Orioles prepared to recall LJ Hoes

Orioles prepared to recall LJ Hoes
The Orioles have made arrangements to bring Triple-A Norfolk outfielder LJ Hoes to Baltimore, and he could be officially recalled before Sunday's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Hoes isn't with the Tides, who are playing tonight in Rochester. The Orioles are waiting to find out whether they need to continue carrying an extra reliever before announcing the move. Official word could come following tonight's game. Hoes will give the Orioles a fourth bench player and another...

Red Sox-Orioles lineups for Saturday

Red Sox-Orioles lineups for Saturday
Boston's Ryan Dempster faces Scott Feldman of the Orioles in today's middle game of this three-game weekend series. Here are the lineups for today's game: For the Red Sox: Jacoby Ellsbury CF Shane Victorino RF Dustin Pedroia 2B David Ortiz DH Mike Napoli 1B Mike Carp LF Jarrod Saltalamacchia C Stephen Drew SS Jose Iglesias 3B Ryan Dempster RHP For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Henry Urrutia...

Showalter on Davis: "Chris will be a productive hitter for us again"

Showalter on Davis: "Chris will be a productive hitter for us again"
Chris Davis took a called third strike in the eighth inning last night and looked like a man whose head was about to explode. He clearly was no fan of plate umpire Laz Diaz's magical mystery strike zone. Davis sat in the dugout and fumed, his eyes attempting to burn a hole through Diaz and anyone in his path. Then, he stood up and walked down the tunnel, his exit captured by one of MASN's cameras. Maybe he wanted to collect his thoughts. Maybe he wanted to rearrange the bat rack. Davis...

Showalter speaks after 6-0 win

Showalter speaks after 6-0 win
According to Elias, Chris Tillman is the first Orioles pitcher to be 10-plus games above .500 at any point since Mike Mussina in 1999. Tillman improved to 13-3 tonight by shutting out the Red Sox on two hits over seven innings in a 6-0 win. Tillman struck out eight batters, tying his season high, and retired 19 of the last 21. Manager Buck Showalter didn't know whether Tillman would deliver the Orioles' 11th quality start in 13 games after the right-hander loaded the bases with two outs in...

Jones with a multi-homer game (Tillman outstanding in 6-0 win)

Jones with a multi-homer game (Tillman outstanding in 6-0 win)
Once again, Adam Jones has directed a 92 mph fastball from Boston starter John Lackey over the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. Jones' second homer tonight increased the Orioles' lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Before tonight, Jones was 7-for-32 (.219) with no home runs against Lackey. Jones has 22 homers this season. Anyone remember the last one that went to right field before tonight? Speak up. This is Jones' third career multi-homer game and the first since May...

Tillman escapes jam, Jones hits home run (updated)

Tillman escapes jam, Jones hits home run (updated)
Since July 4, 2012, Chris Tillman's 21 wins are tied with the Cardinals' Adam Wainright for the second-most in the majors behind the Tigers' Max Scherzer (23). Tillman is attempting tonight to become the Orioles' first 13-game winner since Erik Bedard in 2007. The last Orioles starter to pick up his 12th win on or before July 21, as Tillman did, was Sidney Ponson on July 10, 2003. Yes, that's a Bedard and Ponson reference in the same blog entry. In the same paragraph of the same blog...

Notes before tonight's Orioles-Red Sox game

Notes before tonight's Orioles-Red Sox game
The Orioles have won 14 of their last 19 games against the Red Sox, and 24 of their last 34. Infielder Jonathan Schoop has been activated from the minor league disabled list and rejoined Triple-A Norfolk for tonight's game at Rochester. He homered twice and drove in seven runs last night at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. To make room for Schoop, the Orioles released infielder Brandon Wood, who batted .215/.250/.309 with nine doubles, a triple, two home runs and 23 RBIs in 48 games after...

Orioles using familiar lineup against Red Sox

Orioles using familiar lineup against Red Sox
Though the offense scuffled over the last three games in Kansas City, Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't make any drastic changes or do any tweaking with his lineup for tonight's series opener against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Chris Davis continues to bat fifth while searching for his first home run since the All-Star break. Matt Wieters is hitting sixth, J.J. Hardy seventh, Henry Urrutia eighth and Brian Roberts ninth. Been there, done that. Urrutia is making his Camden Yards...

Pearce plays in first rehab game, Red Sox lineup

Pearce plays in first rehab game, Red Sox lineup
Orioles outfielder Steve Pearce started his injury-rehab assignment today with the Gulf Coast Orioles. Pearce, leading off and playing left field, went 2-for-4 with an RBI. He also committed a fielding error. Pearce hasn't played since June 19 in Detroit. He was batting .235/.311/.383 with three doubles, three homers and nine RBIs in 28 games before going on the disabled list with left wrist tendinitis. He had seven walks and 20 strikeouts in 81 at-bats. Pearce underwent an MRA on his left...

What's the next move for the offense?

What's the next move for the offense?
The Orioles haven't been home since July 14. They probably would have gone anywhere to escape Kansas City, where they lost three straight games to close out their road trip. They were outscored 14-6 in those defeats and batted .214. They were 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position, placing the focus back on their offense. Maybe it's an overreaction. They scored 23 runs in the first four games of the road trip. But unless I missed it, there's nothing in the latest collective bargaining...

Gonzalez lacking quality in his start (O's lose 7-1)

Gonzalez lacking quality in his start (O's lose 7-1)
It's one of those nights for the Orioles. One of those nights that indicates that a split of their four-game series in Kansas City isn't in the cards. Not unless there's dramatic shift. Not unless someone changes the deck. The Orioles rotation had posted seven straight quality starts and 10 in their last 11 games, but Miguel Gonzalez left tonight's game after 4 2/3 innings. He couldn't keep the ball down and the Royals wouldn't let him up. Troy Patton let an inherited runner score,...

Game update and rotation change for Red Sox (O's down 3-1)

Game update and rotation change for Red Sox (O's down 3-1)
Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez retired the first two Royals he faced in the first inning tonight and gave up a cheap double to Billy Butler. I say "cheap" because Butler slapped at the ball and sent it bouncing down the right field line. Looked pretty harmless leaving his bat. Turned out to be quite harmful. The next two batters delivered RBI singles - Salvador Perez to center field and David Lough to right - to put the Orioles in an early 2-0 hole. The Orioles also fell behind in the...

Orioles and Royals lineups (Phils not near deal for Dickerson)

Orioles and Royals lineups (Phils not near deal for Dickerson)
No surprises in the Orioles lineup tonight as they attempt to gain a split of their four-game series in Kansas City. Henry Urrutia remains the designated hitter against a right-handed starter, in this case former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie. Brian Roberts continues to play second base and bat ninth. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Henry Urrutia DH Brian Roberts 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP For the...

Pitching matchups vs. Red Sox and notes on Wieters and Gonzalez

Pitching matchups vs. Red Sox and notes on Wieters and Gonzalez
The Orioles will face two right-handers in their three-game series against the Boston Red Sox that begins Friday night at Camden Yards. Does Henry Urrutia get the start at designated hitter in all three games? Stay tuned. Here are the matchups: Friday: Chris Tillman (12-3, 3.84 ERA) vs. Ryan Dempster (5-8, 4.28 ERA) Saturday: Scott Feldman (2-1, 4.73 ERA) vs. Brandon Workman (0-1, 4.40 ERA) Sunday: Jason Hammel (7-7, 5.20 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (9-6, 4.50 ERA) Tillman will attempt to become...

Updates on Clevenger, Wada and Hoes

Updates on Clevenger, Wada and Hoes
Catcher Steve Clevenger, the Baltimore native acquired from the Cubs with Scott Feldman for pitchers Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop, played in his first game today since recovering from a strained oblique. Clevenger was behind the plate for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout before being replaced. He had been rehabbing at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Clevenger was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk, but didn't report because of the injury. Chris Snyder and...

A little of this, a little of that

A little of this, a little of that
According to various reports, the Orioles are still scouting starting pitchers and have been keeping close tabs on the Houston Astros. Not a big surprise, since executive vice president Dan Duquette is always in the market for pitching. He goes to an actual market and has "left-hander" listed after "bananas" and "milk." If he succeeds in bringing in another starter, it would have to be as a replacement for Jason Hammel. It's not like Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez and...

Orioles suffer another one-run loss

Orioles suffer another one-run loss
The Orioles gave up three runs in the last two innings tonight and lost to the Royals 4-3. They need a win Thursday night to salvage a split of the four-game series. David Lough singled off Orioles right-hander Darren O'Day with one out in the bottom of the ninth, the ball ricocheting off the reliever and second base, and Alcides Escobar followed with a double off the top of the left field fence. Lough came around to score, as O'Day surrendered a run for only the second time in his last 11...

Wieters gives Orioles lead, Chen gives up first HR in first inning (game tied)

Wieters gives Orioles lead, Chen gives up first HR in first inning (game tied)
Catcher Matt Wieters is back in the Orioles lineup tonight after resting on Tuesday. And his hot streak continues. Wieters just belted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth inning to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead over the Royals. Wieters is now 10-for-23 with two doubles, two homers, four RBIs and six runs scored in his last six games. The first inning has been much kinder to Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen compared to last season. Until tonight. Chen posted a 5.91 ERA and allowed seven...

Orioles announce Alvarez signing

Orioles announce Alvarez signing
Cuban outfielder Dariel Alvarez has passed his physical and officially signed with the Orioles. Alvarez, 24, will be assigned to Single-A Frederick after reporting this week to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Alvarez, who signed for $800,000, played for Camaguey in the Cuban League from 2007-11 and Tuxpan in Mexico in 2012. In five seasons with Camaguey, he batted .297 (341-for-1,147) with 37 home runs and 180 RBIs. In 2011, he set career highs by batting .363/.404/.613...

Orioles option Valencia

Orioles option Valencia
The Orioles are adding a reliever for tonight's game in Kansas City and subtracting a bench player. To make room for right-hander Francisco Rodriguez on the 25-man roster, the Orioles have chosen to option corner infielder/designated hitter Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk, according to a team official. The move leaves the Orioles with a three-man bench and eight-man bullpen. Valencia is 0-for-22 since June 17. He's batting .200/.243/.443 with five doubles, four homers and eight RBIs in...