With their starting pitching in flux, O's begin key stretch tonight

With their starting pitching in flux, O's begin key stretch tonight
Two of their starting pitchers are on the disabled list, although Miguel Gonzalez could be returning soon. Jason Hammel, who pitches tonight, has allowed 10 earned runs in 10 innings over his last two starts. Freddy Garcia has struggled in back-to-back starts. The rotation ERA is 6.37 over the last six games. OK, the O's starting pitching is not exactly peaking right now. And here is the concern. Tonight, the Orioles start a 10-game stretch against AL East opponents with three against Tampa...

Looking back at Hunter, Casilla and Hammel

Looking back at Hunter, Casilla and Hammel
MINNEAPOLIS - The Orioles will make another roster move today to clear room for starter Steve Johnson. Reliever Alex Burnett is expected to be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, but we'll have to wait for an announcement. Tommy Hunter has been credited with the win in his last three appearances. He retired all seven batters he faced last night, striking out three, and lowered his ERA to 1.47. Joe Mauer took him deep in the eighth inning - just not deep enough. Adam Jones made the catch on the...

Hearing from Dickerson, Johnson, Hunter and Hammel

Hearing from Dickerson, Johnson, Hunter and Hammel
MINNEAPOLIS - Chris Dickerson, who started in right field tonight for the Orioles, has a theory about this club and its ability to overcome deficits and adversity. "I almost think the team enjoys playing from behind, with an attitude that's like, 'OK, we're going to come back,'" Dickerson said. "The team has been so incredibly resilient and everybody just working within the team, putting together good at-bats, playing basically in every facet of the game, minus the defense in the first...

Showalter speaks after 9-6, 10-inning win

Showalter speaks after 9-6, 10-inning win
MINNEAPOLIS - The Orioles rallied from a six-run deficit to win tonight for the first time since June 25, 2010 against the Washington Nationals at Camden Yards. "It's not a club that panics," manager Buck Showalter said after a 9-6, 10-inning victory over the Minnesota Twins. "I've told you many times. It's a mature group, even though it's the youngest team in our division. They stay within each other and do what they do. Guys don't try to hit five-run home runs. Just got a lot of...

Hammel on the road to nowhere so far (O's down 6-3)

Hammel on the road to nowhere so far (O's down 6-3)
MINNEAPOLIS - Jason Hammel hasn't been able to work his road magic tonight. All five of Hammel's wins this season have come away from home, but he's down 3-0 in the second inning at Target Field and the Twins already have worked him for 51 pitches. The Twins have sent 12 batters to the plate and collected five hits and a walk. Joe Mauer was credited with a double in the first on a line drive that eluded right fielder Chris Dickerson, who froze on the ball and broke back late before...

Hammel hitting the road again

Hammel hitting the road again
MINNEAPOLIS - Jason Hammel goes for his sixth win tonight, as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Twins at Target Field. Then it's back home. Not worth unpacking the suitcase. Only three other pitchers have six wins in 2013: Clay Buchholz, Matt Moore and Jordan Zimmermann. All five of Hammel's wins have come on the road. According to STATS, Hammel is the fifth Orioles pitcher to win each of his first five road starts in a season since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954....

Flashing back to yesterday's win (updated)

Flashing back to yesterday's win (updated)
So many moments from yesterday's game jump out at me as I replay it in my head. And the best part is I can mentally fast-forward through the commercials. Jason Hammel throwing 38 pitches in a three-run first inning and still making it through the sixth to improve his record to 5-1. It was a gritty performance. A lot of pitchers would have been gone by the third. J.J. Hardy homering for the second time in two games. He's got four two-hit games since April 26. Maybe his bat is finally heating...

Machado hits go-ahead homer as O's win to complete 7-4 road trip

Machado hits go-ahead homer as O's win to complete 7-4 road trip
Maybe it wasn't quite as dramatic as his ninth-inning homer at Fenway Park earlier this year but Manny Machado's latest homer was a big one today for the Orioles as they beat Los Angeles 8-4 in the finale of an 11-game west coast road trip. The Orioles went an impressive 7-4 on the trip, going 3-1 each at Oakland and Anaheim sandwiched around a 1-2 series in Seattle. Down 3-1 after the first inning, the O's tied the game 3-3 on J.J. Hardy's two-run homer in the fourth. But Los Angeles...

Hammel rebounds nicely from bad beginning

Hammel rebounds nicely from bad beginning
Knowing Jason Hammel, he's going to pick apart his start today and give himself a failing grade. He's a harsh critic. Hammel needed about two hours to get through the bottom of the first inning - and that's only a mild exaggeration - but he made it through six innings and is in line for the win. Hammel gave up four runs and nine hits, walked three, struck out five and threw a wild pitch. He threw 107 pitches, and most of them seemed to come during that marathon first inning. Three of...

Angels score early against Hammel (O's lead 8-4)

Angels score early against Hammel (O's lead 8-4)
Adam Jones came up with another hit with a runner in scoring position today as the Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against the Angels. But the Amgels scored three times with two outs off Jason Hammel to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning. Mike Trout reached on a one-out infield single and then stole second base. But MASN slo-mo replays showed that Matt Wieters' throw was just in time even though Trout was ruled safe. Trout would score on the first of...

It's Hammel vs. Williams today in Anaheim

It's Hammel vs. Williams today in Anaheim
Orioles starter Jason Hammel is the anti-Freddy Garcia when it comes to pitching against the Angels. Garcia owns them. Hammel is standing in the return aisle. Hammel is 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Angels, with 13 runs, 21 hits, 10 walks and nine strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. Howie Kendrick is 4-for-7 with a double and three RBIs against Hammel. Jerome Williams is making his first start today for the Angels. He's 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three career...

Orioles notes on Machado, Davis, Hammel and more (updated)

Orioles notes on Machado, Davis, Hammel and more (updated)
The good teams seem to avoid long losing streaks and the Orioles will try to avoid having a three-gamer tonight. Prior to last night, the Birds had not lost back-to-back games since losing three in a row April 6-8. The 2013 Orioles are 7-2 after a loss. Some other notes on the Orioles: * Manny Machado is batting .412 (14-for-34) during an eight-game batting streak with three doubles, a triple and five RBIs. He has raised his average from .250 to .300 during this stretch. Machado is...

O's tie season high for runs scored and start road trip with win at Oakland

O's tie season high for runs scored and start road trip with win at Oakland
Jason Hammel picked up his third win. Chris Davis hit his eighth homer with two RBIs, while Nick Markakis and Nate McLouth drove in two runs each tonight as the Orioles beat Oakland 10-2 in the opener of a four-game series. The win was impressive for a few reasons: * It started badly for the Orioles, who allowed two unearned runs to fall behind 2-0 in the second inning. That inning saw J.J. Hardy and Manny Machado both commit errors and Adam Jones misplay a fly ball into a double. The...

Hammel goes six innings again (O's win 10-2)

Hammel goes six innings again (O's  win 10-2)
Jason Hammel was at 80 pitches through five innings tonight. Seemed like a pretty good bet to become the first Orioles starter to make it through the seventh. Not anymore. Hammel needed 24 pitches to complete the sixth and strand two runners. That's 104 pitches. Manager Buck Showalter shook Hammel's hand in the dugout. It's up to the bullpen now - except for closer Jim Johnson, who has pitched in three straight games and needs a break. Hammel threw 113 pitches in his last start against...

Hardy still slumping (McLouth still scorching, Davis homers)

Hardy still slumping (McLouth still scorching, Davis homers)
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy popped up to end the second inning tonight and strand Chris Davis, who drew a walk off Oakland right-hander Jarrod Parker. Hardy is in 2-for-20 and 4-for-33 slumps that have lowered his average to .177. He did produce a hit in the 10th inning yesterday that almost won the game for the Orioles, but Rajai Davis threw out Manny Machado at the plate. Hardy's average dropped from .269 in 2011 to .238 last season, and manager Buck Showalter vowed to remove him from...

The Orioles are still searching for a starter to go seven innings or more (updated)

The Orioles are still searching for a starter to go seven innings or more (updated)
Will this be the night that the Orioles see one of their starting pitchers go seven innings or more? Will Jason Hammel become the first in 2013 to do that? Hammel may be the most likely of the O's starters to get that done. The longest outing by an O's starter is 6 2/3 innings, with Hammel doing that on April 7 against Minnesota. Chris Tillman equaled that on Monday against Toronto. The Orioles remain the only team in Major League Baseball yet to have a starter go seven or more. Hammel is...

Orioles pitchers taking too many walks on the wild side (Britton in Oakland)

Orioles pitchers taking too many walks on the wild side (Britton in Oakland)
Zach Britton is still listed as tonight's starter for Triple-A Norfolk. If he isn't a late scratch, he won't be starting for the Orioles on Monday. Update: Zach Clark (UMBC) is now listed as Norfolk's starter tonight instead of Britton. Feel free to speculate. The assumption here is that Britton will be in the Orioles' bullpen the next few nights and will start Monday if he isn't used in relief for an extended stretch. Update II: Britton is definitely in Oakland and he will take Josh...

Showalter speaks after 7-5 Game 1 victory (updated)

Showalter speaks after 7-5 Game 1 victory (updated)
The Orioles are setting up for the Earl Weaver tribute that will take place on the field before Game 2 of today's doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'm told that Frank Robinson won't be here. He was supposed to speak, along with Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer, manager Buck Showalter and others. Update: Palmer also couldn't attend the tribute, but Cal Ripken Jr. is here. As Showalter reflected on today's 7-5 Game 1 victory, he kept going back to pitcher Jason Hammel. "I'll...

Postgame comments from Hammel and Reimold after the O's beat the Dodgers

Postgame comments from Hammel and Reimold after the O's beat the Dodgers
With a second game coming today, Jason Hammel was in trouble early in today's opening game. He was at 51 pitches through two innings and down 4-0. Not the way he wanted his day to start. "After I was at 51 after two I was like, 'Not with a doubleheader, I have to get deep.' That would have been the worst thing to do, kill the bullpen on the first game," Hammel said. "I was pretty happy with it overall. "Actually save for one pitch or two or three overall. The three-run homer to (Andre)...

Reimold's two-run double in eighth gives O's 7-5 win over LA

Reimold's two-run double in eighth gives O's 7-5 win over LA
On a day where they fell behind 4-0, rallied to lead 5-4 and were tied at 5-5, the Orioles had the final answer today to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 in the opener of the series. Nolan Reimold's two-run double to right in the bottom of the eighth broke the 5-5 tie. Chris Davis doubled with one out for his third hit of the day and two walks - one intentional - loaded the bases for the O's left fielder. He drove in three on the day. The Orioles ended a five-game losing streak to the...