Lee picks up two hits in return to Orioles

After getting two hits last night in the Eastern League, Derrek Lee returned to the Orioles and got two hits tonight in four at bats in the American League. He had been out since May 16 with a strained left oblique and said he came through the game with no issues physically. "I feel fine, felt good," he said. Batting fifth in the order for the first time on the year, Lee came up with singles in the second and sixth innings and scored both times. "I am just going to go out there and play hard and hopefully I can start swinging the bat like I know I can. You know, really help this team defensively and offensively," Lee said. In a sense, he picked up where he left off. He had a six-game hit streak when he got hurt and had 10 RBIs in his previous 14 games. "I didn't look at it like that," Lee said. "I felt good in Bowie yesterday getting my at-bats and felt good and extended. Just tried to keep it simple. See it and hit it." He gave credit to starter Jake Arrieta for getting through six innings after piling up 80 pitches through four innings. "He did a good job, fighting out of some trouble," Lee said. "I think his stuff is so good he kind of fights himself. He probably makes it a little more difficult than it could be with his stuff. But he did a great job keeping us in the game." Lee said this recent disabled list stint was just the second of his career and reminded him how special it can be to just be healthy and take the field. "Sometimes you take your health for granted. This was just out of the blue, something I've never had. You learn not to take it for granted because you can be injured at any time," Lee said.



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