Tillman's poise
Chris Tillman showed some big-time poise in the bottom of the first inning tonight.
Meanwhile, home plate umpire Mark Wegner is sure missing a good game, at least missing some good Tillman pitches.
I give the 21-year-old right hander immense credit for keeping his poise while Wegner was missing pitches and forcing Tillman to work to the max to get out of a bases-loaded jam.
But he was forced to throw 31 pitches. Will that catch up to him in the second inning tonight? Maybe the 5th or...
Chris Tillman gave up just three runs, all on solo homers, in six innings plus tonight at Tampa. He leaves trailing 3-0 and might absorb his first Major League loss.
But he pitched very well in this game and maybe had his best curveball of any of his five O's outings.
Tillman tonight: 6IP, 7H, 3R-ER, 2B, 3K.....101 pitches.
I thought he might not come out for the seventh inning, but I kind of liked the fact that he did, despite throwing 100 pitches through six. Dave Trembley showed...
Chris Tillman allowed three solo homers and took his first Major League loss as Tampa Bay beat the Birds 3-1 Wednesday night to take the first two games of this series.
Pat Burrell homered in the 4th, Ben Zobrist in the 6th and B.J. Upton took Tillman deep leading off the 7th.
Tillman, now 1-1, 4.80, gave up seven hits and three runs over six innings. He threw 101 pitches and his ERA over his last three starts is 3.72.
Jim and Buck interview Dave Trembley after the O's 3-1 loss to the...
O's pitching has been hampered by the longball all year, especially in the last few games. Chris Tillman allowed three solo homers tonight and the O's have allowed six homers in two games in this series.
The Birds have allowed 12 homers over the last four games and 37 in the last 22 games.
Tillman time - Tillman, now 1-1, 4.80 through five Major League starts, gave up three runs and seven his over six innings. He walked two and fanned three, throwing 101 pitches. Still, Tillman has...
Game Preview
Orioles (48-72) at Tampa Bay (65-54)
The Orioles have yet to win a series since the All-Star break. They won't win this one either as they have lost the first two games of a three-game set at Tampa Bay.
Tonight, the clubs meet at 7:08 p.m. as the Orioles look to get one win in this series.
Lefty Brian Matusz (1-2, 6.75) will pitch vs. the Rays James Shields (7-9, 3.88).
The Orioles have lost 5-4 and 3-1 games in this series. Tampa hit three solo homers Wednesday night to...
LHP Brian Matusz (1-2, 6.75) tonight makes his 4th Major League start of this season, his 3rd on the road and the 1st of his career vs. Tampa.
In his Major League debut, August 4th at Detroit, Matusz got a win, giving up just one run over five innings.
Over his last two starts vs. Toronto and Los Angeles, he has given up 9ER and 18 hits over 8 1/3 innings.
The Orioles are 1-2 in his starts.
Right-handed batters are hitting .436 vs. Matusz in those starts with 24 hits in 55 at bats. ...
Brian Roberts hit a Grand Slam in the 6th tonight to break a 1-1 tie and give the Orioles a 5-1 lead at Tampa.
It's his 12th homer of the year, his 2nd in two nights and his 4th career Grand Slam.
Roberts career Grand Slams:
5-22-03 at Anaheim off Troy Percival
5-28-03 v. Anaheim off Ramon Ortiz
6-20-04 at Colorado of Shawn Chacon
8-20-09 at TB off Lance Cormier
Roberts is 2 for 4 in tonight's game, extending his batting streak to 10 games. He is hitting .391 (18 for 46) during his...
The Orioles produced seven runs on two swings as Brian Roberts hit a Grand Slam and Nolan Reimold a three-run shot in Thursday's 8-7 win over Tampa.
The O's avoided the series sweep and ended a five-game losing streak.
Roberts hit his fourth career Slam off Lance Cormier in the 6th to break a 1-1 tie. An inning later, after Tampa cut the 5-1 lead to 5-4, Reimold delivered his three-run shot.
It was Reimold's first homer since July 31st vs. Boston He had hit just one over his last 41...
A B-Rob blast - Brian Roberts turned a 1-1 tie into a 5-1 Orioles lead when he hit a Grand Slam off Lance Cormier in the 6th inning. Cormier had just entered the game in relief of starter James Shields.
It was Roberts' fourth career Grand Slam and first in over five years. Roberts has hit two homers in two games and three over his last five games.
Roberts career Slams:
5-22-03 at Anaheim off Troy Percival
5-28-03 v. Anaheim off Ramon Ortiz
6-20-04 at Colorado off Shawn Chacon
8-20-09 at...
Game Preview
Orioles (49-72) at Chicago White Sox (62-59)
After playing three games at Tampa decided by four total runs, the Orioles move on to Chicago for the second stop on a nine-game road trip.
Pitching Matchups for the Series:
Fri, 8:11p - Jeremy Guthrie (7-12, 5.66) v. Gavin Floyd (10-7, 3.94)
Sat, 7:05p - David Hernandez (4-5, 4.20) v. John Danks (10-8, 3.96)
Sun, 2:05p - Jason Berken (2-11, 6.72) v. Mark Buehrle (11-6, 3.78)
The Birds ended a five-game losing streak with Thursday's...
RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-12, 5.66) tonight will make his 25th start of the season, his 12th on the road and his 6th in his career vs. the White Sox.
Sunday vs. the Angels, Guthrie allowed seven runs (all earned) and ten hits in 5 2/3 innings. Over his last five starts, he is 0-4, 7.55.
He has allowed 2ER or less in just four of 24 starts this year, after doing that in 17 of 30 starts in 2008.
The Orioles are 8-16 when Guthrie starts, losing his last five outings.
Guthrie has given up 41 of...