Tonight's game and more trade deadline talk

Tonight's game and more trade deadline talk
Heading into opening day, which Orioles starter was your choice to be the first 10-game winner of the season? I'm trusting you to be honest. Miguel Gonzalez is 9-6 going into tonight's start against the Tigers that begins a four-game series at Camden Yards. They're not his ideal opponent, considering how he's 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA in five career games (four starts) against them. Gonzalez allowed two runs and six hits in five innings in a 9-3 win on July 19 at Comerica Park. The current Tigers...

Miguel Gonzalez with a bounceback outing, plus some Bowie banter

Miguel Gonzalez with a bounceback outing, plus some Bowie banter
With Chris Davis and Miguel Gonzalez playing co-starring roles, the Orioles ended their four-game losing streak and won for just the sixth time in 21 games on Saturday night. They improved to 47-49 for the season. Davis hit his fifth career grand slam to back a much-needed strong outing by Gonzalez, who had pitched to an ERA of 6.75 over his previous five starts. But he gave up just one run in 7 2/3 innings to help the Orioles end the losing streak with a 5-1 win over Tampa Bay. Gonzalez and...

Wrapping up a 5-1 win

Wrapping up a 5-1 win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A team that's been scuffling for runs and maybe pressing a bit at the plate was able to exhale after one big swing. The game was far from over, but a four-run cushion brought a certain level of comfort. Chris Davis hit his fifth career grand slam tonight in the third inning and Miguel Gonzalez held the Rays to one run over 7 2/3 innings in a 5-1 victory at Tropicana Field. The Orioles won for only the sixth time in their last 21 games. They've scored more than three...

Chris Davis hits slam, Miguel Gonzalez wins ninth as O's top Tampa Bay

Chris Davis hits slam, Miguel Gonzalez wins ninth as O's top Tampa Bay
For a team scuffling on offense, one swing was very big tonight. Chris Davis hit his fifth career grand slam in the third inning as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 5-1 at Tropicana Field. Miguel Gonzalez allowed just one run and five hits in 7 2/3 innings, in his longest outing since May 29. Gonzalez and Chris Tillman have pitched 14 2/3 innings the last two nights, allowing seven hits and two runs. Rays starter Erasmo Ramirez began tonight with the best ERA in the American League since April 29 at...

O's game blog: Erasmo Ramirez has a 1.29 ERA his last nine starts

O's game blog: Erasmo Ramirez has a 1.29 ERA his last nine starts
As the Orioles look to get their offense going tonight, they'll try to do so against the pitcher than leads the American League in ERA since April 29. Tampa Bay right-hander Erasmo Ramirez (8-3, 3.54 ERA) gets the starts for the Rays. He's made 21 appearances, 14 as a starter. Since he joined the Rays rotation for good on May 14, his eight wins are tied for the major league lead with Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole, Houston's Dallas Keuchel and Detroit's Anibal Sanchez. Since June 20, the Rays...

On the offense, tonight's game and a scoring change

On the offense, tonight's game and a scoring change
ST. PETERBURG, Fla. - What else can Orioles manager Buck Showalter do in an attempt to ignite his offense? Showalter tinkered with his lineup again yesterday, putting Jimmy Paredes in the leadoff spot against Rays starter Chris Archer. Paredes struck out in all four at-bats. Ryan Flaherty batted second and singled in the first inning. Jonathan Schoop will replace him at second base tonight. Manny Machado was lowered to third and singled twice and walked. He also was hit by a pitch. He's going...

Orioles offense breaks out in 9-3 win at Detroit in series finale

Orioles offense breaks out in 9-3 win at Detroit in series finale
The Orioles offense broke out today and it included a big inning, 14 hits, a couple of home runs and even hits with runners in scoring position. The Orioles went 4-for-5 with RISP in the top of the fourth today against 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. They scored six runs that inning to break a 1-1 tie on their way to a 9-3 victory over Detroit. Coming into this game, the Orioles were 2-for-21 in this series with RISP and 3-for-57 over their last eight games. Today...

O's game blog: Orioles seek their first series win since June

O's game blog: Orioles seek their first series win since June
The Orioles have not won a series since June 26-28 against Cleveland. Remember, that series ended with shutouts in both ends of a day-night doubleheader. Since then, the Orioles have lost series against Texas, the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota and Washington. They can end that slide if they get a victory today at Comerica Park in the third game against Detroit after splitting the first two. Chris Tillman's eight-inning gem Saturday night lifted the Orioles to a 3-0 win and back to the .500 mark...

Notes on Tillman, Machado, Schoop, Britton, Matusz and more

Notes on Tillman, Machado, Schoop, Britton, Matusz and more
I loaded up my morning blog entry on information related to Chris Tillman's one-hit gem last night against the Tigers at Comerica Park. As it turns out, there's more stuff to pass along. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tillman is the only Orioles pitcher since the franchise relocated to Baltimore in 1954 to allow a hit to the opposition's leadoff batter and finish at least eight innings without surrendering another hit. He also did it on Sept. 28, 2012. Tillman and Joe Kennedy are the...

Looking back and ahead

Looking back and ahead
As I was rummaging through my mailbag again last night to make sure I didn't miss anything, I found another question stuck to the bottom. It was pretty gross, but I managed to peel it open. How long will the Orioles continue to keep Chris Tillman in the rotation? Indefinitely. Tillman is 5-0 with three no-decisions in his last eight starts. He shut out the Tigers last night on one hit over eight innings, retiring the final 23 batters that he faced. His ERA is down to 4.96, its lowest since his...

Is recent lack of runs masking bigger issue for Orioles?

Is recent lack of runs masking bigger issue for Orioles?
After winning 96 games and a division title last year, a .500 finish for the 2015 Orioles would surely be seen as extremely disappointing by players and fans alike, not to mention team management. A .500 record will not be good enough. But while we have all been focusing on an offense that recently is underperforming, there may be a bigger issue holding this team back. But first ... since you have heard this theory 1,000 times, let's make it 1,001. The Orioles didn't do enough this offseason;...

Comments from Adam Jones, Miguel Gonzalez, Steve Pearce and Bryce Harper after O's loss

Comments from Adam Jones, Miguel Gonzalez, Steve Pearce and Bryce Harper after O's loss
Orioles center fielder Adam Jones told reporters after tonight's game that he is fine after he got hit in the face by Nationals first baseman Tyler Moore's glove as he slid into first base in the last of the fifth. Jones also reached for the bag with his sore right shoulder but was out on the play. "He made sure he tagged me," Jones said. "I'm all right. Cry later." It was another night without a hit with a runner in scoring position for the Orioles who are 0-for-15 with RISP in this...

Buck Showalter speaks after Orioles' 7-4 loss

Buck Showalter speaks after Orioles' 7-4 loss
The Orioles are only one game above .500 again and still unable to solve the riddle of why they can't get a big hit with runners in scoring position. They'd settle for a small one. The Orioles went 0-for-8 with RISP tonight in a 7-4 loss to the Nationals before 44,495 at Camden Yards. They had runners on first and second with one out in the ninth, but Chris Parmelee flied out and Adam Jones popped up. The most recent failings made the Orioles 0-for-15 with RISP in this series, 1-for-35 in the...

Nats strike for two homers in sixth, rally to beat Orioles

Nats strike for two homers in sixth, rally to beat Orioles
Miguel Gonzalez looked like he was on a roll. The Orioles right-hander had retired 10 straight heading into the top of the sixth inning and held a 4-2 lead. But four batters and two homers later, the Orioles trailed by two runs and the Washington Nationals used that rally to beat the Orioles 7-4 tonight in front of a sellout of 44,495 at Camden Yards. Bryce Harper entered tonight just a .200 career hitter against the Orioles, but he led off the sixth with a laser shot to right for his 26th...

O's game blog: Orioles have won eight of last 10 against Nats

O's game blog: Orioles have won eight of last 10 against Nats
The Orioles look to continue their winning ways against the Washington Nationals when the teams continue their weekend series tonight. The Orioles' 3-2 win last night was their 21st in 51 games in the all-time series between these clubs decided by a single run. The O's are 16-5 in those games. The Orioles have won eight of their last 10 against the Nationals and are 11-4 since 2012. The Orioles are 15-5 at home versus the Nats since 2008 and lead the all-time series, 30-21. Before Friday's...

Buck Showalter reveals part of his second-half rotation

Buck Showalter reveals part of his second-half rotation
Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced his starters for the first four games following the All-Star break. Ubaldo Jimenez, Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez will start against the Tigers at Comerica Park. The Orioles are off on July 20, and left-hander Wei-Yin Chen will start the following night against the Yankees in The Bronx. Showalter didn't reveal his starter for July 22, but Kevin Gausman would be working on normal rest if recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. He's expected to face the...

Tonight's game and more on Manny Machado

Tonight's game and more on Manny Machado
With last night's walk-off win, the Orioles can do no worse than .500 entering the All-Star break. Two games above with two more to play. Miguel Gonzalez is responsible for the only Orioles' win on their last road trip, holding the White Sox to one run over six innings in a 9-1 victory at U.S. Cellular Field. He's 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA in six career interleague starts, but he's never faced the Nationals. Only two Nationals have faced Gonzalez. Yunel Escobar is 4-for-19 and Jose Lobaton is...

Nats starter vs. Orioles, All-Star note, updates on Wright and Garcia (updated)

Nats starter vs. Orioles, All-Star note, updates on Wright and Garcia (updated)
The rotations for the Orioles-Nationals series that begins Friday night at Camden Yards are mostly a blur. Only one pitcher has come into focus. The Nationals announced today that left-hander Gio Gonzalez will start the opener. Max Scherzer also figures to pitch against the Orioles before the All-Star break, though the club is keeping the rest of the rotation a secret. At least the Nats have passed along one name. The Orioles haven't even gone that far. Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez and...

Orioles shut out in final All-Star balloting

Orioles shut out in final All-Star balloting
The Orioles won't have anyone starting in the 2015 All-Star Game. They couldn't rally late in the final voting. Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson received the most votes in the American League with 14,090,188. Manny Machado finished third among third basemen with 2,609,499 after being fourth last week. The Angels' Mike Trout (14,013,021) and the Royals' Lorenzo Cain (12,399,127) and Alex Gordon (10,609,006) are the starting outfielders. Adam Jones was seventh with 6,334,939...

O's offense breaks out, Schoop returns with a homer in win at Chicago

O's offense breaks out, Schoop returns with a homer in win at Chicago
The Orioles got another solid starting pitching outing - and this time, they backed it with some runs. Caleb Joseph drove in three and Jonathan Schoop returned from the disabled list with a homer as the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 9-1. The Orioles had been held to just six runs over the previous four games. The White Sox were trying for their first home three-game sweep of the Orioles since May 2003. But the Orioles got the win to improve to 43-39 and move within a game of the...