Simon: "I'm going to defend my players"

If anyone wondered if the pitch that Alfredo Simon threw that hit the Angels Mark Trumbo in the first inning today was a purpose pitch, it was. At least that is what Simon indicated after the game.

"We got hit yesterday and I'm going to defend my players," Simon said. "We got hit hard and that happened in the game and I have to defend my hitters and my team, so that's what happened." Simon gave up six runs over five innings to fall to 4-9 on the season. "I just tried to throw strikes and pound the zone, but I got hit and there is no excuse for that," Simon said. Catcher Craig Tatum said Simon's sinker was very good, yet he still gave up three homers today. "He threw fine. The pitch that Aybar hit out, the first one, was a little up, but the split he hit out was a good pitch," Tatum said. "He took a good swing. Other than that his sinker was good. Even some of the hitters were saying how dirty his sinker was today." Tatum gave some credit to Los Angeles pitcher Jered Weaver, who got the win allowing just two runs over six innings. "That is why he is one of the best pitchers in the game right now. He got paid for it and he's good. He showed that he can come back on three day's rest and still be good," he said. Now the Orioles try to resume their spoiler's role when they play four games in Boston over the next three days. "It would be nice to go up there and ruin their season. If we can do what we did to the Angels, it would be nice," Tatum said.