Orioles' late rally can't prevent 7-4 loss (updated)

Orioles' late rally can't prevent 7-4 loss (updated)
Anthony Santander provided the first hit for the Orioles today with a game-tying, two-run homer in the fourth inning. It wasn't supposed to take that long or stand alone until the seventh. John Means was extended to 108 pitches. They weren't supposed to be crammed into five innings. An offense that scored three runs or fewer in five of the last six games remained sluggish most of the day and the Orioles settled for a split of the series after a 7-4 loss to the Rangers before 13,495 at Camden...

Offense showed up, Gutiérrez with big homer in win (updated)

Offense showed up, Gutiérrez with big homer in win (updated)
The zeros on the night finally ended in the Baltimore seventh. But up until then, Texas right-hander Jordan Lyles was keeping the Orioles off the board. And to that point, four O's pitchers were doing the same. Then the O's struck with the bottom of their order doing the damage as they beat Texas 3-2, and they've taken two of the first three in this four-game series. The Orioles improved to 4-2 versus Texas, 9-15 in September and 50-105 on the year. Lyles, who entered at 9-12 with a 5.36...

Top half of Orioles lineup looks set

Top half of Orioles lineup looks set
The final season countdown for the Orioles has brought them down to seven games before they tackle the various items on their winter and spring agenda. The arbitration and non-tender decisions, the trade talks at the annual meetings, the latest dive into free agency - and the risks that come from doing it in the shallow end. In this instance, there are no signs posted that forbid it. The construction of the 2022 team is only partially done. Like the frame of a house. The upper level is the...

Orioles and Rangers lineups

Orioles and Rangers lineups
The Orioles get a four-game break from contending opponents, facing the Rangers tonight with rookie Zac Lowther on the mound and a designated hitter back in their lineup. Trey Mancini is the cleanup hitter and DH. Anthony Santander remains out of the lineup with a sore left hamstring. Santander ran sprints earlier today and hit in the cage. Austin Hays is in left field and Ryan McKenna is in right. Jahmai Jones is the second baseman. Austin Wynns is catching. Lowther is making his ninth...

Akin and Hays impress again, but O's lose 4-3 (updated)

Akin and Hays impress again, but O's lose 4-3 (updated)
As the Orioles keep piling more players on their injured lists and going day-to-day with others who are ailing, they cherish every individual who stays in the lineup or rotation and seems determined to finish strong. Keegan Akin, a couple starts removed from his six no-hit innings, shut out the Phillies over 5 1/3 and struck out six batters before Eric Hanhold replaced him. Austin Hays retained ownership of the month of September, his scorching bat producing a run-scoring double in the sixth...

Stewart's placement on injured list latest change to outfield

Stewart's placement on injured list latest change to outfield
With so much turbulence striking the Orioles roster this summer, there was no reason to believe that the outfield would be unaffected. And that the depth so fiercely advertised throughout the winter and spring would protect it. DJ Stewart is done for the last two weeks of the season and primed to undergo surgery on his right knee. A procedure to correct an "osteochondral defect," which also is known as "osteochondritis dissecans," which brings no clarity. Basically, it's damage to the...

Orioles bullpen brings its best until 10th in 3-2 loss (updated)

Orioles bullpen brings its best until 10th in 3-2 loss (updated)
The bullpen game plotted tonight by Orioles manager Brandon Hyde began to live up to its definition perhaps a bit sooner than anticipated. Conner Greene couldn't give the Orioles a second inning as the opener, his 24 pitches in a scoreless first against the Phillies beginning the parade of relievers. Marcos Diplán tossed two scoreless innings. Thomas Eshelman stranded a runner in the fourth, retired the side in order in the fifth and struck out two batters in the sixth around J.T....

Stewart goes on injured list (plus lineups, Urías scratched)

Stewart goes on injured list (plus lineups, Urías scratched)
The Orioles have placed outfielder DJ Stewart on the 60-day injured list with a right knee osteochondral defect and selected the contract of reliever César Valdez from Triple-A Norfolk. Putting Stewart on the 60-day IL created a spot for Valdez on the 40-man roster. Stewart wasn't going to return before the season ended on Oct. 3. An osteochondral defect, according to a quick Internet search, refers to a focal area of damage that involves both the cartilage and a piece of underlying bone....

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The 2021 season is down to a dozen games, and egging on the Orioles to keep playing won't do you any good. They'll be scrambling to make their flights home or to get back to Baltimore. Perhaps they'll also get some satisfaction from influencing a couple of pennant races. The schedule has set them up for it. They left Boston on Sunday afternoon and flew into Philadelphia, facing another team desperate for wins that can get it into the playoffs. A four-game series against the Rangers won't...

Orioles lineup vs. Phillies

Orioles lineup vs. Phillies
The Orioles lineup for tonight's series opener in Philadelphia excludes Cedric Mullins, Trey Mancini and Ramón Urías. Mancini had his first multi-RBI game yesterday since July 11 against the White Sox, but he's dealing with a sore oblique. Urías has been in and out of the lineup with to a sore right leg. National League rules prevent Mancini from serving as the designated hitter. Austin Hays, with seven RBIs in his last five games and 18 in his last 15, is leading off and playing...

Wells retires 11 of 12, but O's lose 8-6 to complete sweep (updated)

Wells retires 11 of 12, but O's lose 8-6 to complete sweep (updated)
BOSTON - The last of the three young starters for the Orioles took his lumps today just like everyone else. With the Red Sox showing no mercy early in their quest to earn a wild card spot in the playoffs. Go easy and you might be going home, and not to host a game in the postseason. Alexander Wells stepped into traffic this afternoon, knowing the risks and hoping to come out fine on the other side. Whether he did is open to interpretation, but it sure felt that way. He loaded the bases with no...

Urías scratched from lineup, Mancini and Severino return

Urías scratched from lineup, Mancini and Severino return
BOSTON - Ramón Urías worked out at third base this morning and has been scratched from the original lineup. Kelvin Gutiérrez is starting at third base. Urías has been bothered by soreness in his right leg, which takes him in and out of the lineup. "He went and tried to run this morning and it didn't feel great," said manager Brandon Hyde. Anthony Santander is in left field again, a Fenway Park maneuver, with Austin Hays in right. Trey Mancini returns to the lineup as the...

Orioles add relievers Eshelman and Kriske to active roster

Orioles add relievers Eshelman and Kriske to active roster
BOSTON - The Orioles shook up their bullpen again this morning by selecting the contract of Thomas Eshelman from Triple-A Norfolk and recalling Brooks Kriske from the Tides. In corresponding moves, the club has optioned Spenser Watkins to Norfolk and designated Dusten Knight for assignment. Knight had to be moved in order to create space for Eshelman on the 40-man roster. Kriske, claimed off waivers from the Yankees, joined the Orioles over the weekend and went through the intake process after...

O's game blog: Zac Lowther faces Red Sox

O's game blog: Zac Lowther faces Red Sox
After losing 7-1 last night to start a three-game series, the Orioles are back at Fenway Park this afternoon. They play the Boston Red Sox in the second game of a three-game series and six-game road trip. In the last four games, the Orioles have scored just two, three, three and one run. That is nine runs on 26 hits in that span. Austin Hays' solo homer in the second inning was the only O's run last night as they were held to four hits - the Hays homer and three other singles. The Orioles...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Trey Mancini, Pedro Severino and Ramón Urías are out of the Orioles lineup for today's game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. DJ Stewart is the designated hitter and he's batting fifth. Pat Valaika is the second baseman, with Richie Martin at shortstop. Urías has a 12-game on-base streak. He also has a sore right upper leg. Austin Hays, today's cleanup hitter and right fielder, leads the Orioles with 34 RBIs since the All-Star break and has hit seven homers with 16 RBIs...

Orioles recall Knight, and other notes (and O's lineup)

Orioles recall Knight, and other notes (and O's lineup)
BOSTON - The Orioles have subtracted an infielder and added a reliever as they begin a three-game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. A day after optioning Jahmai Jones, the club has recalled pitcher Dusten Knight from Triple-A Norfolk to provide another arm in their bullpen. Knight has made five appearances with the Orioles and allowed six earned runs (seven total) and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings. He's walked four batters and struck out nine. Knight's most recent appearance with...

Orioles and Yankees lineups (and notes)

Orioles and Yankees lineups (and notes)
Trey Mancini and Pedro Severino remain out of the Orioles lineup this afternoon for the series finale against the Yankees that also closes out the homestand. "Both of those guys a little bit better today," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Trey's testing it right now in the batting cage and obviously not starting, but hopefully in the lineup in the next couple days." Infielder Jahmai Jones remains on the bench, but he isn't hurt. "Just playing Richie (Martin) at short tonight, keeping...

Orioles claim Kriske off waivers

Orioles claim Kriske off waivers
The Orioles claimed right-hander Brooks Kriske off waivers from the Yankees this afternoon and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Pitcher Jorge López was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. López is done for the season after spraining his right ankle. Kriske, 27, was a sixth-round pick in 2016 out of USC who made eight relief appearances this summer and allowed 13 earned runs (14 total) and 12 hits in 7 2/3 innings. He walked six batters and struck...

Notes on Mancini, Severino, Means, Mullins, Mountcastle and more

Notes on Mancini, Severino, Means, Mullins, Mountcastle and more
Trey Mancini was written into today's lineup as the designated hitter, but he swung in the cage, felt more discomfort in his right oblique/abdomen and moved to the bench for the game. "Just still feels it a little bit," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We're not going to push him on this and the right thing to do is to give it another day or two and just kind of evaluate it every single day. I'm not going to throw him out there if he still feels it a little bit in kind of a sensitive area...

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees (updated)

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees (updated)
The Orioles will try to end a four-game losing streak with Trey Mancini staying in the lineup and Pedro Severino removed from it. Mancini came out of last night's game after one plate appearance with right abdominal soreness. Severino struggled to get up the first base line on a double play grounder in the sixth inning due to soreness in his leg/groin area, and Austin Wynns replaced him. Mancini is the first Oriole to walk in eight consecutive games since Brian Roberts in 2009. Ryan...