Notes on Álvarez, Hardy, Castillo, Gentry, Harvey and more (tied 7-7)

Notes on Álvarez, Hardy, Castillo, Gentry, Harvey and more (tied 7-7)
Triple-A Norfolk's Pedro Álvarez is one of the players that the Orioles are discussing as part of their expanded September roster. Álvarez hasn't played in the majors this season. He's been named to the International League's postseason All-Star team as a designated hitter after batting .241 with 30 doubles, 26 home runs, and 89 RBIs in 135 games. The 26 home runs and 89 RBIs are the most by a Tides player since Norfolk became an Orioles affiliate in 2007. Álvarez leads the minors...

Orioles lineup vs. Mariners

Orioles lineup vs. Mariners
Welington Castillo remains behind the plate today as the Orioles close out their series against the Mariners and try to extend their winning streak to seven games. He's starting a fourth consecutive game. Manager Buck Showalter is sticking with the hot hand. Craig Gentry is in right field with the Mariners starting left-hander Ariel Miranda. Manny Machado is batting .345 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs in 27 games this month. His 12 home runs are a career-high for a single month. Tim Beckham has...

Waiting on roster move, lineup decision, AFL and more

Waiting on roster move, lineup decision, AFL and more
The Orioles are waiting to make their corresponding roster move for pitcher Dylan Bundy, who starts tonight against the Mariners if the rain subsides. Left-hander Donnie Hart would appear to be the obvious choice after replacing Mike Wright, who got the call as Bundy's replacement for a few days. But anyone sent down must remain off the roster for 10 days. The Orioles couldn't bring back Hart on Sept. 1, for example, when rosters expand. Manager Buck Showalter would like to keep his bullpen...

Orioles lineup vs. Mariners

Orioles lineup vs. Mariners
The Orioles removed Dylan Bundy from the bereavement list to make tonight's start. No corresponding move has been announced. Mark Trumbo is out of the lineup. He's 1-for-20 lifetime against Mariners right-hander Erasmo Ramírez. Craig Gentry is in right field and Seth Smith is the designated hitter. Welington Castillo stays behind the plate. Manny Machado is batting .312 (39-for-125) with eight doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 30 games against the American...

O's outscore Mariners 7-6 to start homestand (quotes added)

O's outscore Mariners 7-6 to start homestand (quotes added)
Orioles pitchers gave up just four runs in three games in Boston. Tonight, Chris Tillman allowed that many by the fourth inning. If the Orioles were going to win tonight, the bats would need to come up big. And the bats did that as the Orioles scored runs in five of six innings from the second through the seventh. They beat Seattle 7-6 at Oriole Park to pass the Mariners in the hunt for the second AL wild card spot at 66-65 to Seattle's 66-66. The Orioles are over .500 for the first time since...

Hart recalled, Orioles lineup vs. Mariners

Hart recalled, Orioles lineup vs. Mariners
The Orioles recalled left-hander Donnie Hart from Triple-A Norfolk today and optioned Mike Wright to the Tides. Wright was recalled after the Orioles placed Dylan Bundy on the bereavement list. Bundy is slated to start Tuesday night. Hart gives the Orioles a third left-hander in the bullpen for tonight's series opener against the Mariners. Craig Gentry is in right field tonight and Welington Castillo is catching in back-to-back games. Chris Tillman will try to lower his 10.69 ERA and .362...

Beckham and Gausman stand out in shutout (with quotes)

Beckham and Gausman stand out in shutout (with quotes)
BOSTON - Eduardo Rodriguez must have believed, with every fiber of his being, that a ninth consecutive four-seam fastball would elude Tim Beckham's bat. He took a stance from the stretch. Rodriguez kept delivering them today in the top of the second inning, and Beckham fouled off five in a row before launching No. 9 over the Green Monster in left field, the ball slamming off the National Car Rental sign to keep it from bouncing along Lansdowne St. Beckham chose to get the insurance runs. The...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Craig Gentry is in right field today as the Orioles continue their series against the Red Sox, who are sending left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound. Trey Mancini is batting fifth, followed by Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo. Manny Machado leads the American League with 32 RBIs this month, the highest total by an Oriole in any month since Melvin Mora totaled 32 in August 2008. Machado is batting .340 since July 1 with 12 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs, 47 RBIs and 35 runs...

Orioles open special weekend with blowout win (with quotes)

Orioles open special weekend with blowout win (with quotes)
BOSTON - It would be premature for the Orioles to petition Major League Baseball to continue wearing the Players Weekend uniforms through the remainder of the season. It also would be unwise because the neon orange could damage the vision of people too stubborn to divert their eyes. A solar eclipse comes with less risk. One game shouldn't carry such influence, but the Orioles proved that it's better to play good than to look good. Some would argue that they did both, depending on personal...

Mr. Miami starting at third base for Orioles (O's lead 16-3)

Mr. Miami starting at third base for Orioles (O's lead 16-3)
BOSTON - The Orioles took batting practice today in their bright orange caps, the kind that make it appear as though they should be hunting in the woods instead of chasing a wild card berth. Be very, very quiet. As they celebrate Players Weekend, the Orioles are wearing special T-shirts and jerseys with patches honoring someone or something they hold dear. For example, outfielder Craig Gentry has hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh's last name written on his patch as a tribute to a man who's been...

Orioles claim another series opener with 7-3 win (with quotes)

Orioles claim another series opener with 7-3 win (with quotes)
The Orioles have become masters at winning the first game of a series. Now, they need to be strong finishers. Don't put your foot on a team's throat and then help it up. Adam Jones homered twice tonight and tied his career high with four hits, Jonathan Schoop provided a cushion with a three-run shot, Wade Miley registered his second quality start in his last 15 outings and the Orioles defeated the Athletics 7-3 before an announced crowd of 16,020 at Camden Yards. Miley held the Athletics to...

Orioles drop another series with 5-4 loss to Angels (with quotes)

Orioles drop another series with 5-4 loss to Angels (with quotes)
If the Orioles wanted to see progress from Chris Tillman, they got it in spurts. Nothing to push them toward a full-time return to the rotation. If they wanted a win to give them the series and another shove toward the second wild card, they were rejected. Tillman didn't make it through the sixth inning, burned by a lapse in control and two more home runs, and pinch-hitter Cameron Maybin singled off Mychal Givens with two outs in the eighth to score Kole Calhoun and give the Angels a 5-4 win...

Orioles lineup vs. Angels

Orioles lineup vs. Angels
So much for easing Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander into major league action. Santander is starting in right field tonight, making his major league debut after playing last season with Single-A Lynchburg in the Carolina League. The switch-hitter is batting seventh against Angels left-hander Andrew Heaney. The Orioles lost Joey Rickard's right-handed bat after optioning him on Wednesday. They have Craig Gentry in left field and Trey Mancini at first base, with Mark Trumbo serving as the designated...

Orioles activate Santander and option Rickard

Orioles activate Santander and option Rickard
SEATTLE - The Orioles made the first of their two necessary roster moves tonight, activating Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander from the 60-day disabled list and optioning outfielder Joey Rickard to Triple-A Norfolk. Santander will wear No. 25 as he makes the jump from the Single-A level last season to the majors. Craig Gentry was the other candidate to come off the roster for Santander, but he's out of options and would have needed to clear waivers before his outright assignment. Though he...

Orioles lose two leads and game to go 4-6 on trip (with quotes)

Orioles lose two leads and game to go 4-6 on trip (with quotes)
SEATTLE - The Orioles continue to score first, to take early leads as if trying to assert themselves. What doesn't necessarily follow is a win, which they so badly need while chasing the second wild card. Ubaldo Jiménez stayed in today's game long enough to be charged with six runs, including three in a decisive fifth inning that finally forced his exit, and the Orioles lost to the Mariners 7-6 before an announced crowd of 33,448 at Safeco Field. The Orioles went 4-6 on their West Coast...

Orioles lineup vs. Mariners

Orioles lineup vs. Mariners
SEATTLE - Adam Jones is out of today's lineup as the Orioles conclude their road trip. Manager Buck Showalter will explain later. Craig Gentry is playing center field and batting ninth. Trey Mancini is the cleanup hitter. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tim Beckham is the first player with 30 hits in his first 15 games with a team since Kenny Lofton in 1997 with the Braves. Before Lofton, the last player was Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie, who did it in consecutive seasons with the...

Upcoming roster moves and tonight's game

Upcoming roster moves and tonight's game
SEATTLE - Infielder Ryan Flaherty and Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander will play again tonight for Single-A Frederick to complete their respective injury rehab assignments. The Orioles will be making room for them Thursday on the 25-man roster. It's going to be a busy off-day. Flaherty can't be optioned without clearing waivers. Santander can't be optioned without clearing waivers and being offered back to the Indians, who surely would take him. The Orioles put Flaherty on the disabled...

O's hit back-to-back homers twice to win opener (quotes added)

O's hit back-to-back homers twice to win opener (quotes added)
OAKLAND, Calif. - In need of offense after scoring three runs over the last two games, the Orioles turned to an old friend tonight - the longball. They hit back-to-back homers on back-to-back pitches twice tonight to beat the A's 7-2 in the opener of this four-game series at Oakland Coliseum. The Orioles improved to 57-58 for the season and to 2-2 on this 10-game road trip. Oakland is 50-65. Adam Jones and Trey Mancini went back-to-back in the fourth off A's righty Chris Smith for a 3-1 lead....

Offense comes up short as Orioles drop series finale

Offense comes up short as Orioles drop series finale
ANAHEIM, Calif. - It was a series where the Orioles didn't get much offense and the trend continued this afternoon against a pitcher making his second major league start. The Orioles lost 5-1 in front of 36,202 to the Los Angeles Angels to drop the series after winning Monday's series opener. It's a disappointing end to a series that began with promise when Manny Machado's seventh-inning grand slam provided a 6-2 lead and win Monday night. But over the series' last two games, the Orioles...

Gentry a steal for Orioles

Gentry a steal for Orioles
The Orioles finally are back at .500, they're 1 1/2 games behind for the second wild card and FanGraphs now puts their playoff chances at 11 percent. It's a long season, folks. Buckle up and enjoy the ride. Craig Gentry stole third base twice in the series opener against the Tigers last week at Camden Yards, which left people scrambling to find out the last time that an Orioles player did it in the same game. Or maybe I was the only one curious about it. Anyway, Corey Patterson was the last...