Pregame notes and Showalter quotes

The Orioles snapped an eight-game losing streak last night with 11 runs after scoring a total of 10 in their previous four games. According to Elias, over the last 50 years, the only other team to end a losing streak of eight or more games with a shutout win of 11-0 or more was the 1993 San Francisco Giants, who beat the Cincinnati Reds, 13-0, on Sept. 17. After beginning the year 33-158 (.209) with 14 RBIs when batting with two outs, the Orioles went 8-16 and scored 11 runs (10 RBIs) with two outs. According to Elias, the last time a team scored 11 runs in a game with two outs was the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 14, 2010 against the Oakland A's. The Orioles are searching for their eighth win after not winning their eighth game in 2010 until May 6, a 2-0 victory at Minnesota that was the first shutout in Target Field history. The Orioles' next home triumph will be their fifth after not winning their fifth home game in 2010 until May 12. As I wrote in my previous entry, J.J. Hardy is close to starting baseball-related activities. Manager Buck Showalter spoke to him earlier today. "He's feeling good. He's just got one little exercise...he does a number of ones and he doesn't feel anything in all of them except just one that he still feels it just a little bit. Once we get that one without any discomfort, he'll start baseball activities." Brian Matusz had "another good day today," Showalter said. Matusz will fly into Baltimore tomorrow. "Hopefully, he can get on a mound while he's here, but we'll see where everybody thinks he is when he gets here." Matusz won't throw again until Friday. He's progressed to 120 feet on flat ground in Sarasota. Showalter is hoping that Matusz will be ready to start a rehab assignment next weekend. Showalter complimented Adam Jones for his hustle last night in beating out an infield hit and also scoring from first base on Matt Wieters' three-run double off the out-of-town scoreboard. "I don't think anybody has played harder since Day 1 of spring training than Adam Jones," Showalter said. And finally, former Orioles left-hander Garrett Olson cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis. I noticed that no one asked whether the Orioles would or should claim him.