Hearing from Hyde, Armstrong and Eades (O's lead 7-1)

Hearing from Hyde, Armstrong and Eades (O's lead 7-1)
The news has slowed down at Camden Yards as the Orioles perform fielding drills, take batting practice and throw in the outfield. Players are allowed to wear shorts and T-shirts. Hey, it's their weekend. Trey Mancini is getting a day off. There's nothing wrong with him physically. "He needs a breather," said manager Brandon Hyde. Reliever Shawn Armstrong said his right forearm feels better after the Orioles placed him on the 10-day injured list yesterday with a strained muscle. "Honestly,...

Second inning dooms Orioles in 7-1 loss (Blach optioned)

Second inning dooms Orioles in 7-1 loss (Blach optioned)
As he stood outside the clubhouse for his pregame media scrum, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde talked about the importance of left-hander Ty Blach providing length tonight. Of the need to protect a "beat up" bullpen. Hyde has one fewer reliever with a four-man bench, and he used three last night following the rain delay. He's being careful with Hunter Harvey. He didn't issue a challenge to Blach. More like a plea. "It's a little dicey," Hyde said. "I'm going to keep him out there as long...

Elias on changes in scouting and front office (O's down 7-0)

Elias on changes in scouting and front office (O's down 7-0)
The Orioles have subtracted 11 individuals from their scouting department and front office, with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias confirming the number but offering little in the way of names. Elias said Brady Anderson remains in the organization in an advisory role, primarily with strength and conditioning. The executive title was removed in spring training. Kent Qualls remains as director of minor league operations and Elias is retaining assistant director of amateur...

Orioles aren't wrecked by record number of home runs

Orioles aren't wrecked by record number of home runs
Asked in his postgame media session Tuesday night about the Orioles tying the major league record for most home runs allowed in a season, manager Brandon Hyde interrupted his own answer to find out the total. He wasn't being coy. He wasn't pretending to be out of the loop. No one has to tell Hyde that his club surrenders home runs at an alarming rate. He watches from the dugout every night. But he hasn't been tracking the number. He had no idea that the 2016 Reds were the leaders in the...

Orioles turn home run tables in 8-1 win (with quotes)

Orioles turn home run tables in 8-1 win (with quotes)
The record was inevitable, the only mystery surrounding the date of its arrival and who would be responsible on the mound and at the plate. It was coming as sure as nightfall. The Orioles have tied the 2016 Reds for most home runs allowed in a season with 258. There are 35 games left on the schedule. They will claim it as their own, most likely while the Rays are in town beginning Thursday. Manager Brandon Hyde will take plenty more like this one. How his team made the record an attachment...

Orioles surrender 13 straight runs in 13-7 loss (updated)

Orioles surrender 13 straight runs in 13-7 loss (updated)
The sixth inning is like the trap door that keeps fooling the Orioles. If they don't fall through it, a lead certainly will disappear. Ahead by six runs in the third, the Orioles became helpless as the Red Sox started to chip away and dismantled them by scoring six times in the sixth to take the lead and complete the sweep with a 13-7 victory at Fenway Park. Chance Sisco was injured twice in the inning, with Sam Travis plowing into his left shoulder and a foul ball slamming into his groin...

Rio Ruiz walk-off home run gives Orioles 8-7 win (updated)

Rio Ruiz walk-off home run gives Orioles 8-7 win (updated)
How the Orioles responded to last night's thrashing at the hands and bats of the Astros provided the most intriguing element of the day. Get back on their feet and hold their ground or be knocked down again. Heads held high or chins pressed into their chests. Could they return to playing competitive baseball, a trait that's been harder to sustain this month? Could they close out the homestand on a positive note before wading deeper into a treacherous portion of their schedule? Rio Ruiz...

Dylan Bundy throws well, but O's are a run short in series opener

Dylan Bundy throws well, but O's are a run short in series opener
The Orioles had gone 11 straight games without a quality start. They just lost three straight to the New York Yankees and gave up 32 runs in getting swept. They could use a well-pitched game tonight. But could they get one against a surging and division-leading Houston Astros club? One that had won six in a row and nine of 10, and had scored 25 runs the last two games and 54 over its last six? The Orioles did get a well-pitched game from starter Dylan Bundy, but the O's offense was pretty...

Orioles calmly lose to Astros 3-2 (with quotes)

Orioles calmly lose to Astros 3-2 (with quotes)
The Orioles made it through nine innings tonight without any extracurricular activities in the dugout. Guys leaned on the railing or sat on the bench. They talked. They spit. They bonded. They watched another early deficit materialize and the Orioles lose for the sixth time in eight games since a .500 July. Given the unwanted attention that clung to them since the fifth inning Wednesday night, they were just glad to shift the focus back to the field. Being on the wrong end of the score must...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Orioles are starting Gabriel Ynoa tonight and faced with a decision on how to fill the opening on their 25-man roster after optioning reliever Dillon Tate to Triple-A Norfolk. They must have it figured out, but we're left to wonder if they want a fresh arm - especially with Miguel Castro sick - or a third bench player. If it's a bench player, do they bring up an outfielder? The Tides were rained out yesterday. Their lineup included DJ Stewart, Austin Hays and Rio Ruiz. Castro hasn't...

O's build early lead and hold off Blue Jays in series finale

O's build early lead and hold off Blue Jays in series finale
If the Toronto Blue Jays were going to help the Orioles get some runs today, the Orioles would be accepting of that. They did and they were. The Orioles got a gift run in the first, three unearned runs in the second and drew two bases-loaded walks in the fifth today. It helped them build a 6-2 lead and they held off Toronto 6-5 in the series finale at Camden Yards. The clubs split the four games. The O's went to the seventh leading 6-2, but Toronto got three to pull close. Right-hander Tom...

Orioles rally past Jays for 6-4 homemade win (updated)

Orioles rally past Jays for 6-4 homemade win (updated)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a ball tonight that should have sent the cover in one direction and yarn in another. It also should have landed in Anthony Santander's glove, except he broke in and tried unsuccessfully to make a leaping catch. Guerrero had a run-scoring double with two outs in the first inning, another early lead for the visitors, and the Orioles probably had a "here we go again" moment as their homestand reached its third game. At least Santander didn't get hit squarely in the...

Armstrong's adjustment adds to ability to attack hitters

Armstrong's adjustment adds to ability to attack hitters
PHOENIX - Shawn Armstrong's solution began as a lengthy heart-to-heart pitching conversation with teammate Jimmy Yacabonis on the night that the Orioles flew into Arizona. Armstrong didn't have a clean outing in his last six appearances. Didn't feel right for much longer. A "three-to-four week inconsistent patch," as he calls it. "I felt like at times I had the shape to my pitches and kind of revert right back to backup sliders, backup breaking balls and so forth the next outing, and then...

Recapping last night's Orioles win and looking ahead

Recapping last night's Orioles win and looking ahead
PHOENIX - Dwight Smith Jr. used to be hitless in 33 at-bats and looking every bit like a player in a deep funk. Smith is a changed man. Hits in his last four games. A single and three-run homer last night in a 7-2 win. A hot streak that seemed to come out of nowhere. "I just kept working hard," he said. "It's just baseball. I was coming back from injury, so I was just getting timing back. And me struggling mentally and physically, it was a lot, but I had good teammates and good supporting...

Nationals pull away from Orioles in 8-1 win (updated)

Nationals pull away from Orioles in 8-1 win (updated)
The Orioles missed Nationals ace and perennial Cy Young Award candidate Max Scherzer, who's on the injured list. They missed Stephen Strasburg, who's pushed back to Thursday and keeps alive his streak of never pitching in Baltimore. Tonight's matchup between right-handers Asher Wojciechowski and Austin Voth didn't necessarily send shivers up and down the spine, but the Orioles are trying to plug holes in their rotation and the Nats are doing some temporary tinkering. Wojciechowski gave the...

Brooks opens twinbill with effective outing in 2-1 win (updated)

Brooks opens twinbill with effective outing in 2-1 win (updated)
The first part of the plan worked to near perfection for manager Brandon Hyde, who had to resist joining the crowd in applauding Aaron Brooks as the right-hander walked off the mound in the third inning. Getting eight outs from Brooks in his Orioles debut, in his first start since late April, was cause for celebration. Who's got the laundry cart? Also factor in the 2 2/3 scoreless innings, with no hits or walks, less than 24 hours after a 16-4 loss that included the pitching debut of Stevie...

Brooks latest to enter Orioles bullpen

Brooks latest to enter Orioles bullpen
The 2019 season starts up again tonight with the Orioles inserting Aaron Brooks into their bullpen as the latest adjustment to a unit that's trying to gain more consistency in the second half. The Orioles are carrying a four-man bench and seven relievers - Brooks, Mychal Givens, Richard Bleier, Paul Fry, Miguel Castro, Jimmy Yacabonis and Shawn Armstrong. But two open dates on the schedule next week, countering Saturday's doubleheader, could allow for some creativity from manager Brandon...

O's hit two homers to back Cashner in 8-1 romp over Blue Jays

O's hit two homers to back Cashner in 8-1 romp over Blue Jays
TORONTO - During their recent West Coast road trip, the Orioles went 1-6 and were outscored 59-29. Then they lost two straight at home to the San Diego Padres and gave up nine homers and 18 runs. But since then the club has played much better, a stretch that began with those back-to-back 13-0 wins last weekend over Cleveland. Today the Orioles backed right-hander Andrew Cashner with two homers and one big inning as they beat Toronto 8-1, their fifth win in the last eight games. The Orioles...

Closer look at Orioles' roster usage

Closer look at Orioles' roster usage
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles made it through last night's game without calling upon a 47th different player. They managed to get by with the current group, covering nine innings and heading to Toronto for the final series before the All-Star break. Are 46 players a lot over the course of a season? How about in the first half? Spoiler alert: The first-half number is a club record. So, yes, it's a lot. Consider that the Orioles' record for a season is 56, set last year as they began to...

Orioles score six runs in ninth and win 9-6 (with quotes)

Orioles score six runs in ninth and win 9-6 (with quotes)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - John Means tied his career high tonight by working seven innings, pounding the strike zone as if he's angry at it. Ninety-eight pitches and 71 strikes for Means, who held the Rays to two earned runs and three total, didn't walk a batter and left with the score tied. His 2.50 ERA didn't change. The game did after he left. The Orioles erupted for six runs in the ninth off reliever José Alvarado, the last three on Renato Núñez's 19th homer, and they avoided the...