After losing 7-1 at Potomac last night, the Frederick Keys need to win two games in two days to advance to the Mills Cup finals vs. Winston-Salem. Frederick trails the best-of-five series, 2-1, heading into tonight's game four at Potomac where Luis Noel (3-2, 6.18) pitches for the Keys vs. right-hander Marcos Frias (7-5, 5.69). Frias is 1-1, 7.31 in three starts vs. Frederick on the year. How some Keys hitters have fared in this series: Miguel Abreu: 3 for 12 Xavier Avery: 0 for 10 Pedro...

Nine years ago today, Jason Marquis was scheduled to take the mound in Atlanta against the Phillies. Up early to do some work on his fantasy football team, Marquis watched the first plane fly into the World Trade Center on television. Like many Americans, when the second plane hit the Twin Towers, he frantically began checking with loved ones in the city -- including his sister who was working at the New York Stock Exchange. "You feel helpless," Marquis recalled. "All you can do is hope...

Jake Fox's home run last night was the 10th by a first baseman this season, making the Orioles the last team in the majors to reach double figures at that position, according to Elias. I'm sure that was all part of manager Buck Showalter's plan. You already know that the Orioles are 22-14 under Showalter. Did you also know that they're tied with the Colorado Rockies for the third-most wins during that period? (Phillies 25, Twins 24) The Orioles are 10-2 in series-opening games under...

On Saturday, the Nationals will remember the September 11th attacks in Washington, New York and Pennsylvania with several special events throughout the game. During batting practice, Nationals players wore DC Fire Department caps to honor the emergency personnel who responded to the attacks. In a pregame ceremony, Mike Rizzo and Ivan Rodriguez will be recognized as Honorary Fire Chiefs with a special helmet presentation. Additionally, the Post 9/11 Foundation will present the Nationals with...

If the sting from Koji Uehara's blown save on Wednesday still hasn't subsided, you might want to consider making an appointment with a dermatologist. Also consider that the Orioles have won five of their last six games and nine of their last 13. That's a pretty good stretch from the team with the worst record in the American League. How much longer will the Orioles hold that distinction? Their record currently stands at 54-87. The Seattle Mariners, a team that was championed over the...

I've heard some fans say one reason the Orioles are playing so much better under Buck Showalter is because he is not afraid to kick some players' butts if needed and they know that. While that may be true, it seems to me that, rather than confront players and get on them to make them play better, Buck has boosted the confidence of the players and convinced them they are pretty good, or they wouldn't be here. Check out this article from Peter Gammons where he talks about Buck improving the...

Two innings after he dropped a foul pop that cost the Orioles, Matt Wieters hit a fly ball of his own that scored a run to give the Orioles the lead. Wieters came up with the bases loaded and one out in the 8th and his sac fly to right gave the O's a 4-3 lead. Adam Jones followed with an RBI single as the two-run 8th lifted the O's to a 6-3 win at Detroit. Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter about the O's 6-3 win over the Tigers The Orioles are now 10-2 in series openers under Buck...

Matt Wieters dropped a pop up that preceded Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer off Kevin Millwood in the sixth inning. Earlier in the game, he failed to block a pitch in the dirt, allowing the ball to roll away from him for a wild pitch. Just as I was complaining about him to a friend via text message, he lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right field off Tigers reliever Phil Coke in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie. It wasn't a bad pitch - down and away - but Wieters drove it to the warning...

The Nationals minor league system was honored this season with most valuable player of the year awards handed out to Potomac's Tyler Moore and GCL Nationals Randolph Oduber. Nationals hitting coordinator Rick Schu says both players deserved their awards and greatly improved from the beginning of the season. Schu says Oduber, who hails from the island of Aruba and attended Western Oklahoma State College, came in and "really battled all season." "He had a great season in the GCL," says...

Pretty sly move by manager Buck Showalter to put Jake Fox in tonight's lineup. Showalter knew that Fox was 4-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBIs lifetime against Tigers starter Armando Galarraga. You can't keep that stuff a secret. Didn't matter that it was right-hander vs. right-hander. Didn't matter that Fox has been glued to the bench. Tonight was the right time to give Fox a start, and he just gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead with a two-run shot in the fifth inning. Does anyone...