Updating Harvey, Wojciechowski, Lowther and more
Updating Harvey, Wojciechowski, Lowther and more
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles reliever Hunter Harvey said he's been experiencing some biceps soreness and will be given a few extra days of rest before he's available to pitch over the weekend in Detroit. Manager Brandon Hyde hasn't used Harvey since Sept. 2 at Tropicana Field. Harvey faced one batter. "We talked about things just from finally pitching a full season, so it's just normal stuff, nothing bad," Harvey said. "I think I'll be back in there this weekend." Harvey has appeared in six games with the...
For Hanser Alberto, low strikeouts led to high batting average
For Hanser Alberto, low strikeouts led to high batting average
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As play begins in Major League Baseball tonight, the Orioles' Hanser Alberto ranks fourth in the American League and ninth in the major leagues with a batting average of .320. Not bad for a hitter that before this year had a total of 192 plate appearances spread over parts of three seasons with Texas and hit just .192. One reason that Alberto has hit for a high average is a low number of strikeouts. He never struck out more than 49 times in a year in the minors and this year has fanned just 43...
Game 144 lineups: Nats at Twins
Game 144 lineups: Nats at Twins
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
MINNEAPOLIS - The Nationals really need a win tonight. Which means they need to score runs. Preferably early in the game. For what it's worth, this appears to be a favorable matchup against Twins left-hander Martín Pérez. The Nats tend to hit lefties well (aside from last weekend's struggles against Max Fried and Dallas Keuchel). Pérez has a 4.75 ERA and 1.463 WHIP. And a few Nats who have faced him before have good numbers, including Brian Dozier (5-for-12, two homers) and Adam...
Orioles lineup vs. Dodgers
Orioles lineup vs. Dodgers
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Stevie Wilkerson gets this third start tonight at second base as the Orioles try again to pick up their 47th win and match last year's total. Jonathan Villar is leading off and Hanser Alberto is batting second. Trey Mancini is in right field and the cleanup spot. Dwight Smith Jr. is the designated hitter tonight. Chris Davis is at first base and Austin Hays is in center field. Left-hander John Means has allowed two earned runs or fewer in his last four starts over 25 2/3 innings. None of the...
Bowie loses Game 1, O's loss streak reaches six
Bowie loses Game 1, O's loss streak reaches six
Steve Melewski
Orioles
On the first night of the Eastern League Championship Series, the Double-A Bowie Baysox took a 2-0 lead three batters into the game. The Baysox had some early momentum. But then they failed to score the rest of the night and lost the series opener 6-2 at Trenton. The Thunder scored two in the third to tie it and one in the fifth to get the lead. A three-run Trenton sixth put the game away as Trenton took the lead in the best-of-five finals. In that inning, Kellin Deglan hit a two-run triple for...
Is it time to use top relievers even when trailing late?
Is it time to use top relievers even when trailing late?
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
MINNEAPOLIS - It may not have mattered in the end, because the Nationals still needed to score if they were going to win Tuesday night's game, and they never did. Nonetheless, Davey Martinez's bullpen usage in the bottom of the eighth of what wound up a 5-0 loss to the Twins merits a closer look, and a thorough explanation from the manager, because it left more than a few people asking questions. The situation: The Nationals trailed the Twins 2-0, with both runs having scored on Mitch...
More on retirements and Elias' latest media session
More on retirements and Elias' latest media session
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Members of the Orioles organization who have been fired or won't have their contracts renewed beyond Oct. 31 bring the highly publicized total to 25 in fewer than three weeks. However, it's important to give a nod to Len Johnston, who's retiring after 43 years with the club. His departure at age 90 shouldn't go ignored. Johnston served as administrator of Sarasota operations, making the move from Fort Lauderdale. He's been sort of a behind-the-scenes guy unless you hang around the spring...
Sánchez loses pitchers' duel, Nats lose again on road (updated)
Sánchez loses pitchers' duel, Nats lose again on road (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
MINNEAPOLIS - It doesn't matter how well the Nationals' starters pitch right now. If their teammates can't score any runs off opposing starters, it'll all be wasted. Which, alas, is exactly what's happening these days. The Nationals got another gem from Aníbal Sánchez tonight. The veteran right-hander had the Twins' potent lineup eating out of the palm of his hand. But with his teammates unable to touch José Berríos, Sánchez had zero margin for error. And so the one big...
O's fall behind big early as Dodgers win to clinch NL West (updated)
O's fall behind big early as Dodgers win to clinch NL West (updated)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles fell behind right-hander Walker Buehler and the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 tonight in the first inning. That was not going to be a formula to knock off the National League's winningest team and one of the league's best pitchers. Buehler allowed just four singles in seven scoreless innings as Los Angeles beat the Orioles 7-3 to open a three-game series at Oriole Park. The win also is the one that clinched a seventh straight NL West championship for the Dodgers (94-52). Los Angeles has...
Another early exit from Orioles starter leads to 7-3 loss (updated)
Another early exit from Orioles starter leads to 7-3 loss (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Ty Blach's career numbers against the Dodgers didn't matter tonight. The Orioles' preference for not having a team spray champagne in the visiting clubhouse didn't matter. The contrast in the level of talent on the two teams was significant. The Dodgers sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the first inning while working Blach for 44 pitches. They scored four runs. They continued the recent trend, or renewed it, of Orioles starters stumbling out of the gate. Some take a harder fall...