Lee cracks goose egg with RISP (updated)

Lee cracks goose egg with RISP (updated)
Derrek Lee was 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position before lining a single into left field in the bottom of the first inning. Brian Roberts trotted home and the Orioles tied the Red Sox, 1-1. Lee has three RBIs this season, the other two coming on his only home run on April 6. OK, so he was due. Lee had three hits last night and was batting .303 on this homestand before tonight. Roberts walked, moved to second on Nick Markakis' single and stole third base, increasing his total number...

Matusz: "Big step forward today" (updated)

Matusz: "Big step forward today" (updated)
The news keeps getting better regarding Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz. As I wrote in my last entry, Matusz threw a 35-pitch bullpen session this afternoon and said the pain and irritation are gone. He threw fastballs, he spun the ball, and he walked away feeling like it won't be much longer before he's ready to start for the Orioles. "It went really well," he said. "I threw two-seam, four-seam fastballs, working in and out, and threw a few changeups and a couple curveballs. Got a good...

Injury updates

Injury updates
It's time once again for the injury update portion of my blog. Sit back and enjoy. Brian Matusz threw 35 pitches in today's bullpen session, including his two- and four-seamer, and a couple changeups and curveballs. He told reporters that he didn't feel any pain. You couldn't wipe the smile off his face. I'll post his comments later. Shortstop J.J. Hardy felt much better today after experiencing some soreness yesterday. He took 15 dry swings and hit 20 balls off a tee. He also ran some...

Matusz throwing, sun shining (w/ Orioles lineup)

Matusz throwing, sun shining (w/ Orioles lineup)
Left-hander Brian Matusz is in the middle of his bullpen session as I type this blog entry. He's on the rubber, and he's supposed to throw his curveball, as well as his fastball. Looks and sounds like a real side session to me. Pitching coach Mark Connor is standing next to him. Chris Jakubauskas also is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today. I was frightened by the bright light here at Camden Yards before I realized it's the sun. The tarp is off the field and the batting cage is...

About last night ...

About last night ...
I had to remind myself that the Orioles won last night. It felt a little bit like a loss after the Red Sox scored four runs in the top of the eighth. Fortunately, there also was a bottom of the eighth. This was the type of game that normally would have ended in defeat. We've lived it too many times over the last 13 seasons. But the Orioles are a feisty bunch, and that's one of my favorite qualities. Manager Buck Showalter brought a resume and attitude when he walked through the doors last...

More postgame chatter after 5-4 win

More postgame chatter after 5-4 win
So what does tonight's 5-4 win say about the Orioles? Let Luke Scott answer that one. "That we have a lot of heart," he said. "We've got to continue to play that way, as far as never give up, play the game nine innings hard, and at the end of the day if we're on top, great, let's celebrate, enjoy it for the night. If we don't, let's get ready for tomorrow. "You look around this clubhouse, these guys don't give up. There's a lot of heart on this team. We've taken our licks. We...

Showalter speaks after 5-4 win

Showalter speaks after 5-4 win
Manager Buck Showalter could be excused if he felt dizzy from riding that roller coaster in the eighth inning. The Orioles lead by four. The game is tied. The Orioles lead by one. The Orioles win by one. Showalter was impressed with the way his club handled the adversity. Buck Showalter meets with the media following the O's 5-4 victory over the Red Sox "I think it started a little bit with that extra-inning game against the Yankees," he said. "Our guys didn't panic and we saw some...

Bullpen implosion (updated)

Bullpen implosion (updated)
Jeremy Guthrie will have to settle for a no-decision. I thought manager Buck Showalter made the right call bringing back Jeremy Accardo for the eighth inning. Accardo threw seven pitches, all of them for strikes, while cruising through the seventh. No reason to pass the baton. Well, Showalter has done it a few times in the eighth. Accardo was done after Jacoby Ellsbury's leadoff single and Dustin Pedroia's walk. Clay Rapada replaced him and gave up a run-scoring single to the left-handed...

Guthrie's done, Scott doesn't wear one

Guthrie's done, Scott doesn't wear one
Jeremy Guthrie's pitch count forced him out of tonight's game, not the Boston Red Sox. Well, the Red Sox made him throw 111 pitches, but they couldn't score off him. He scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out six. Jeremy Accardo will pitch the seventh with the Orioles holding a 4-0 lead. Guthrie has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his five starts, but he lost three straight before tonight. Talk about a deceiving record. Luke Scott faced Josh Beckett again in the bottom of...

Scott and Jones go back-to-back

Scott and Jones go back-to-back
The Orioles gave Jeremy Guthrie a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. Somebody pass the smelling salts. Luke Scott hit a two-run shot with two outs, the ball traveling an estimated 426 feet before landing on Eutaw St. Adam Jones followed with a drive that barely cleared the left field fence, but it also counted. Scott admired his shot, and Josh Beckett made sure the entire Orioles dugout knew that he didn't appreciate it. Plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth had to calm him down. Could get very...

Guthrie in a groove (updated)

Guthrie in a groove (updated)
Jeremy Guthrie fell into an early jam tonight, putting runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first inning. But he struck out Kevin Youkilis and retired David Ortiz on a shallow fly ball to left field, leaving the game scoreless and his pitch count at 24. It's mostly been a breeze for Guthrie since the first. He's retired seven of the last eight batters, striking out five. He got Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia looking to end the third after Jason Varitek went down...

Not born to run in 2011

Not born to run in 2011
The Orioles have four stolen bases in five attempts this season to rank last in the majors. It hasn't gone unnoticed by manager Buck Showalter and his coaching staff. "We talked about it a little yesterday in the advanced meeting, but you'd probably be surprised how many guys are on their own to run," Showalter said. "You know what happens a lot is guys don't want to take the bat out of this guys hand, or 'I want to give him this hole to shoot.' You always have that, you can talk...

Notes and quotes before tonight's game

Notes and quotes before tonight's game
In Jeremy Guthrie's 17 losses since the start of the 2010 season, the Orioles have scored 24 runs while he was in the game (1.41 runs per game), and 39 total (2.29 runs per game). They've scored three runs or fewer in 21 of his 36 starts, and eight runs in his four starts this year. They've scored two runs in his last three starts while he's been in the game. Guthrie has lost seven straight games to the Red Sox, and the Orioles have lost his last nine starts against them. "I think...

Injury updates

Injury updates
Brian Matusz (intercostal) and Chris Jakubauskas (groin) will throw full bullpen sessions tomorrow. Matusz threw off the front of the mound yesterday and said he's pain-free and simply trying to build up his arm. Jakubauskas threw in the bullpen this week, but he didn't use all of his pitches, so tomorrow represents his first regular session. Both pitchers will have to go on injury rehab assignments. Matusz will report to the minor league complex this weekend while the Orioles are in...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (Norfolk update)

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (Norfolk update)
Here are the lineups for tonight's 7:05 p.m. game between the Orioles and Red Sox at Camden Yards. For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Robert Andino SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Pedroia 2B Gonzalez 1B Youkilis 3B Ortiz DH Drew RF Lowrie SS Crawford LF Varitek C Beckett RHP Down on the farm, Nick Green replaced Josh Bell at third base today and hit...
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Bell listed as day-to-day

Bell listed as day-to-day
Just a quick note to update you on Triple-A Norfolk third baseman Josh Bell, who left last night's game in Indianapolis in the fifth inning after a hard slide into second base. Bell is considered day-to-day after experiencing some swelling in his left knee. He's available tonight if needed, but is expected to miss one or two games. Bell is

Looking back and ahead

Looking back and ahead
While wondering exactly when Carl Crawford stopped being good ... There were plenty of things to like about last night's 4-1 win over the Red Sox, and we pretty much covered all of them over the course of the evening. I'll go back to that 11-pitch at-bat from Adam Jones in the second inning. He struck out, but he also seemed to get Clay Buchholz out of rhythm after the Boston right-hander had retired the first five batters on only nine pitches. You can see Jones maturing offensively....

A little more postgame chatter

A little more postgame chatter
Adam Jones talked about his 11-pitch at-bat against Clay Buchholz in the second inning. "That set the tone," he said. "Everybody was able to see everything that he threw and he really didn't fool a lot of guys. He's still good. He still held this team to four runs, but it was a lengthy at-bat. I wish it had a better result. "It's good to see us swinging the bats. You have Vladi. As soon as he got that last hit, I said, 'Don't let that man get hot.' He's the one guy that you do not...

Britton reflects on tonight's 4-1 win

Britton reflects on tonight's 4-1 win
Zach Britton became the fifth American League rookie since 1980 to win four games by the end of April. He set the Orioles' record for wins by a rookie starting pitcher in the season's first month. Zach Britton recaps his performance and his fourth win of the season "Obviously, I didn't know that," he said. "It's pretty special, obviously. The fact I'm here is awesome. I was expecting to be down in Norfolk, but I'm just trying to make the best of the opportunity, and I think I've...

Showalter speaks after 4-1 win

Showalter speaks after 4-1 win
If manager Buck Showalter had to pick out any flaws from Zach Britton's performance tonight, he'd focus on the rookie allowing Dustin Pedroia to easily steal third base in the fourth inning, and all the deep counts. That's about it. Buck Showalter analyzes Zach Britton's start following the O's 4-1 win "You'd like to see him be able to take that stuff over another inning or so, but I thought the bullpen was really good tonight, J.J. and Kevin," Showalter said. "And I've got to...