Six-run first inning puts Orioles in inescapable hole (updated)
Six-run first inning puts Orioles in inescapable hole (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Aaron Brooks got called third strikes on Delino DeShields and Ronald Guzman tonight in the top of the first inning and the crowd erupted. Jeff Mathis went down swinging for the final out, but the reaction was a bit more subdued. The fans must have been running low on sarcasm. Brooks wasn't fooled, of course. He understood the reasoning behind the enthusiastic response. Six runs already had scored and 31 pitches were thrown before the first out. Forty-one were needed for Brooks to make it back...
Martinez on Eaton's return; Elías has Grade 1 strain (Nats lose 5-4)
Martinez on Eaton's return; Elías has Grade 1 strain (Nats lose 5-4)
Byron Kerr
Nationals
ATLANTA - Nationals manager Davey Martinez elected to get Adam Eaton back in the lineup tonight for the third game of four at SunTrust Park against the Braves. This will be Eaton's first start since Sept. 2. Eaton is batting second and in right field. "It'll be nice to get him up there, get him at the top of the order," Martinez said. "Between him and Trea (Turner), get on base, get something going." Martinez said getting feedback from Eaton last night on how he felt running during the...
More on Hays and other roster decisions (O's down 9-4)
More on Hays and other roster decisions (O's down 9-4)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Austin Hays almost took a detour through Arizona to make it back to the majors. Hays was preparing to board a flight Wednesday and join the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League until he got a call yesterday, as unexpected as they come, with news that the Orioles wanted him in Baltimore. Major League Baseball is allowing players on the 40-man roster to report late to the AFL, giving Hays until the beginning of October to impress the Orioles. The club felt that he needed more plate...
Orioles recall Austin Hays
Orioles recall Austin Hays
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles have shifted gears based on an unexpected rule change regarding the Arizona Fall League and recalled outfielder Austin Hays from Triple-A Norfolk. Hays has arrived at Camden Yards and is part of the expanded roster. Major League Baseball notified teams that players on the 40-man roster can report to the AFL in October instead of Sept. 11, with games starting a week later. The Orioles are allowed to bring up Hays for a few weeks. "On Thursday we got a memo from the league and they...
Orioles lineup vs. Rangers
Orioles lineup vs. Rangers
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Chris Davis returns to the Orioles lineup tonight with the Rangers starting a right-hander. Trey Mancini is the designated hitter. Mason Williams is in center field and Dwight Smith Jr. is in left. Hanser Alberto ranks fourth in the American League with a .321 average. The White Sox's Tim Anderson is first at .333, followed by the Yankees' D.J. LeMahieu at .329 and the Astros' Michael Brantley at .324. Rule 5 pick Richie Martin hit a three-run homer last night and has posted a .274...
Game 141 lineups: Nats at Braves
Game 141 lineups: Nats at Braves
Byron Kerr
Nationals
ATLANTA - The Nationals turn to Austin Voth to help get them on the board in their crucial four-game series against the Braves. The right-hander will be making his fifth start of the season tonight at SunTrust Park, and first since July 16. In that win over the Orioles, Voth allowed one run on four hits over six innings. Voth had looked at video prior to that start in attempt to get better command and velocity on his fastball glove side. It worked. "I (couldn't) throw away to righties and in...
O's game blog: Looking for a win against Texas
O's game blog: Looking for a win against Texas
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles have lost by scores of 3-1 and 7-6 the last two nights against Texas. Tonight they host the Rangers in the third of the four-game series and seven-game homestand. The Orioles have lost three in a row and six of their last seven games. All seven games were decided by two runs or one. The Orioles offense, which had produced one run in the last two games, broke out last night for six runs, 10 hits and three home runs. Trey Mancini hit No. 30, a solo shot. Richie Martin hit a three-run...
Zimmerman's feet feel good, in nice groove at plate
Zimmerman's feet feel good, in nice groove at plate
Byron Kerr
Nationals
ATLANTA - Ryan Zimmerman continues to crush baseballs since his return from a second bout of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The 34-year-old drilled a three-run homer off of Luke Jackson in the eighth inning Friday night in the Braves' 4-3 win over the Nationals. It was Zimmerman's fifth homer of the season and second in the past five days. "I feel great," he said. "I think the body feels really good, I feel like I'm moving around pretty well. My first few at-bats, like I said,...
Dillon Tate pitching well out of O's 'pen (plus Bowie and Delmarva updates)
Dillon Tate pitching well out of O's 'pen (plus Bowie and Delmarva updates)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
When Orioles right-handed reliever Dillon Tate took the ball in the ninth last night, he pitched for the first time in the majors against the team that drafted him. He faced the Texas Rangers, who selected him No. 4 overall in the 2015 draft out of California-Santa Barbara. Tate showed them some good stuff. He kept the Orioles down 7-6 with a scoreless 15-pitch inning with two strikeouts. He topped at 95 mph and got three swings and misses on three changeups. Acquired by the Orioles last July...
Zimmerman's three-run homer not quite enough in 4-3 loss
Zimmerman's three-run homer not quite enough in 4-3 loss
Byron Kerr
Nationals
ATLANTA - For the second game in a row, the Nationals had trouble scoring runs against a Braves left-handed starter. On Thursday night, Max Fried tossed seven shutout innings and struck out nine in a 4-2 Atlanta win. Friday night, Dallas Keuchel (7-5) kept the Nats off the board for six innings, guiding the Braves to an early 2-0 advantage. Josh Donaldson added a two-run shot off of Wander Suero in the seventh. The veteran third baseman connected on a curveball. Ryan Zimmerman unleashed a...