calling him up to the major leagues soon, 19-year-old pitching prospect Dylan Bundy will make his third Double-A start this afternoon at Prince George's Stadium at 2:05 when the Bowie Baysox host Harrisburg. Bundy is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his first two Bowie games. Over 11 1/3 innings, he has allowed 10 hits, five runs (four earned) with four walks and seven strikeouts. Eastern League batters are hitting .238 off the Orioles' top pitching...
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