Orioles can't climb out of big early hole in latest loss to Yankees

Orioles can't climb out of big early hole in latest loss to Yankees
There were more New York Yankees homers. The O's starter didn't pitch deep into the game. The Orioles lost to the Yankees again at Oriole Park with a familiar script. Swept here three straight by New York early last month, the Orioles lost 7-5 tonight and have lost the first three of a four-game series that concludes Thursday afternoon. Struggling right-hander Dan Straily got hit around again at Camden Yards as New York opened a 6-1 lead in the fourth. Straily lasted just four innings and...

Straily still slumping in Orioles' 7-5 loss (with quotes)

Straily still slumping in Orioles' 7-5 loss (with quotes)
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde described pitcher Dan Straily this afternoon as someone on a mission. A veteran determined to reverse a string of short outings and limited production from the mound. "I know that he wants to prove that he's the guy we signed, where he was going to give us some innings and give us some major league starts," Hyde said. "Hoping it starts tonight." It did not. Straily walked two batters in the first inning without any real damage, but he surrendered two home runs...

O's game blog: It's Straily against Sabathia at Camden Yards

O's game blog: It's Straily against Sabathia at Camden Yards
After losing by 10-7 and 11-4 the last two nights, the Orioles host the New York Yankees again tonight. It's the third contest of a four-game series. The outlook doesn't look too positive for the O's tonight. Right-hander Dan Straily (1-3, 8.51 ERA), who has been struggling, especially at home, goes against a Yankees team that enjoys mashing homers at Oriole Park. But that's why they play the games, so we're about to find out how this is going to go. Straily has been a big disappointment...

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees
Hanser Alberto is on a roll and facing the Yankees, who are starting left-hander CC Sabathia. There's no way he was going to sit out tonight's game. Alberto, who's starting at third base and leading off, is 8-for-15 in his last four games and 12-for-25 against the Yankees this season. He's slashing .442/.442/.628 against southpaws, with 19 hits in 43 at-bats. Joey Rickard is in left field to provide another right-handed bat. Pedro Severino is catching and batting fifth. Chris Davis is at...

Orioles running short on starter replacements

Orioles running short on starter replacements
The latest failed start from Orioles right-hander David Hess last night raised more questions about his stay in the rotation. As in, how much longer? It's the same with Dan Straily, who's carrying an 8.51 ERA and 1.891 WHIP into tonight's start against the Yankees. And therein lies the problem. The Orioles don't have an abundance of choices and Hess isn't riding alone on the struggle bus. The bullpen doesn't offer a worthy candidate short of going back to an opener. Gabriel Ynoa made...

Brandon Hyde looking for a bounceback tonight (game update)

Brandon Hyde looking for a bounceback tonight (game update)
CLEVELAND - For a good portion of last night's Orioles game here, manager Brandon Hyde saw things to like. His hitters got to Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer and the team built a 5-1 lead. Even after falling behind by 6-5, Stevie Wilkerson's two-run double put them back ahead. It was set up to be a good night for Hyde's rebuilding team. But it came crashing down amid several late-game mistakes and another shaky night for the bullpen. Cleveland scored five in the last of the seventh,...

As losses mount, Orioles try to stay positive and keep pushing

As losses mount, Orioles try to stay positive and keep pushing
CLEVELAND - Before Thursday's game, both Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and one of the team's leaders, Trey Mancini, talked about the appreciation they had for how the Orioles clubhouse is handling mounting losses. The losses are not unexpected, but they can weigh a team down and hinder youngsters as they try to grow and develop as players. Last night's 14-7 loss in Cleveland featured an awful five-run Cleveland seventh, and the Orioles looked like a last-place team in that inning. But even in...

Orioles lose two leads in Cleveland series opener (quotes added)

Orioles lose two leads in Cleveland series opener (quotes added)
CLEVELAND - When Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer retired the Orioles on eight pitches in the first inning tonight it looked like he might have a big game. Bauer began the game ninth in the American League in ERA. But that early look was very, very deceiving. It was not a good night for several pitchers, Bauer included. And for the Orioles, another close game got away from them in the last of the seventh tonight. The Orioles saw leads of 5-1 and 7-6 that they did not hold as they fell 14-7 to...

Bundy's start tonight, Trumbo's first game and more on the draft

Bundy's start tonight, Trumbo's first game and more on the draft
Dylan Bundy was supposed to open the four-game series in Cleveland last night until two days of rain in New York necessitated an adjustment of the Orioles' pitching plans. Dan Straily took the mound last night after missing the Yankees and allowed four runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings. Bundy goes tonight, knowing that the radar readings at Progressive Field will garner most of the attention. Manager Brandon Hyde removed Bundy from his last start after only 80 pitches, the right-hander losing...

Hyde pregame on Straily, Bundy and more (game update)

Hyde pregame on Straily, Bundy and more (game update)
CLEVELAND - Over the last nine games, Orioles starters have pitched six innings or more in six of them. That is significant because they had just four such outings in the season's first 33 games. And the rotation ERA is 3.73 in the more recent stretch. So tonight enter right-hander Dan Straily into the mix as the Orioles open a four-game series in Cleveland with the Indians. Straily (1-3, 8.23 ERA) has gone five innings or less in each of his six starts and has allowed 11 runs in 8 2/3 over...

Orioles and Indians lineups

Orioles and Indians lineups
Chris Davis is batting in the cleanup spot again tonight as the Orioles start their four-game series in Cleveland. Jonathan Villar is playing shortstop, with Richie Martin again moving to the bench. Martin has been sitting frequently against right-handers and the Indians are starting four of them in the series. Pedro Severino is catching. Dan Straily gets another chance to reverse a tough start with the Orioles. He's appeared in seven games and posted an 8.23 ERA and 1.829 WHIP over 27 1/3...

Wondering about Rogers, Castro's improvement and more

Wondering about Rogers, Castro's improvement and more
NEW YORK - The Orioles had become roster move slackers after lots of early activity, but they're trying to pick up the pace again. They optioned reliever Evan Phillips on Saturday, recalled him yesterday as the 26th man for the doubleheader, returned him to Triple-A Norfolk after Game 2 and were prepared to recall left-hander Josh Rogers. Rogers was on standby for a flight to Cleveland, where the Orioles begin a four-game series tonight. The Tides are in Toledo, making for a short trip. But it...

The rotation, Phillips' return and more (O's down 5-3)

The rotation, Phillips' return and more (O's down 5-3)
NEW YORK - The Orioles' pitching plans have become clearer as the rain moves out of the Bronx. David Hess and Andrew Cashner are starting in today's single-admission doubleheader. Dan Straily flew to Cleveland today and is starting Thursday night in the series opener against the Indians, followed by Dylan Bundy on Friday and left-hander John Means on Saturday. The starter for Sunday is TBD based on today's doubleheader. Manager Brandon Hyde won't let anyone work on short rest and he'll...

Orioles-Yankees postponed again tonight

Orioles-Yankees postponed again tonight
NEW YORK - The Orioles and Yankees won't play tonight, with the decision to postpone the game due to rain and an unfavorable forecast coming much earlier than last night. The teams will engage in a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 12 with the opener starting at 1:05 p.m. Game 2 begins at 7:05 p.m. This is the fifth postponement for the Orioles, who are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Wednesday. David Hess starts Game 1 and Andrew Cashner gets the ball for Game 2. Hess would have pitched last...

Notes on Bundy, Bleier, Hays, Sisco and more (O's lead 5-1)

Notes on Bundy, Bleier, Hays, Sisco and more (O's lead 5-1)
A day after Orioles starter Dylan Bundy raised some concerns over his decline in velocity and poor command, the sense within the organization remains that he isn't hurt. "I feel fine physically and that's the most important thing," Bundy said this morning. Manager Brandon Hyde checked again on Bundy this morning. "His velo was down a little bit all game long," Hyde said. "What we saw, and I talked to him about it - he understood totally, too - in the fifth inning there his velo dropped a...

Hyde on Phillips: "He's going to be back up here shortly"

Hyde on Phillips: "He's going to be back up here shortly"
Reliever Evan Phillips is the latest Oriole to be given a reset in the minors. The club optioned Phillips this morning and recalled reliever Jimmy Yacabonis in an exchange of right-handers. Phillips has allowed two earned runs in each of his last three appearances and also let two inherited runners score last night to leave him with a 7.11 ERA in 12 2/3 innings. Command has been an issue with Phillips, who's issued 10 walks and hit three batters. He's also thrown two wild pitches. "We want...

Ynoa settling into solid bullpen role

Ynoa settling into solid bullpen role
It never fails. A reliever has success and is capable of gobbling up innings and a manager is asked whether a spot in the rotation could open up. Brandon Hyde is experiencing it with Gabriel Ynoa, who has allowed only one run and walked one batter with 11 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. He's tossed three scoreless innings in back-to-back appearances. "I think he would be in the mix if we went in that direction, but he's also pitching his way into higher-leverage situations and being somebody...

Straily, Phillips struggle again as O's lose series opener

Straily, Phillips struggle again as O's lose series opener
The recent uptick the Orioles have seen in their pitching didn't hold tonight. Two struggling pitchers continued to struggle as the Los Angeles Angels took the opener of a three-game series 8-3 at Oriole Park. The game was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 49 minutes before the start of the seventh inning. It ended just after midnight. The Orioles fall to 13-25 overall, 2-4 on this homestand and 5-14 at home for the year. Los Angeles is 18-20 and has won nine of 13 after going 1-9 over a 10-game...

Trout in rain too much for Orioles in 8-3 loss (with quotes)

Trout in rain too much for Orioles in 8-3 loss (with quotes)
Stevie Wilkerson kept trying. And all he had to show for his airborne attempts to catch a baseball were a few bruises. A diving try in left-center field that resulted in a run-scoring triple. A leap at the fence in front of the bullpen that netted only more frustration and influenced the outcome of the game. Mike Trout's two-run shot off Dan Straily in the third inning broke a tie, he doubled in the fifth to pad the lead and the Angels stayed in front to defeat the Orioles 8-3 before an...

O's game blog: Orioles begin a weekend series against Angels

O's game blog: Orioles begin a weekend series against Angels
After they lost two of three to Boston - falling 2-1 in 12 innings on Wednesday night - the Orioles' homestand continues tonight. They begin a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels that continues at 4:05 p.m. on Saturday and 1:05 p.m. on Sunday. This is the Orioles' (13-24) second series of 2019 versus an American League West team. They went 1-3 at Camden Yards against Oakland. The O's are 9-12 versus the AL East and 3-9 against the AL Central. They went 1-5 against the Angels last...