Bowie hosts Richmond tonight as Roberts returns to diamond

BOWIE, Md. - Hello from Prince George's Stadium, where the Bowie Baysox host the Richmond Flying Squirrels tonight in Eastern League baseball at 7:05 p.m. It is here where the Orioles' Brian Roberts will begin his 20-day minor league rehab assignment, playing in a game for the first time since May 16, 2011. He has missed 166 games since that time, playing in just 98 games combined for the Orioles over the last two seasons. Roberts has only played in 27 career games at Bowie. He began the 2001 season with the Baysox and hit .296 in 22 games the first month before a promotion to Triple-A Rochester. During the 2006 season, while rehabbing a strained groin, Roberts went 1-for-5 in two games here on May 17-18. During the 2010 season, when coming back from a herniated disc in his back, Roberts played in three games here from July 19-21, going 6-for-14 with two doubles and three RBIs in three games against Binghamton. Zach Clark (3-3, 3.55 ERA) is tonight's starter for the Baysox and left-hander Mike Kickham (2-4, 4.04 ERA) will pitch for Richmond. Clark has recorded six straight quality starts for the Baysox, going 3-2 with an ERA of 2.25 in that time. The Baysox are in last place in their division of the Eastern League at 18-26. They got within three games of .500 on May 10, but are 3-8 since. Here is tonight's Baysox lineup: 2B - Brian Roberts LF - Buck Britton CF - LJ Hoes 1B - Robbie Widlansky SS - Manny Machado C - Caleb Joseph 3B -Zelous Wheeler DH - Josh Barfield RF - Steve Bumbry Among those spotted here already to work with the Baysox and to watch Roberts are O's coordinator of minor league hitting Mike Boulanger, former O's batting coach and current instructor Terry Crowley, and former Oriole Al Bumbry, whose son is starting in right field tonight. Check back here often today and tonight for updates on this game and to see how Roberts is doing here at Bowie.