Jim Johnson entered tonight with an ERA of 6.23. He entered allowing four of his six inherited runners to score. Suddenly, he cannot hold a lead and has become a liability pitching late in the game, maybe soon to join Matt Albers as pitchers the team just can't use anymore with the game on the line. Tonight, frankly, he was terrible. He gave up a single to Pedroia, the first batter he faced to tie the game 3-3 in the seventh. He elevated a 2-2 pitch to J.D. Drew that he hit for a homer in...

The Garrett Atkins double play in the fourth inning looms large right now. You knew it would if you've been paying attention to this team. You could predict what would happen next. It was as easy as 1-2-3. The Orioles didn't bust open the game, and Jim Johnson gave up the game-tying single to Dustin Pedroia with two outs in the seventh after inheriting Jason Berken's mess. Berken walked No. 9 hitter Darnell McDonald on four pitches to start the two-out rally. That can't...

We were debating in the press box whether David Hernandez should come out for the sixth inning. I agreed with the decision. Let him start the inning and make sure a reliever is ready. Dustin Pedroia immediately tried to destroy my argument with an opposite-field home run that reduced the Orioles' lead to 3-2. Victor Martinez walked, and the ice beneath Hernandez's feet had practically turned to water. Left-hander Will Ohman was warming, so let Hernandez face right-handed hitting Kevin...

The Red Sox committed two errors in the fourth inning, and the Orioles scored once to expand their lead to 3-1. It should have been so much more. Miguel Tejada led off with a single and hustled to second on center fielder Darnell McDonald's error. Yes, that Darnell McDonald. With Luke Scott at the plate, the Orioles would have settled for a ground ball to the right side. Instead, John Lackey walked him. Ty Wigginton followed with a sharp grounder that looked like a double-play ball until...

David Hernandez is throwing well so far tonight, but he went to a full count on all four hitters he faced in the fourth, pitching carefully to the middle of the Red Sox lineup. He threw 25 pitches in the inning and is at 66 for the game. Even though he walked two in the frame, he got a Kevin Youkilis double-play grounder to help him out. He started well, throwing just 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 first and had just 41 pitches through three. He gave up a solo homer to J.D. Drew in the second that...

Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley met privately today with center fielder Adam Jones, who entered tonight's game with a .204 average and .228 on-base percentage. It was part pep-talk, part instructional. "I think from this point forward you're going to see a better Adam Jones," Crowley said. "He hit some balls really far early in the year for some home runs and we might have gotten too thrilled with those home runs and forgot about getting back to the basics of being a good hitter, a...

The O's have scored ten runs in David Hernandez's four starts this year and just two of those runs have scored while Hernandez is in the game. Ty Wigginton has reached base in 14 of his last 25 plate appearances. Since beginning the year 6 for 29, Nick Markakis has 17 hits in 55 at bats (.309). He is tied for 12th in the AL in walks (14). Matt Wieters is 13th in the league with eight multi-hit games. The Orioles have lost seven straight home games vs. Boston O's hitters, recent...

The Orioles are 4-18 and own one victory at Camden Yards. They haven't posted a winning season since 1997. So why should fans pay to enter these gates? Dave Trembley talks with the media about turning things around "This is your team. This is the Baltimore Orioles," manager Dave Trembley said. "If you love your team, you love them through good times and bad times and you stick with them, because sooner or later this team will turn it around and you want to be here when that happens....

Earlier this week, Dave Trembley talked about finding out "who wants it" in his bullpen and basically that some roles could be open to those that pitch well and grasp them. For now, though, Jason Berken is not changing roles. He's been valuable in long relief, going 0-0, 1.32 in six games over 13 2/3 innings. He pitched the ninth last night because he needed work. The skipper has been tempted to give Berken work later in the game, but for now, he remains in long relief. "Yes, there has...

It's hard to believe the first month of the baseball season has already played out - which means it's time for our first 'Where in the Yard?' winner of the 2010 season. Congrats to Jeremy from Cumberland for the sweep! Throughout the weeks in April, he racked up every point possible - plus the bonus for identifying the tougher Babe Ruth plaque to boot. So Jeremy should look out for an email from me and his MLB gift card in the mail soon to follow. Want an MLB gift card of your own?...