Palmer recalls his Fenway Park home run

Palmer recalls his Fenway Park home run
BOSTON - Manny Machado's three-run homer in the ninth inning last night did more than break a 5-5 tie. It also put the young third baseman in select company in franchise history. Machado became only the second Oriole to homer at Fenway Park before his 21st birthday. The first may surprise you. According to Elias, pitcher Jim Palmer also homered at age 20, which led me to check out the box score on baseball-reference.com and place a call to the Hall of Famer. Palmer hit a two-run shot off...

Homers keep hurting Hunter

Homers keep hurting Hunter
BOSTON - You see the way Tommy Hunter can overpower hitters. He replaces starter Jake Arrieta after the rain delay last night and immediately strikes out Mike Napoli and Will Middlebrooks. You see the way Hunter can frustrate himself and a fan base that no longer has Kevin Gregg to kick around. He pumps fastballs at Daniel Nava and Jarrod Saltalamacchia and watches the two players circle the bases, their back-to-back home runs giving the Red Sox a 5-3 lead. All of it happened in the same...

Hearing from Arrieta, Flaherty and Machado

Hearing from Arrieta, Flaherty and Machado
BOSTON - Orioles starter Jake Arrieta watched the ninth-inning rally tonight on one of the televisions in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park. "We were freaking out pretty good," he said. The Chris Davis leadoff homer. The two-out single by Ryan Flaherty. The back-to-back walks to Nolan Reimold and Nate McLouth. The wild pitch from Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan that tied the game. The three-run homer by Manny Machado, his first of the season, that untied it. "It really didn't matter...

Showalter speaks following 8-5 win

Showalter speaks following 8-5 win
BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter spent about seven minutes with reporters following tonight's 8-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Here's a sampling: "Chris (Davis) gave us a little hope there, but our guys battled. A really nasty night to play. It's very easy to give in, but it was a battle and I'm real proud of them. Their bullpen is something. To be able to string together an inning like that... Jake (Arrieta) kept us in the game. A little frustrating for him. He had good stuff...

Hunter allows two homers after replacing Arrieta (O's win 8-5)

Hunter allows two homers after replacing Arrieta (O's win 8-5)
BOSTON - Orioles starter Jake Arrieta was removed from tonight's game against the Boston Red Sox after a 43-minute rain delay and replaced by Tommy Hunter, who struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth. Then it went bad. Daniel Nava and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit back-to-back home runs to give Boston a 5-3 lead. Nava lined a 96-mph fastball over the Green Monster. Saltalamacchia crushed a 95-mph fastball. Red Sox 5, Orioles 3. Hunter served up 32 home runs last season....

Note on Urrutia and game update (rain delay)

Note on Urrutia and game update (rain delay)
BOSTON - Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia has been cleared to play this season. All of his paperwork has been submitted and approved. The Orioles must decide where to assign Urrutia, who remains at extended spring training. Part of the delay is due to a "leg issue," according to manager Buck Showalter. It sounds like a minor ailment, but it's preventing Urrutia from playing. The Orioles wanted Urrutia to play at Double-A Bowie last summer, but he was detained in Haiti while waiting for his...

Pregame quotes from Showalter

Pregame quotes from Showalter
BOSTON - Orioles right-hander Steve Johnson is slated to pitch in an extended spring training game on Saturday in Sarasota, and left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada could join him. Johnson is expected to go three innings or throw 55 pitches, "somewhere in there," said manager Buck Showalter. Wada threw his second bullpen session yesterday and could go two innings on Saturday. Johnson is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right lat. Wada underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his left...

Dickerson celebrates 31st birthday with promotion to majors

Dickerson celebrates 31st birthday with promotion to majors
BOSTON - Chris Dickerson has a No. 60 jersey hanging in his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park. He'd rather lower the digit to something more baseball-like, but at least it's a major league uniform. Dickerson hopped on a 6 a.m. flight to Boston, his 31st birthday coinciding with his return to the Orioles, who selected his contract (though they still haven't announced it) from Triple-A Norfolk and traded reliever Luis Ayala to the Braves for minor league pitcher Chris...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Nolan Reimold is back in the lineup tonight, batting ninth and serving as the designated hitter. Chris Dickerson, wearing his spring training No. 60, is listed among the reserves and is sitting at his locker. Dickerson found out about his promotion to the majors last night as he stepped into the batter's box to lead off the first inning for Triple-A Norfolk. Tides manager Ron Johnson kept calling to him. Dickerson kept saying, "What?" and assumed that Johnson just wanted to give...

Ayala traded to Braves (updated)

Ayala traded to Braves (updated)
BOSTON - The Orioles traded reliever Luis Ayala to the Atlanta Braves today for minor league left-hander Chris Jones, who will be assigned to Double-A Bowie. The deal allows the Orioles to keep Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland in their bullpen and also gives manager Buck Showalter a fourth bench player with outfielder Chris Dickerson having his contracted selected from Triple-A Norfolk. Ayala was 6-5 with a 2.81 ERA in 68 games for the Orioles over the past two seasons. He allowed 44 percent of...

Waiting on the roster move and Arrieta's start (updated twice)

Waiting on the roster move and Arrieta's start (updated twice)
BOSTON - The Orioles were off yesterday, but they stayed busy. Besides the private screening of the film "42," they made preparations for a roster move involving outfielder Chris Dickerson. As I wrote last night, outfielder Nolan Reimold's hamstring is fine and the move isn't expected to involve him. Dickerson isn't on the 40-man roster, but infielder Wilson Betemit can be transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Stay tuned. Dickerson just sent this tweet a few minutes ago: "Rise and...

Dickerson headed to Boston?

Dickerson headed to Boston?
BOSTON - Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Chris Dickerson was removed for a pinch-hitter tonight before batting in the first inning. He was supposed to lead off and play center field against Charlotte. LJ Hoes batted for Dickerson and went to right field, with Jason Pridie moving over to center. Should we read anything into it? Apparently, a roster move is pending that involves Dickerson and he's expected to meet the team in Boston, though I'm hearing that Nolan Reinold's hamstring is...

The DH hasn't been OK for Orioles

The DH hasn't been OK for Orioles
BOSTON - If you think the Orioles have hit a rough patch, consider what's happening at Triple-A Norfolk. The Tides gave up three touchdowns last night and lost to Charlotte 21-4. Outfielder Jason Pridie, pitching for the first time since high school, threw two fastballs and recorded the final out. Pridie tweeted that his two-seamer had some nice movement. Good to know, just in case the Orioles get lured into another 17-inning marathon. The Orioles are off today, and center fielder Adam...

Postgame comments from Jones, Chen and Wieters

Postgame comments from Jones, Chen and Wieters
BOSTON - The Orioles are below .500 for the first time since 2011. They've lost three games in a row. Adam Jones isn't concerned and he wonders why anyone would be at this early stage of the season. "Seven games into the season," he said. "I mean, seven games into the season. No one's concerned." Are the Orioles badly in need of Tuesday's off day after losing their last three games? Jones had a little fun with that one. "We might spend it all day tomorrow crying as a team, holding...

Showalter speaks after 3-1 loss

Showalter speaks after 3-1 loss
BOSTON - The Orioles wasted a solid outing from left-hander Wei-Yin Chen today in a 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Chen took a shutout into the seventh inning before Dustin Pedroia reached on an infield hit up the middle, Mike Napoli doubled on a towering fly ball to left-center field and Daniel Nava launched a fastball over the Green Monster in left. Ballgame. "He was great," said manager Buck Showalter. "One mistake. We didn't do much offensively and both guys pitched really well up...

Chen's winless streak continues (Jones homers, O's lose 3-1)

Chen's winless streak continues (Jones homers, O's lose 3-1)
BOSTON - Wei-Yin Chen carried a shutout into the seventh inning today, but the weight of it eventually brought him down. Dustin Pedroia led off the bottom of the seventh inning by reaching on an infield hit, Mike Napolis doubled to left-center field to put two runners in scoring position, and Daniel Nava launched a 1-1 pitch over the Green Monster in left. Shutout gone. Winless streak alive. Chen hasn't posted a victory in nine consecutive regular-season starts. The Orioles have scored 15...

Chris Davis named AL Player of the Week

Chris Davis named AL Player of the Week
BOSTON - Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been named the American League's Player of the Week, an honor that seemed destined to be bestowed upon him after his historic home run and RBI binge. Davis batted .455/.500/1.136 with three doubles, four homers, 17 RBIs and five runs scored in the Orioles' first six games. He went 0-for-4 yesterday to end his streak of five consecutive games with at least one RBI to start the season, falling one shy of the club record shared by Mike Devereaux...

Still scoreless in Boston (and still)

Still scoreless in Boston (and still)
BOSTON - Orioles left fielder Nate McLouth was stranded in the first inning today after a leadoff single, and Chris Davis was stranded in the second after a leadoff walk. Manny Machado and Nick Markakis singled with two outs in the third, but Adam Jones took a called third strike. Davis drew another walk leading off the top of the fourth, but Matt Wieters grounded into a force - Davis appeared to beat the throw - and J.J. Hardy hit into a double play. The game is scoreless, but not because...

Showalter on Ayala, Reimold and more (updated)

Showalter on Ayala, Reimold and more (updated)
BOSTON - Reliever Luis Ayala is available to pitch today after becoming dizzy yesterday at Camden Yards and spending a few hours at a local hospital. Ayala is throwing in the bullpen during batting practice to make certain that he's physically up to the task. "He wasn't feeling well and doctors took some of his vitals and decided to check it out a little further at the hospital, just to be on the safe side," said manager Buck Showalter. "I think for Louie to tell you that he wasn't...

Scenes from the visiting clubhouse

Scenes from the visiting clubhouse
BOSTON - If you've never stepped inside the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park, imagine trying to fit your sectional sofa inside a phone booth. I volunteered to scrape the paint off the walls, just to create more space. It's so small, the mice are hunchbacked. It's so small, I had to step outside to change my mind. It's so small, the clubhouse attendant put a key in the door and broke a window. But seriously, folks ... Nolan Reimold rode a stationary bike to loosen the ol' hamstring....