Another night and another frustrating loss for the Orioles. Tigers outfielder Clete Thomas hit a solo homer to center with two outs in the last of the ninth off Danys Baez to give Detroit a 6-5, walk-off win over the Birds to start this four-game series. The O's and rookie Chris Tillman could not hold a 5-0 lead they gained in the top of the first inning. Gary and Buck interview Dave Trembley after the O's 6-5 loss to the Tigers For the second straight start, Tillman did not get a...

The O's current stretch of losing close games continued with Monday's 6-5, bottom of the ninth loss at Detroit. Nine of the Orioles last 12 losses have come by one or two runs. The O's fall to 11-14 in one-run games and have lost their past five one-run decisions. The Rookie - Rookie Chris Tillman did not get a decision again in his second Major League start. He gave up three runs in the first inning, but on the night allowed seven hits and five runs over six innings. Tillman threw 100...

I'll pass along some thoughts here on Brian Matusz who will make his Major League debut for the Orioles tonight. I have seen Matusz pitch several times this year at both Frederick and Bowie. I don't see the game with the critical eye of a scout and can't quite project if what I saw of Matusz at Bowie will translate vs. big league hitters. I can just tell you what I saw first-hand. First off, don't expect Matusz to light up any radar guns. He throws 90, 91 mostly and I don't remember...

Brian Matusz retained his rookie status this season. Now he needs to become the stopper in the opening series of 2010. Is there anything else he can do for us? Is he taking lunch orders, too? Matusz will try to block the Rays' attempts to post a three-game sweep, which would make that early-morning arrival into BWI tomorrow seem even more cruel. He's pitched once at Tropicana Field and won, though he allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and didn't issue...

When the Orioles drafted right-hander Pedro Beato with their second pick, the 32nd overall selection, in the 2006 June draft, he came with a lot of promise and a lively fastball. But the 6'6" hurler from Brooklyn, New York has had limited success on the stat sheet and a fastball that sometimes lost velocity later in games. Now, 83 starts and 444 innings later, he will try a new role this year when the Double-A Bowie Baysox open the season tonight hosting Richmond - pitching out of the...

Game Preview Orioles (44-61) at Detroit (55-49) It was a promising start followed later by a deflating finish. The Orioles took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first against Justin Verlander Monday night. But Detroit battled back to tie the game in the 5th and win it 6-5 on a Clete Thomas homer off Danys Baez in the last of the ninth. That's how the Orioles began a four-game road series and seven-game road trip. Tonight in game two at Detroit, Brian Matusz will make his Major League debut...

LHP Brian Matusz, who has had a brilliant season in the Orioles minor leagues this year, tonight makes his Major League debut. In 19 starts this year between Frederick and Bowie, the 22-year-old Matusz went 11-2, 1.91 and fanned 121 in 113 innings. He began the year at Frederick, going 4-2, 2.16 in 11 starts. Matusz made his first Double-A start on June 17th and pitched even better with Bowie than he had at Frederick. In eight Baysox starts, he went 7-0, 1.55. In 46 1/3 innings he allowed...

By that I don't mean more hits and runs, but Brian Matusz would take that. But after Matusz threw 27 pitches and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the last of the second, the O's hitters in the third came up and made three outs in about 30 seconds. I exaggerate a bit. But how about stalling a bit, taking a few pitches, going back to the on deck circle for the towel, anything to give Matusz a short break. He had to work hard in the last of the third and the O's went out quickly in the top...

Not a bad start. Brian Matusz out pitches Jarrod Washburn, who is second in the league in ERA and had pitched to an ERA of 0.74 over his last five starts. And for most of the night, the kid was a two-pitch pitcher, fastball and change. His last pitch of the night, when he struck out Raburn in the 5th was the slider I mentioned earlier today that ends up at a right-handed hitters foot. For most of tonight Matusz was struggling with his breaking pitches. Wonder what it will look like when...

Brian Matusz became the latest O's pitcher to win his Major League debut, pitching five solid innings, as the Orioles beat the Tigers, 8-2 Tuesday night. The 22-year-old lefty, called up from Double-A Bowie earlier in the day, gave up just one run and six hits. He walked three and fanned five, throwing 99 pitches. Matusz finished with a flourish, getting two strikeouts to end the last of the fifth with men on second and third and one out. Matusz followed Koji Uehara, Brad Bergesen, Jason...