Pridie makes debut, Davis sets club strikeout record (updated)

Jason Pridie, starting in center field tonight, is the 54th player to suit up for the Orioles this year, tying the 1955 team for most in a season. They dressed 53 last year. I don't have a list available of the ones who declined to wear clothes. Pridie grounded out to end the second inning, with Jays second baseman Ryan Goins making a lunging stop and throw. Chris Davis struck out in the second inning, breaking Mark Reynolds club record of 196 set in 2011. He doesn't lead the majors, however. Chris Carter has 208. Carter probably has more career touchdowns, though. And yes, I know the NFL's Carter spelled his first name Cris. Work with me here. Bud Norris has thrown 50 pitches in two innings, allowing one run and four hits, walking one and striking out two. Jose Reyes had a two-out RBI bloop single in the second. Davis and Adam Jones have each hit at least seven home runs against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012 and 2013. According to STATS and the Society for American Baseball Research, the only other teammates to hit seven or more against the same opponent in consecutive seasons are Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, who did it in three straight vs. the Philadelphia Athletics in 1930-32 and two vs. the Cleveland Indians in 1930-31. Jones isn't in tonight's lineup, putting his consecutive-games streak of 322 in jeopardy. He entered the clubhouse today and immediately headed toward manager Buck Showalter's office. Showalter said Jones gave him "the look." Showalter offered to let Jones assist him in managing the club. Later, Jones admitted to reporters that his body needs a break, but he might try to talk Showalter into letting him pinch-hit to continue his pursuit of Cal Ripken's record of 2,632 consecutive games. "If I play, then it's still active," he said, grinning. "I'll be itching, no matter what, to try to get an at-bat just to keep it alive because I want to approach that. That's still an impressive streak, but I need a day. "I hope somehow I can contribute. I'll be a cheerleader, just like I always am for my teammates." Jones said it wasn't hard to play 322 games in a row because "I've kept my body in great shape. That's what I do in the offseason, all the exercises that I do that I hate at 8 in the morning that prep me for playing 162 and then beyond if need be. I attribute it to my offseason workout" Jones was happy to find out that Jonathan Schoop was making his major league debut tonight, starting at second base and batting eighth. "That's cool," Jones said. "I've been teasing him and asking if he's ever going to play, but that's good. I want to see him facing (Esmil) Rogers, a good pitcher. I'm there for him if he needs any help, but he has a good approach. Hopefully, he goes out there and is aggressive. That's what you want to see from him." Update: Norris is at 78 pitches through the third, and he trailed 3-0 after Anthony Gose's two-out RBI triple and Josh Thole's single. But the Orioles scored twice in the bottom half of the inning. Schoop drove a 1-0 fastball up the middle for his first major league hit in his first at-bat, and he came home on Ryan Flaherty's home run onto the flag court in right field. Flaherty has nine homers and 23 RBIs. The Orioles' dugout pulled the old prank of tossing a fake ball into the stands after the real one was retrieved and thrown to a teammate. Works every time. Baltimore native Steve Clevenger grounded out in his first at-bat at Camden Yards.



A night of firsts for the Orioles (Flaherty homers...
Machado meets the press
 

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