Ishikawa claimed by Yankees, notes on McLouth and Davis (updated)

Ishikawa claimed by Yankees, notes on McLouth and Davis (updated)
NEW YORK - The Yankees have claimed first baseman Travis Ishikawa off waivers, according to an Orioles official - the exact scenario that the club envisioned while debating what to do with him. The Orioles didn't allow Ishikawa to opt out of his contract at Triple-A Norfolk, summoning him to Detroit on June 18 while placing Miguel Gonzalez on paternity leave. They designated him for assignment on June 29 after recalling Jair Jurrjens and tried unsuccessfully to trade him. The Yankees lost...

Chen will start Tuesday or Wednesday

Chen will start Tuesday or Wednesday
NEW YORK - The Orioles are listing Scott Feldman, Zach Britton, Miguel Gonzalez and Chris Tillman as their probable starters for the Rangers series that begins Monday night at Camden Yards. However, that's subject to change. Wei-Yin Chen said he felt great Saturday while throwing 43 pitches in his bullpen session, and manager Buck Showalter said Chen will start Tuesday or Wednesday night. Showalter also said Britton is a candidate for Tuesday or Wednesday, which adds to the intrigue - or...

Orioles-Yankees lineups for series finale

Orioles-Yankees lineups for series finale
NEW YORK - The Orioles will look to get a win vs. the Yankees before heading home, sending Jason Hammel to the mound. Nate McLouth will get a break from the field, serving as the designated hitter in the leadoff role. Chris Dickerson will get the start in left. He is hitting .276 with four home runs off right-handers this season. For the Orioles Nate McLouth DH Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Chris Dickerson LF Brian Roberts...

Today's game and yesterday's All-Star selections

Today's game and yesterday's All-Star selections
NEW YORK - The Orioles have lost four of their last five games, and taking an early lead against the Yankees hasn't mattered. They are now 30-20 when scoring first this season. Need some good news? The Orioles only struck out seven times yesterday, breaking their streak of fanning at least 10 times in three consecutive games. Details on the parade down Pratt St. will be announced at a later date. The Orioles were supposed to miss Hiroki Kuroda in this series, but he's now substituting for...

Showalter on the four All-Stars

Showalter on the four All-Stars
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter downplayed the All-Star voting for much of the process, relying on reporters for updates, turning his attention to it only in the final week. Showalter cast his ballots a few days ago. And he showed his pride in the four representatives this afternoon while meeting with reporters following a 5-4 loss to the Yankees. "I'm real proud of them," he said. "Could have been some others. You look at the competition for these spots, I'm real proud of all...

Jones, Davis, Hardy named All-Star starters, Machado a reserve (updated)

Jones, Davis, Hardy named All-Star starters, Machado a reserve (updated)
NEW YORK - For the first time since 2005, the Orioles will have four representatives at the All-Star Game. Outfielder Adam Jones, first baseman Chris Davis and shortstop J.J. Hardy were voted into the Midsummer Classic, which will be played July 16 at Citi Field in New York. Third baseman Manny Machado was chosen as a reserve. Davis leads all of Major League Baseball with 8,272,243 votes, passing Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera (8,013,874). Nick Markakis fell out of the top three in...

Chris crossing

Chris crossing
NEW YORK - I have postgame quotes from Chris Tillman and Chris Davis, and one clever title to my blog entry. Tillman on his start "I felt good physically. The stuff was there. I fell behind every now and then. These guys grind out at-bats and make you throw a lot of pitches early. Give them credit. It was a tough one for me today. These guys grind away the whole game. They put consistent, good at-bats throughout the game. It wears on you, but at the same time, you know you've got to make...

Showalter speaks after 5-4 loss

Showalter speaks after 5-4 loss
NEW YORK - The Orioles have lost three straight games, all by one run. They're now 12-14 in one-run games this season, compared to 29-9 last year. The Yankees had 10 hits today off starter Chris Tillman, all of them singles, in a 5-4 win before 42,678. "But they're hits," said manager Buck Showalter. "They're getting them at the right time. The same has happened for us, too." Tillman gave up five runs and threw 111 pitches in 5 1/3 innings. "He made some good pitches," Showalter...

Orioles acquire Liddi, DFA Canzler, lose 5-4

Orioles acquire Liddi, DFA Canzler, lose 5-4
NEW YORK - The Orioles made another trade today, acquiring infielder Alex Liddi and International Signing Bonus Slot No. 3 from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for the Orioles' International Signing Bonus Slot No. 2. Liddi has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Liddi, 24, has appeared in 61 major league games for the Mariners since 2011, batting .208/.266/.370 with six home runs and 16 RBIs. This year, he's hitting .263/.322/.454 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 59 games with Triple-A...

Tillman singled out by Yankees

Tillman singled out by Yankees
NEW YORK - Chris Tillman's road magic disappeared today. Tillman was removed after 5 1/3 innings and 111 pitches. He allowed five runs - the most since May 29 in Washington - and 10 hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. Manager Buck Showalter went to his bullpen after Tillman walked No. 9 hitter Chris Stewart. Brian Matusz stranded two runners. Eduardo Nunez bounced an RBI single up the middle to break a 4-4 tie. Lyle Overbay led off with a single and took second on Luis Cruz's...

Showalter not ready to change closers (we're tied)

Showalter not ready to change closers (we're tied)
NEW YORK - Nolan Reimold reached on an infield hit in the second inning, took second base on a throwing error by Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte and scored on Alexi Casilla's double. Casilla has nine RBIs as he continues to chase Chris Davis. "I just want to get Casi back on the field," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before the game. "He's been sitting a little bit." The Yankees scored twice in the bottom of the second to reduce the lead to 3-2. The first four batters reached on a...

Davis homers, Jones singles and keeps his helmet intact

Davis homers, Jones singles and keeps his helmet intact
NEW YORK - Orioles first baseman Chris Davis set career highs last season with 33 home runs and 85 RBIs. His shot to center field today in the top of the first inning, following Adam Jones' two-out single, gave him 33 home runs and 85 RBIs. Instant analysis: Davis is going to set new career highs in both categories. The ball hit the top of the center field fence and bounced over, giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Matt Wieters homered last night to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the second...

Orioles-Yankees lineups

Orioles-Yankees lineups
NEW YORK - The Orioles turn to arguably their top starter this afternoon as they look to bounce back from last night's heartbreaking loss to the Yankees. Chris Tillman takes the mound having won seven straight decisions to push his record to 10-2. He has five quality starts in his last six outings and has allowed more than three runs just once in his last 14 starts. The Orioles go up against longtime nemesis Andy Pettitte, whose 27-6 career record and 3.52 ERA against Baltimore are his best...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
NEW YORK - Manny Machado turns 21 today. No more jokes about not being able to legally order a beer. Machado's nine-game hitting streak ended last night. Has nothing to do with his age. Jim Johnson has walked 14 batters this season. He walked 15 in 2012. He's not getting the ball down, he's falling behind in the count and he's either walking batters or giving up hits. Anyone who's waiting for manager Buck Showalter to publicly criticize Johnson - say, during O's Xtra - knows nothing...

More comments following Orioles' 3-2 loss

More comments following Orioles' 3-2 loss
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter was clearly agitated following tonight's 3-2 loss to the Yankees. Plate umpire Gary Darling's strike zone did nothing to improve his mood. It actually soured it. Asked to name a key play in the ninth inning, Showalter replied, "I'd look more at the other eight innings. I don't dwell on that. There were some things we could do to make it different. The umpires' calls are umpires' calls. What are you going to do? Strike zones are strike zones....

Jim Johnson and Matt Wieters discuss blown save and loss

Jim Johnson and Matt Wieters discuss blown save and loss
NEW YORK - Orioles closer Jim Johnson had 51 saves in 54 chances last season. He's already blown six saves this year, doubling the amount from 2012, to go along with seven losses. Johnson still began the night leading the majors with 29 saves, but he hasn't been the same pitcher. And he's being asked the same questions while standing at his locker. Tonight, it was his error while attempting to field Brett Gardner's bunt that compounded his problems. A four-pitch bases-loaded walk to...

Gonzalez escapes jam in fifth to hold lead (O's lose 3-2)

Gonzalez escapes jam in fifth to hold lead (O's lose 3-2)
NEW YORK - Miguel Gonzalez threw 92 pitches in the first five innings tonight at Yankee Stadium. Not the most efficient outing, but he continues to hold a 2-1 lead. Gonzalez walked the No. 9 hitter, David Adams, leading off the bottom of the fifth. Ichiro Suzuki doubled with one out, and the Orioles walked Robinson Cano intentionally with first base open. Cano was 0-for-2 tonight and 2-for-17 lifetime against Gonzalez, but the walk is pretty much an automatic move. It also proved to be the...

Showalter on Markakis, Wieters homers (O's lead 2-1)

Showalter on Markakis, Wieters homers (O's lead 2-1)
NEW YORK - The roll call from the bleacher creatures at Yankee Stadium has lost its appeal with this lineup. Instead of the fans in the center field bleachers chanting "De-rek Je-ter" until the future Hall of Famer turns and waves his glove - something I always looked forward to on my visits here - we're subjected to "Cruz, Cruz, Cruz." No offense to Luis Cruz, but it's a poor substitution. Same with "Da-vid Ad-ams." Might be time to shelve that tradition until the bigger names...

Showalter on Chen, the rotation and more

Showalter on Chen, the rotation and more
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter, sitting in the visiting dugout at Yankee Stadium while his club took batting practice, told reporters that he will make a decision on Wei-Yin Chen after the left-hander throws in the bullpen. "If he's physically ready, we'll activate him on the fifth or sixth day," Showalter said. "We've got some different options that present themselves now. We'll take it day to day. The big thing is I want him to get through his work day first and see how he...

Chen provides update

Chen provides update
NEW YORK - Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is in the visiting clubhouse at Yankee Stadium today, though he remains on the 15-day disabled list. Chen tossed seven scoreless innings yesterday in his final injury-rehab start at Double-A Bowie. In two games, he allowed four runs and nine hits in 12 innings, with two walks and eight strikeouts. Chen said he will throw a bullpen session on Saturday while waiting for the Orioles to decide when he's going to be activated. "I'm not quite sure right now...