Bud Norris can bring the heat, but changeup has become big pitch for him

After Bud Norris pitched eight scoreless innings Monday night against Boston, a lot of the postgame talk was how effective the right-hander's changeup was that night. Norris gave up just three hits in that win. After he gave up a leadoff single to start the game, he retired the next 13 Red Sox hitters. He was rolling. Even though Norris estimates he threw just 12 or 15 changeups out of 98 pitches, the pitch gives him another weapon in his arsenal. "It is something I've always worked on," Norris said. "The way I have pitched my entire life, I've been a four-seamer and slider guy. That has always been my strengths and is what I go to in the heat of the moment. But I feel more comfortable with (the changeup) now against both left and right-handed hitters." In that start against the Red Sox, Norris showed the changeup early in the game and Boston hitters could see he had a good one that night. "My last start against Boston, the 3-2 count to (Mike) Napoli in the second inning was a changeup and he didn't see it coming and swung through it," Norris said. "I think that plants some doubt in their mind and gives them a third or fourth look. I understand what it means to me and I try to find it on a nightly basis. I'm excited it's come this far, but it's definitely still my third pitch. "It makes the other pitches better. Just gives me more ways to get outs. Everywhere in baseball, you see it can be a big pitch. (Kevin) Gausman is throwing 99, but having that changeup helps him. It was big for (Chris) Tillman's 2013 season. It is a very important pitch." Norris is 5-5 with a 3.94 ERA as he gets set to make his 13th start of 2014 this afternoon against Toronto. Norris is 3-1 with an ERA of 2.38 in five home starts. He can flash a mid-90s fastball and that sharp, late-breaking slider. Those are his two main pitches. But he'll try again to feature a three-pitch mix and make the changeup a part of the package. The pitch has been pretty solid for him for much of this season. "I think it is better, the consistency of it," Norris said. "I can make it move in the bullpen, but I have to have it in the game and tell myself that this is the right pitch. I'm throwing it more in game situations, getting better results with it, which is outstanding and will try to keep that going." After Ubaldo Jimenez gave up two runs over six innings Friday, O's starters have produced a season-high five straight quality starts. In that time, they've pitched 33 innings allowing 22 hits and four runs for an ERA of 1.09. Norris will try to follow up that start against the Red Sox with another good one today and pitch the Orioles back to within 3 1/2 games of first in the American League East. Kline an All-Star: Single-A Frederick right-hander Branden Kline has been added to the Carolina League All-Star team. Kline is 3-2 with an ERA of 3.33 in 14 starts. In 81 innings, he has allowed 85 hits with 19 walks and 63 strikeouts. The Carolina League All-Stars play the California League All-Stars on Tuesday night in Wilmington, Del. Kline is replacing Potomac pitcher Derek Self, who was promoted to Double-A. Earlier, Keys outfielder Glynn Davis and pitcher Matt Taylor were named to the Carolina League roster. Taylor will miss the game with a back injury. Short-season Single-A Aberdeen had a tough ending to its season opener last night. Leading 1-0 with two outs in the last of the ninth, Aberdeen gave up a two-run homer to lose 2-1 as Hudson Valley came up with the walkoff win. Aberdeen starter Janser Severino pitched six scoreless innings on just three hits with nine strikeouts. Hector Veloz hit a solo homer for the IronBirds.