Roberts rolling along, Simon information (and more)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

April 04, 2011, 12:37pm

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So when did Brian Roberts become an RBI machine? Doubles machine, yes. Stolen base machine, yes. This is something new. Roberts belted his second three-run homer in three days, his 388-foot shot to center field off Rick Porcello breaking a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning. Earl Weaver has got to be loving it. Roberts has eight RBIs on the young season, easily the most on the club. He's registered three multi-RBI games, one more than he mustered in the 2010 season, when he appeared in 59 games. I used "mustered" because I just ate a soft pretzel, in case you were wondering. Roberts had four homers and 15 RBIs last season. Meanwhile, Nick Markakis is 3-for-3 today, raising his average to .462. Because so many readers have asked: I'm told that the Orioles can keep pitcher Alfredo Simon on the restricted list until he's completed a normal spring training, which consists of six or seven weeks. And more: Matt Wieters has four hits and two RBIs in two games since moving up to fifth in the order. Today's attendance: 46,593