Britton Brilliant As O's Topple Chi-Sox

The Orioles took the series from the Chicago White Sox with a 5-3 victory on Thursday afternoon at Camden Yards.

Zach Britton turned in one of his best performances...ever. He went eight solid innings, allowing just a run on seven hits, walking none while striking out a career-high ten. Britton (4-1) was in control the entire game...he never went to ball three against a single batter.

The O's were retired in order through the first eight batters before Taylor Teagarden went deep to tie the game in the third. It was the first of five straight extra-base hits...the four-run inning was capped-off with Adam Jones' 26th homer of the season and second in as many games.

The Birds (72-58) are now three games behind the first-place Yankees...and head to New York to start a three-game set on Friday night. Wow. Big series? That's an understatement. Miguel Gonzalez is slated to take the mound...stay tuned!

Saunders Rocked in O's Debut

The O's win streak was snapped at four as the Birds fell to Chicago 8-1 on Wednesday night at Camden Yards.

Joe Saunders, making his Orioles' debut, gave up four runs in the first and was charged with seven runs (six earned) on ten hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings, fanning four.

The O's managed just three hits in the game (two went for doubles) but scored only once on a sacrifice fly.

On the bright side, the Yankees had lost earlier so the Birds didn't lose any ground in the chase for first in the East. The Birds wrap-up the four game set on Thursday afternoon...Zach Britton is slated to take the mound.

Tillman Stifles Sox

The Orioles held the Chicago White Sox to just two hits in a 6-0 victory on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Chris Tillman (7-2) went seven solid innings, allowing just an infield single while walking four and fanning five. Brian Matusz pitched the final two frames, allowing just an infield hit as well while striking out two.

The Birds put three runs on the board in the second inning with Nick Markakis' bases-clearing double. Lew Ford homered for the second straight game, a solo shot in the third. Adam Jones ended his drought with a solo homer in the seventh, his 25th of the season and 100th of his young career.

The O's have now won four straight and send newly acquired lefty Joe Saunders to the mound on Wednesday night.

McClouth Lifts O's Over White Sox

The Orioles won yet another one-run ballgame with a 4-3 victory over Chicago on Monday night at Camden Yards.

The O's took an early 1-0 lead on Lew Ford's first homer of the season. Chicago took the lead in the sixth and again in the eighth before Nate McClouth stepped to the plate in the bottom of the frame. Mark Reynolds had just worked his third walk of the game before McClouth crushed his second homer of the year.

The Birds set a new franchise record as they have now won 13 straight one-run games, and tied a season high as the went 13 games over .500. The O's (70-57) are now just 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the East and are tied with Oakland for the Wild Card lead. Chris Tillman takes the mound Tuesday night.

Rain Washes Chance At Sweep Away

Rain postponed Sunday afternoon's game between the O's and Jays. The game will be made-up as part of a doubleheader on Monday, September 24th at Camden Yards.

Johnson Solid As O's Spank Jays

Steve Johnson went six strong innings and the O's offense backed him up in an 8-2 win over Toronto on Saturday night at Camden Yards.

Johnson (2-0) allowed two runs in the first before settling down to pitch five scoreless frames. He allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out seven.

J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones and Matt Wieters had two RBIs each...Hardy doubled and homered in the game.

The O's go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon...Chris Tillman is slated to take the mound.

Chris Davis Powers O's Over Jays

It was fireworks night at Camden Yards on Friday night, and it was Chris Davis who provided the in-game show, launching three home runs in a 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Davis knocked solo shots in the second and fourth and then a two-run bomb in the sixth. The crowd came to its' feet in the eighth, but Davis went down swinging. No Oriole has ever hit four homers in a single game...

Davis now has 23 long-balls on the year, second only to Adam Jones (24) and now leads the team with 64 RBIs (Jones has 63).

Zach Britton turned in his second straight quality start, lasting 6 2/3 innings and giving up two runs on four hits and two walks, fanning six. Matt Lindstrom gave up a two-run shot in the ninth, but Jim Johnson retired the side to pick up his 39th save of the season, tied for best in the Majors.

The O's (68-57) are now tied with the A's for the second Wild Card spot...Steve Johnson takes the mound on Saturday night.

Hunter Rocked By Rangers

The O's were unable to take the series in Texas, as they were rocked 12-3 on Wednesday night.

Tommy Hunter allowed only a solo homer in the second inning before getting blasted in a nine-run fourth. Hunter (4-8) didn't record an out in that fateful frame, allowing seven runs on seven hits including a two-run shot and a grand slam. Kevin Gregg came on in relief and allowed another two-run blast, and suddenly a 1-1 tie ballgame was a 10-1 blowout...

Nick Markakis went 3-for-4 with a triple and drove in all three runs for the Birds.

Although they lost the series, the O's still went 3-3 on the road trip through Detroit and Texas, which was no small feat. The club rests on Thursday before hosting the Blue Jays for a three-game set starting Friday night. Zach Britton takes the mound for the O's.

Tillman Tops Texas

This playoff push is getting pretty exciting, and the O's continue to play great ball against great teams. Tuesday night was no exception, as the Orioles toppled the Texas rangers 5-3 in Arlington.

Chris Tillman was in command, allowing just a solo homer in the third before surrendering a two-run bomb in the seventh. Tillman (6-2) went 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out seven. Pedro Strop possibly saved the game with a full-count strikeout of Josh Hamilton with two on and two outs in the seventh. Jim Johnson was credited with the save after a 1-2-3 ninth.

The O's took a 1-0 lead in the first before breaking through with a four-run fifth. Nate McLouth launched his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, to cap-off the scoring.

The Yankees and Rays both lost, so the Orioles now trail them in the East by five and one game, respectively. The O's still hold sole possession of the second Wild Card spot. Tommy Hunter takes the mound tonight against his former team.

Gonzalez, O's Fall To Texas

It started out promising...the O's scored in the first inning but then were shut down in a 5-1 loss to the Rangers on Monday night.

Adam Jones' RBI single was all the Birds could muster as they were held to just four hits all night, all singles except for a Nate McLouth double in the first (he scored on Jones' single).

Miguel Gonzalez (5-3) lasted just five innings, surrendering four runs on eight hits and three walks, fanning two in the loss. J.C. Romero doesn't seem to be the left-handed solution out of the 'pen, as he surrendered another run in the ninth.

With the loss, the O's (66-56) fell six games behind the Yankees in the East, and two games behind the Rays in the Wild Card race, though they still hold the second spot. Chris Tillman looks to bounce back tonight and put the Birds back into the win column.

Birds Battle Back To Tame Tigers

It's almost become normal this season...these O's never say die. Down 5-0 in the first inning, the Orioles battled back to beat the Tigers 7-5 in Detroit on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers hadn't lost a home series since early June, winning 18 of their past 20 at Comerica Park, but the Birds took 2-of-3 from them over the weekend. It was the third time in the past 18 games that the O's have been down by five runs and came back to win.

Wie-Yin Chen (12-7) looked lost early, giving up five runs in the first inning. He settled down and dominated Detroit's potent lineup, lasting five innings and picking up an improbable win. The bullpen held the Tigers to just two hits over the final four frames...amazing. Jim Johnson retired the side in order in the ninth, recording his 37th save in 40 attempts this season.

The top of the order came through, with the first five batters in the lineup accounting for seven of the O's nine hits and all seven RBIs. Chris Davis homered for the second consecutive game, J.J. Hardy celebrated his 30th Birthday with a two-run double and Nate McLouth had a two-run triple.

The Orioles (66-55) are still in third in the East but now hold sole possession of the second Wild Card spot. The Birds send Miguel Gonzalez to the mound on Monday night as they take on the Rangers for a three-game set in Texas.

Britton Solid As O's Top Tigers

Zach Britton went seven scoreless innings and the O's toppled the Tigers 3-2 on Saturday night.

Britton (2-1) allowed just six hits and three walks, striking out five in his best outing of the season. Pedro Strop allowed two runs in the eighth but Jim Johnson shut the door and picked up his 36th save of the season. The O's improved to 50-0 when leading after seven innings...amazing.

Chris Davis provided all the offense with a three-run shot in the seventh inning, his 19th of the season.

With the win, the O's (65-55) took sole possession of the second Wild Card spot...Detroit is just one game behind them. The Birds look to take the series on Sunday afternoon; Wei-Yin Chen takes the mound.

Heartbreak In Detroit

A usually solid bullpen gave up two runs in the eighth and the Birds fell to the Tigers 5-3 on Friday night in Detroit.

Tommy Hunter matched Justin Verlander for six innings...Hunter left with the game knotted at three. Hunter allowed just four hits, but two of them were homers. J.C. Romero gave up a two-run bomb in the bottom of the eighth to break the tie and give the Tigers the lead.

It was a horrific game for the umpires...Nick Markakis was called out at the plate in the first inning, though multiple replays showed he was safe. Then in the fifth, the umps reversed a call at first base, initially calling Jhonny Peralta out then saying he was safe. Mark Reynolds was ejected after spiking his glove in frustration, and Buck Showalter was tossed after arguing about the call. Just another day in MLB, and yet another reason for instant replay in baseball.

Nick Markakis went 2-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI, and Matt Wieters launched a two-run bomb in the fifth, his 17th of the season.

The Birds (64-55) now share the second Wild Card spot with the Tigers (64-55). Zach Britton takes the mound on Saturday night.

Tillman, O's Can't Complete The Sweep

The Birds had a chance to sweep Boston, but fell 6-3 on Thursday night at Camden Yards, ending the 10-game homestand with an impressive 7-3 record.

Chris Tillman wasn't sharp, and allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in just 4 2/3 innings, striking out five. Luis Ayala (4-4) took the loss after allowing three runs to cross in the sixth inning.

Adam Jones put the Birds on the board early with a two-run double in the first, and Mark Reynolds went deep for the fourth time in three games in the second to put the O's up 3-1. But that was all the offense the Orioles could muster, and Tillman and the 'pen were unable to hold the Sox in check.

Still, the Birds put together a great series, sweeping Seattle, splitting against Kansas City and taking 2-of-3 against Boston. The O's (64-54) are still in contention, tied with Tampa Bay for the Wild Card lead. Tommy Hunter takes the mound Friday night as the O's face-off against the Tigers in Detroit.

No-Hit Through Five, O's Explode in Sixth

Through five innings, it looked like the Red Sox were going to dominate the Orioles in front of 22 thousand fans at Camden Yards. But, for the second time in two nights, the O's rallied and scored five times in the sixth inning, beating Boston 5-3 on Wednesday night.

J.J. Hardy's single in the sixth broke up the no-hitter, and the O's piled it on from there, scoring five runs on five hits, a walk and a throwing error. Matt Wieters ground-rule double put the Birds ahead for good, followed by a two-run double from Mark Reynolds. Reynolds now has six RBIs in the past two games...

Miguel Gonzalez continued to impress, allowing just two runs on six hits and a walk over six solid innings, striking out two. Gonzalez (5-2) mentioned after the game that he brought a little extra motivation facing his former team...the Sox released him before the season started.

The 'pen was lights out yet again, with Jim Johnson collecting his 35th save of the year after a 1-2-3 ninth. The Orioles (64-53) have a chance to sweep the Sox and go 8-2 on the homestand with a win tonight. The Birds are now in sole possession of the first Wild Card spot in the AL. Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight...Let's Go O's!

O's Roll Over Boston

It was a tight game before the O's blew it open with a five-run sixth, spanking the Boston Red Sox 7-1 on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Mark Reynolds finally showed signs of life, homering twice and driving in four runs. Omar Quintanilla put the Birds on the board with a solo homer in the third before Reynolds went nuts, bashing a solo shot in the fifth and drilling a three-run bomb in the sixth to cap-off the scoring. Quintanilla now has three long balls since joining the O's, equaling his career total...

Wei-Yin Chen (11-7) was impressive, allowing just one run on nine hits and a walk over six solid innings, fanning four. The bullpen came on and was lights-out, as we've all come to expect at this point of the season...

The O's have now won two straight and have gone 6-2 on the homestand. Miguel Gonzalez takes the mound on Wednesday night.

O's Split Series With KC

Tommy Hunter lasted just five innings but the O's bullpen held the Royals hitless over the final four frames in a 5-3 win on Sunday afternoon.

Manny Machado put the Birds on the board with a two-run shot in the second inning...Machado has now gone deep three times in his first four games as an Oriole. Nick Markakis slapped a solo homer in the fifth to knot the game at three, and Mark Reynolds put the O's ahead to stay with an RBI single in the sixth. Former Oriole Bruce Chen (8-10) took the loss.

Hunter allowed just three runs on eight hits and two walks over his five frames, striking out two and allowing yet another solo home run. The bullpen was fantastic, allowing just one baserunner over the final four innings. Luis Ayala (4-3) took the win and Jim Johnson picked up his 34th save, second-best in the AL.

The Birds are in third in the East but have the second Wild Card spot as of this post. After Monday's off-day, the O's take on Boston for a three-game set. Wei-Yin Chen takes the mound on Tuesday...

After Long Delay, O's Fall To Royals

The O's endured a rain delay that lasted over three hours before falling to Kansas City 7-3 on Saturday night at Camden Yards.

Chris Tillman was tagged for six runs on six hits (three homers) and two walks, fanning five. Miguel Socolovich came on in relief and served up a solo homer to a suddenly power-hitting Royals club.

Down 7-0, the O's made it a game with a three-run seventh, but the rally was cut short after Adam Jones grounded out with runners on second and third.

The Birds have now dropped two of three to Kansas City, the worst team in the AL. They need to win on Sunday afternoon to split the series and stay in the running, as the loss dropped them to third in the East and into third in the Wild Card race. Tommy Hunter takes the mound and will face ex-Oriole Bruce Chen.

Machado Homers Twice As O's Roll Over Royals

The kid might be here to stay...Manny Machado homered twice and drove in four runs as the O's crushed Kansas City 7-1 on Friday night at Camden Yards.

In just his second Major League game, Machado connected for a solo shot in the fifth before launching a three-run bomb in the sixth. The same fan caught both balls, and traded them for some signed memorabilia after the game.

Equally impressive was starter Miguel Gonzalez, who pitched eight innings of one-run ball. Gonzalez (4-2) allowed just six hits (one a solo homer) and a walk while fanning five in the longest outing of his career.

The O's (61-52) are now tied with Detroit for the Wild Card lead and trail the Yankees by 5 1/2 games in the East. Chris Tillman takes the mound on Saturday night.

Chen Roughed Up As O's Fall To Royals

Wei-Yin Chen got hit hard early and the O's never recovered in an 8-2 loss to the visiting Royals on Thursday night.

Chen (10-7) gave up four runs on four hits in the first inning and never really found his groove. His night was finished after just 4 2/3 innings, and he was charged with seven runs on nine hits and a walk.

Manny Machado made his long-awaited debut as an Oriole and went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored.

The O's win streak was snapped at five games...they have yet to win six straight this season. The two clubs go at it again on Friday night, with Miguel Gonzalez slated to pitch for the Birds.

Johnson Shines As O's Sweep M's

The Birds swept Seattle out of town after a decisive 9-2 victory on Wednesday night at Camden Yards.

Steve Johnson received plenty of run support in his starting debut, as the Birds went ahead 7-0 after four innings. Johnson (1-0) went six innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks, striking out nine.

Matt Wieters went 2-for-5 and tied his career-best with five RBIs. Nick Markakis tripled and homered, and Adam Jones went 3-for-4 with two doubles.

The Birds have now won five straight for the fifth time this season...they have yet to reach six straight. Wei-Yin Chen looks to give the O's a new season-best mark on Thursday night.

Birds Walk Off With Win In 14th

The O's won their 12th straight extra-inning affair after Adam Jones' bases-loaded single in the 14th inning gave the Birds an 8-7 walk-off win on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Zach Britton struggled early, allowing five runs in the first and another pair in the second. Britton lasted five innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks, fanning six. Britton was the main question mark of this current rotation, and was optioned to Norfolk following the game...

The Birds battled back from two separate five-run deficits, scoring four runs in the seventh to knot the game at 7-7. Matt Wieters launched two solo homers and J.J. Hardy's three-run blast in the seventh was the big blow of the game. Nick Markakis went 4-for-7 with an RBI.

The O's go for the sweep on Wednesday night...Steve Johnson was called up from Triple-A and will make his first Major League start for the O's.

Tillman Stifles Mariners Yet Again

Chris Tillman should pretend he's facing the Seattle Mariners every time he takes the mound. Tillman pitched into the eighth inning in the O's 3-1 win over the M's on Monday night at Camden Yards.

Tillman (5-1) has been pretty consistent since being called up right before the All-Star break, with a decision in each of his six starts. He went 7 1/3 innings Monday, allowing just a run on five hits and a walk, fanning five. He pitched into the 9th his first outing against Seattle in early July...he seems to bring a little extra in his starts against his former club. In three career starts against Seattle he is now 3-0 with a 0.83 ERA.

The Birds scored all three of their runs in the second inning...Mark Reynolds slapped an RBI double and Nick Markakis drove him home with his 11th long ball of the season.

The Birds have now won three straight and have given up just three runs over the last four games. Zach Britton, the question mark in this current rotation, looks to continue that trend on Tuesday night.

O's Topple Tampa In Ten

As soon as the game went into extras, I had a good feeling the O's would pull it off...and they didn't disappoint. The Birds scored in the top of the 10th and went on to beat the Rays 1-0 on Sunday afternoon.

The Orioles have now won 11 straight extra-inning games, a franchise record. The club is 11-2 in extras after dropping the first two against the Yankees in early April.

Taylor Teagarden was the hero on Sunday, driving home Mark Reynolds with a two-out, full-count double in the tenth. It was just the third hit of the season for Teagarden, but two of those hits have been game-winners in extra innings...

Miguel Gonzalez matched Rays' ace David Price efforts, as both pitchers took shutouts into the later innings. Gonzalez went seven strong, allowing just two hits and four walks while fanning four. The 'pen limited Tampa to just two baserunners over the final three frames...Luis Ayala (3-3) picked up the win and Jim Johnson earned his 32nd save after a 1-2-3 tenth.

The O's certainly impressed over this six-game road trip, taking 2-of-3 in New York and then again against Tampa. The Birds are once again in sole possession of second place in the East and are just a game out of the Wild Card. They start a ten-game homestand tonight, with three games against Seattle up first. Chris Tillman looks to pick up his fifth win of the season.

Chen Does It Again

Wei-Yin Chen blanked the Rays en route to his tenth win of the season, and the Birds evened-up the series with a 4-0 win over Tampa on Saturday night.

Chen (10-6) allowed just five hits and a walk while fanning four over seven shut-out innings. He's the first Oriole to hit double digits in W's this season, and only the second Taiwanese-born player to accomplish the feat.

The Birds finally broke out of their slump, going 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position. All four runs came with two outs.

The O's and Rays are both 56-51 and tied for second place in the East. The two clubs go at it again on Sunday afternoon, with Miguel Gonzalez taking the mound for the Birds.

O's Blanked In St. Pete

Tommy Hunter pitched a pretty good game, but the O's offensive woes continued in a 2-0 loss to the Rays on Friday night.

Hunter went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while fanning three. Unfortunately, two of those hits went over the fence, as Hunter now leads the Majors with 26 dingers allowed this season.

The O's had men on base throughout the game but never got that one clutch hit when it mattered...the Birds loaded the bases in the very first inning but Mark Reynolds struck out to end the early threat. Overall, Baltimore outhit Tampa Bay 8-6, but the O's went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

With the loss, the Birds fell to third place in the East, as the Rays picked up a full game on the O's and moved into sole possession of second. Wei-Yin Chen looks to put the Orioles back into the win column on Saturday night.

Birds Blown Away In Series Finale

It just wasn't meant to be, I guess. The O's had a chance to sweep a three-game series in New York for the first time since 1986, but were pummeled by the Yankees 12-3 on Wednesday afternoon.

Zach Britton looked awful early, and was tagged for seven runs on seven hits and four walks in just 2 2/3 innings. Kevin Gregg came on in relief and gave up a grand slam. Things got a little crazy, to say the least.

The Birds actually managed to churn out 13 hits, but just four went for extra bases. The stat that hurts the most: the O's went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 men on base. J.J. Hardy went deep in the seventh inning, but it was way too little, too late.

The O's win streak was snapped at three and the club now has Thursday off before starting a three-game set  against the Rays over the weekend.  The Birds (55-50) are now 6 1/2 games behind the Yankees but as of this post are 1/2 a game in front of Tampa Bay.

Seven-Run Second Inning Sinks Yankees

After the Yankees scored five runs in the first inning, things looked bleak for the Birds. But the O's answered with a seven-run second inning and went on to beat New York 11-5 on Tuesday night.

Chris Tillman settled down after a horrific start and lasted five innings, giving up the five runs (four earned) on  eight hits, walking none while fanning three. Tillman (4-1) has now won three straight games, and he almost didn't make it out of the first inning...

After falling behind, the Birds came out swinging in the second inning, and scored all seven runs with two outs. It was simply incredible to watch, and it took the wind right out of New York's sails. The stadium had erupted in the first inning, but the murmurs and boos were audible as the O's took control of the game one inning later. The Birds took the lead for good after Chris Davis launched his first career grand slam to cap-off the second inning. The O's continued to tack-on runs, with Nick Markakis' two-run blast in the eighth ending the scoring parade.

The Birds go for the three-game sweep on Wednesday afternoon...the club hasn't swept New York in the Bronx since 1986. It's long overdue...Zach Britton will take the mound.

O's Hang On To Take Down Yanks

In an intense game that came down to the wire, the O's prevailed, topping the Yankees 5-4 on Monday night in New York.

Miguel Gonzalez (3-2) continued to impress on the road, allowing four runs on six hits (three were solo homers) in 6 2/3 innings. Gonzalez set a new career-best with eight strikeouts, walking none in the 111-pitch effort. Gonzalez clearly ran out of gas in the sixth, and was pulled after allowing back-to-back solo homers after recording two outs.

Wilson Betemit put the Birds on the board with a solo homer in the third, and the O's added another two runs in the fifth and two more in the seventh...they would need all of them.

 Jim Johnson came on in the ninth to preserve the one-run lead, and promptly gave up a lead-off double...things looked bleak. But Johnson struck out Russell Martin for the final out, stranding runners on second and third and notching his AL-best 31st save in the process.

The O's (54-49) are now 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading Yankees and are two games out in the Wild Card race. Chris Tillman looks to win his third straight game when he takes the mound Tuesday night.

Chen Twirls A Gem

Wei-Yin Chen struck out 12 batters and Matt Wieters homered to give the Birds a 6-1 victory over the A's on Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

Chen (9-6) lasted just 5 2/3 innings but set a career-high in K's and set a new record for most strikeouts in a single game by a Taiwanese-born player. Chen gave up just three hits and an unearned run while walking four.

The O's gave him more than enough support in a four-run third inning, capped-off with a three-run bomb from Matt Wieters. Omar Quintanilla slapped his first homer as an Oriole, a solo shot, in the sixth inning. 


The O's finished the homestand with a dismal 2-4 record, but now head to New York with some momentum. Miguel Gonzalez is slated to take the mound at Yankee stadium on Monday night. 

Hunter, O's Drop Second Straight To A's

Tommy Hunter gave up two more homers and the Birds were held scoreless until the ninth inning in a 6-1 loss to the Athletics on Saturday night.

Hunter (4-6) lasted 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven. He surrendered two two-run homers and has now served-up 24 long-balls on the season, the second-most in the AL.

The O's bats fell quiet once again... Nick Markakis' solo homer in the ninth put the Birds on the board and kept the O's from being shut out. The Orioles actually had 10 hits compared to Oakland's 11, but they failed to get the timely hits, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 men on base.

The Birds send Wei-Yin Chen to the mound on Sunday afternoon as they look to avoid the sweep. The O's (52-49) are now tied with Tampa for second in the East and are three games behind Oakland and Anaheim for the Wild Card spot.

Johnson Rocked As O's Fall To A's

It had to happen eventually...the Orioles hadn't lost a game this season when leading after eight innings. On Friday night, the A's scored six times in the ninth inning off Jim Johnson and won the game 14-9.

It was Johnson's first loss of the season, but it couldn't have come at a worse time. The Birds had battled back all game, coming back from an early 5-0 deficit to take a 6-5 lead in the fifth after Adam Jones blasted a three-run bomb. The A's came right back, but the O's scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to go ahead 9-8. Three outs to go...bring in the All-Star closer and take Game 1. That was the plan, at least.

Johnson struggled and was charged with six runs on five hits and a walk in just 1/3 of an inning, and that was it for the Birds. There was no comeback left after that shocker.

The O's needed this one, considering they are fighting Oakland for the second wild card spot. They'll send Tommy Hunter to the mound on Saturday night.

Tillman, O's Avoid The Sweep

After dropping two straight to the visiting Rays, the Birds managed to salvage the series with a 6-2 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday afternoon. With the win, the O's reclaimed sole possession of second place in the East.

On Tuesday, the O's fell to the Rays 3-1. Wei-Yin Chen allowed all three runs on four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out five. But the bats were silent for a second straight game, with the O's only run coming in the fourth on Adam Jones' 23rd homer of the season.

Wednesday's game was just plain ugly. Miguel Gonzalez gave up five runs in the first inning and the O's went on to lose 10-1. The loss snapped six straight quality starts for the O's staff, and was the third straight game the offense managed just a single run. The O's and Rays fell into a tie for second in the division.

But on Thursday, Chris Tillman won consecutive starts for the first time in his Major League career as the O's bats came to life. Tillman (3-1) went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while fanning five. Chris Davis misplayed a ball in left field that contributed to at least one of those runs, but he more than made up for it at the plate. Davis had a three-run double in a five-run fifth inning before launching a solo homer in the seventh to finish with four ribbies.

The O's host the red-hot Athletics for three games starting Friday night. Zach Britton takes the mound for the Birds.

No Offense As O's Win Streak Snapped

The Birds just missed out on a four-game sweep, falling to Cleveland 3-1 on Monday night.

Tommy Hunter turned in another quality start, allowing just three runs on eight hits over seven innings, walking none while striking out four. But Hunter (4-5) was tagged with the loss, as the O's offense struggled to get anything going offensively.

The Birds grounded into three double plays and twice made base-running blunders. The Birds had a real chance to tie the game or even take the lead in the eighth, but Nick Markakis missed the stop sign and was caught up between third and home. Instead of two in scoring position and one out, the O's had a man on third with two outs and failed to score. The Indians tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the frame...

The Orioles wrapped-up the eight-game road trip with a 5-3 record and are still in sole possession of second place in the east. The Birds are back in Baltimore for six games and kick it off with three against the third-place Rays tonight...Wei-Yin Chen takes the mound.

O's Hold On To Win Fifth Straight

Zach Britton pitched six shutout innings and the bullpen held off a late Cleveland rally in a 4-3 Orioles win on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

J.J. Hardy homered in the first inning and singled in a run in the seventh to finish the day 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs. Wilson Betemit went deep in the eighth off former Oriole Jeremy Accardo to put the Birds up 4-0.

Britton (1-0) had much better command than he did in his debut last week, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out five, and ended his outing with a bases-loaded strikeout. Luis Ayala pitched two scoreless innings before serving up a two-run bomb in the bottom of the ninth. Jim Johnson allowed another run to cross before striking out Asdrubal Cabrera to end the threat and the game. Johnson leads the Majors with 30 saves, and the O's are a perfect 38-0 when leading after seven innings this season.


The Birds have now won five straight and are still in contention in the East, trailing the Yankees by six games.  Tommy Hunter takes the mound on Monday night as the O's go for the four-game sweep of the Tribe.

Late Homers Lift O's Over Tribe

It looked like it could be another long day for Chris Tillman after he served-up a homer to the first batter he faced on Saturday night, but it was the only run he allowed in a 3-1 victory over Cleveland.

Tillman (2-1) gave up just six hits in 6 2/3 innings, walking one while fanning four in a 116-pitch outing.

Jim Thome put the Birds on the board with a two-run shot in the seventh, and Ryan Flaherty padded the lead with a solo blast in the eighth. Both Thome and Flaherty have now homered in back-to-back games.

The O's have won four straight and sit alone in second place in the East. Zach Britton looks to bounce back from a four-inning effort his last time out and give the O's a series win on Sunday afternoon. The two clubs wrap-up the four-game set on Monday night.

O's Rock Cleveland

The O's bats came to life in a 10-2 drubbing of Cleveland on Friday night.

The two clubs were tied at one after an inning before the Birds exploded with a six-run third and two more in the fourth to take a commanding lead. Jim Thome connected for his first homer as an Oriole in the fourth inning, the 610th of his career.

Miguel Gonzalez picked up his second win after holding the Tribe to two solo home runs in 6 2/3 innings. Gonzalez (2-1) gave up seven hits, walked two and fanned five in a 114-pitch performance.

The Birds have now won three straight on the road after dropping the first two to Minnesota. Chris Tillman takes the mound and looks to bounce back from his shortest outing of the season.

Birds Exit Minnesota With A Series Split

The O's managed to escape Minnesota with a series split after a 4-3 victory on Thursday afternoon.

It was quite a turnaround considering how the first two games of the series played out...

On Monday, the Birds were absolutely humiliated in a 19-7 spanking to begin the four-game series. Chris Tillman allowed seven runs (just one earned thanks to yet another Mark Reynolds error) and lasted just 2/3 of an inning, throwing 49 pitches. Tillman (1-1) and six relievers combined to give up 20 hits and five walks while fanning just three.

Tuesday's game wasn't much better, as the O's let a 4-1 lead slip away moments after taking it. Zach Britton's season debut lasted just four innings, as he surrendered four runs on six hits and six walks and needed 100 pitches to get 12 outs. Adam Jones gave the Birds the lead with a three-run bomb in the fifth, but the Twins scored three times in the bottom of the frame and twice more in the seventh.

Tommy Hunter set things right on Wednesday with his longest outing of the season. Hunter went 7 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on six hits, fanning one. Adam Jones put the O's on the board with a two-run shot in the first, and that held up in a 2-1 victory.

Then on Thursday afternoon, it was Wei-Yin Chen's time to shine. Chen (8-5) lasted seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five. Chris Davis put the O's on the board with a mammoth solo shot in the second, and Mark Reynolds gave them the lead with a two-run bloop single in the eighth. Jim Johnson closed it out and picked up his 28th save of the season.

The Birds are now 48-44 and have reclaimed sole possession of 2nd place in the East, trailing the Yankees by nine games. The O's and Cleveland kick-off a four-game set later tonight, with Miguel Gonzalez taking the mound for the Birds.

Verlander Shuts Down Birds

I was hoping the O's had turned a corner after their thrilling 13-inning victory on Saturday night, but the Birds looked flat in a 4-0 defeat to Justin Verlander's Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

The Birds managed just four hits in the game, three coming from DH Jim Thome. Miguel Gonzalez pitched an OK game but he was nowhere near the dominant force he was in his previous start in Anaheim. Gonzalez (1-1) allowed three runs on six hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings, striking out three.

The Birds dropped the series to Detroit and now head to Minnesota to begin an eight-game road trip. Chris Tillman takes the mound on Monday night.

Teagarden Leads O's To Walk-Off Win In 13th

It could have gone either way...it would have been a devastating loss, possibly the worst of the season. Instead, the O's sent fans home happy with a dramatic 8-6 win in 13 innings on Saturday night at Camden Yards.

The Birds took a 4-1 lead into the ninth inning and closer Jim Johnson took the field, but things soon got ugly. An error by defensive replacement Ryan Flaherty led to two unearned runs and Johnson blew just his second save of the season after the Tigers tied it up.

Detroit took a one-run lead in the top of the 11th, but a two-out single from Adam Jones knotted the game at five. The Tigers scored again in the 13th, but once again, the Birds came through. J.J. Hardy broke an 0-for-28 slump with a solo shot to left before Taylor Teagarden stepped to the plate with one on and two outs. Teagarden, appearing in his first game of the season, launched a two-run bomb to right to give the O's a thrilling walk-off win. The Birds have now won 10 straight extra-inning contests after dropping the first two of the season to the Yankees.

The Birds turn to Miguel Gonzalez on Sunday afternoon; he'll go up against Tigers' ace Justin Verlander.

Hammel Injured As O's Fall To Tigers

This is not the way I envisioned the O's opening the second half- Jason Hammel exited the game in the fourth inning after injuring his knee and the O's were held to just six hits in a 7-2 loss to Detroit on Friday night at Camden Yards.

It was actually really tough to watch this game...I was extremely excited to see how this club would kick-off the second half. Hammel was on the mound, Nick Markakis was back in the lineup, the O's had just signed their top draft pick Kevin Gausman and the team, although struggling as of late, was well-rested and in sole possession of second place in the East.

Hammel (8-6) allowed two early runs on four singles in the first inning before settling down. Typically, Hammel is lights-out in the first inning...a graphic on MASN showed that he had only allowed two first-inning earned runs in his first 17 starts. But he equaled that total on Friday night, and left in the fourth inning after injuring his knee. Hammel has an MRI scheduled for Saturday afternoon...

Markakis, batting leadoff for the first time in his career, drove in the first run of the game with a ground-rule double in the third inning, but that was all the O's managed until Matt Wieters drove home Adam Jones with a double in the ninth.

With the loss, the Birds (45-41) maintained their hold on second in the division but now trail New York by eight games and lead Tampa Bay by just 1/2 game. Wei-Yin Chen takes the mound Saturday afternoon and looks to lead the O's back to the win column. I'll be there to cheer on the home team and pick up my Jim Palmer commemorative statue.

O's Head Into Break In Second Place

OK, so this post is a little late...after losing power for four days and heading to Ocean City for a week of vacation, I neglected my Orioles blog. I apologize. I'm back for the rest of the season, I promise.

I'll make this post short and sweet...the O's virtually limped into the All-Star Break but managed to hold on to second place in the ultra-competitive AL East. Every team in the division was at .500 or better at the break, something I don't believe I've ever seen before.

The Birds sent three players to the All-Star Game in Kansas City: Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Jim Johnson. Jason Hammel fell just short of joining the team with the final fan vote.

It's the first time since 2005 that the O's (45-40) hit mid-season with a winning record. There is certainly a lot to like about this club, but they have struggled recently and there is a lot to work on if they want to remain in contention through the rest of the season.

Stay tuned and Let's Go O's!

Tribe Spanks O's

The O's starting and relief pitching had no answers for the Indians offense, allowing 19 hits in a crushing 11-5 loss on Saturday afternoon.

Dana Eveland was roughed-up early, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 innings. Tommy Hunter followed and was even worse, surrendering another five runs on eight hits and a walk in only 1 2/3 innings. The 'pen allowed just a run in the final frames but the damage had been done. The 19 hits allowed tied a season-worst for the staff...

The closest the Orioles ever came was in the fourth, when Chris Davis launched a three-run bomb to trim the Indians lead to 5-4.

The O's have struggled recently in every facet of the game; they committed another two errors defensively. The starting pitching has been atrocious and the offense has been non-existent up until the past two games. Still, the Birds can split the series with Cleveland with a win on Sunday afternoon. Brian Matusz takes the mound for the Birds.

O's Outlast Indians

It wasn't pretty, but the O's snapped their three-game slide with a 9-8 win over the Indians on Friday night at Camden Yards.

The Birds hadn't scored more than three runs in a game in two weeks...they scored three times in the first inning. But it wasn't nearly enough, as Cleveland just refused to lay down. Every time the O's took a lead the Indians would come charging back.

Matt Wieters gave the O's a 7-5 lead with a three-run blast onto Eutaw Street in the sixth inning, but the Indians tied it up in the seventh. Ryan Flaherty's RBI single gave the Birds the lead in the bottom of the frame, and Xavier Avery launched his first big-league blast, a solo homer, in the eighth (he got the shaving cream pie in the face post-game).

Jake Arrieta lasted just 3 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs on eight hits and two walks. The 'pen allowed another eight hits and three runs but the offense stepped-up and didn't let this one slip away...Matt Lindstrom picked up his first win of the season and Jim Johnson closed the door for his 23rd save.

Dana Eveland takes the mound for the Birds Saturday afternoon. I'll be there for my Earl Weaver statue...

Chen, O's Fall To Tribe

It's getting pretty ugly. The O's dropped their third straight game, falling to the visiting Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Thursday.

And it's not like these games were close. The Birds have been outscored 27-6 over these past three losses. The pitching is now starting to go downhill, after about two weeks of no offense. It's like the starters know they have to hold the other team to all zeroes, and they are trying to be too fine...it isn't working. The offense has completely vanished, and the Birds are in the middle of a 3-for-52 slump with runners in scoring position...

Wei-Yin Chen was the latest starter to falter, surrendering six runs on six hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings, striking out three and serving up two long balls.

J.J. Hardy was the offensive star of the game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run homer, his 12th of the season. But that was all the O's could manage, going 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranding six runners on base.

Jake Arrieta takes the mound on Friday night...here's hoping the Birds find their bats.

A Series To Forget

The last two games were so rough I had to combine them into one story...and I honestly don't even want to do that. But I've put it off long enough...

The Birds were absolutely annihilated in a two-game series against the Angels, allowing 33 hits and 20 runs while scoring just four of their own. On Tuesday, Brian Matusz and the O's lost 7-3, and the Angels racked-up 17 hits. I didn't think it could get any worse. I was wrong. On Wednesday night, Jason Hammel got rocked, and the Birds fell to the visiting club 13-1.

I honestly don't have much else to say...let's just forget this series and move on.

Wieters Lifts O's Over Nats

For seven innings, it looked as if the O's offense was going to let Jake Arrieta and the bullpen down. But Matt Wieters' two-run bomb in the eighth lifted the Birds to a 2-1, series-clinching win over the Nationals on Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

The O's had managed just six hits, all singles, before Wieters' blast. The Birds have been in a major funk offensively, and finished Sunday's game 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. In fact, the Birds have gone just 1-for-33 with runners in scoring position during the drought...

Jake Arrieta struggled early but settled down and allowed just a run on five hits and a walk over six innings, fanning five. The bullpen continued its stellar run, with three relievers holding the Nats to just one hit over the final three frames. Pedro Strop picked up the win and Jim Johnson recorded his 22nd save after a strike-em' out, throw-em' out play ended the game.

The O's have Monday off before hosting the Angels for two games...Brian Matusz takes the mound on Tuesday night.

Chen Falls To Nats As Offense Struggles

The O's offense failed to show up again in a 3-1 loss to the visiting Nationals in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night.


Wei-Yin Chen surrendered all three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks in five innings, fanning four. Chen (7-3) has faced the Nats twice this season and has lost both contests. The defense didn't help him out...Wilson Betemit's throwing error with two outs and two on in the 2nd led to two runs. The Birds' defense continues to betray them, and they lead the Majors with 63 errors this season.

The O's managed just five hits and were no-hit through the first four frames. Adam Jones launched his team-leading 19th homer in the seventh, but that was all the offense could manage. The entire team is slumping at the same time, which is never good. The Orioles have scored just 16 runs over the last eight games...

Jake Arrieta takes the mound in the rubber-match on Sunday afternoon. The O's have Monday off before hosting the Angels for a two-game series starting on Tuesday night.

Hammel Brilliant Once Again

Fresh off a complete-game, one-hit shutout, Jason Hammel held the Nationals to just an unearned run as the O's topped the Nationals 2-1 on Friday night in front of a full house at Camden Yards.

Hammel (8-2) went eight innings, tying a career-best set earlier this season with 10 strikeouts while walking none. He gave up just one unearned run on five hits, lowering his ERA to 2.61 in the process. Hammel hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 19 innings,,,

Mark Reynolds put the Birds on the board in the second with his sixth homer of the season, a solo shot to left. Reynolds also committed two errors, one leading to the Nats only run, and now has nine this year in 49 games. I'm hoping Reynolds' bat is finally heating up...we need more homers than errors from this guy.

Buck Showalter pulled Hammel after 96 pitches, electing to go with closer Jim Johnson in the ninth. The skipper said after the game that he was trying to keep Hammel under 100 pitches so he could make his next scheduled start on normal rest. Johnson allowed a walk but picked up his 21st save of the year.

With the Yankees falling to the Mets, the O's (40-30) are again just a game and a half out of first in the East, and send Wei-Yin Chen to the mound on Saturday night for a nationally televised game on FOX.

O's Avoid The Shutout But Not The Sweep

The O's were swept out of New York after falling to the Mets 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Wilson Betemit finally put the O's on the board after a stretch of 28 scoreless innings dating back to the series in Atlanta. Betemit launched a two-run bomb in the eighth inning, and the O's scored once more in the ninth, but Brian Roberts grounded out with the bases loaded to end the threat, and the game.

Brian Matusz was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks in just 4 2/3 innings. Matusz (5-8) didn't pitch poorly but tossed 93 pitches before yielding to the 'pen.

The O's are off Thursday before hosting the Nationals over the weekend. I can only hope that the late-inning offense is a sign of offensive life after the O's managed just 12 runs during the six-game road trip (with five coming in one game). Jason Hammel takes the mound on Friday night at Camden Yards.

For O's, It's Deja Vu All Over Again

A different day, but the same result. The Birds were blanked for the second straight game, falling 5-0 again to the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Citi Field.

This time, the O's managed more than one hit...they got five. But none came with runners in scoring position, as the Birds went 0-for-9 in that all-important category. Matt Wieters was the only O' with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk.

Tommy Hunter looked good early but faltered in the later innings, allowing four of his five charged runs in the  sixth and seventh frames. Hunter lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up those five runs on seven hits and one walk, fanning three. It was the first walk Hunter allowed in his last three starts, but he again allowed the long ball to beat him. The Birds were down just 1-0 when Hunter served-up a game-changing two-run shot in the sixth inning.

This marked the first time since April 2005 that the O's were blanked in back-to-back games. This club reminds me a lot of that 05' club, mainly because it was the last time the Birds were in contention this late in a season. We just have to hope that these O's don't collapse like that team did...

The good news? The Yankees 10-game win streak was snapped, so the Birds didn't lose any ground to the Bombers. Brian Matusz looks to salvage the final game against the Mets later tonight; a win would give the O's a respectable 3-3 Interleague road trip. The Orioles are off Thursday before hosting the Nationals for a three-game set starting Friday night.

O's Blanked At Citi Field

The Birds were one-hit by the New York Mets, falling 5-0 at Citi Field on Monday night.

Jake Arrieta took a shutout into the sixth inning but was nowhere near as impressive as the Mets' R.A. Dickey. Arrieta (3-9) made one bad pitch: a grand slam that all but assured the Mets a victory. Dickey (11-1) walked two and fanned 13 in his second consecutive one-hitter (he blanked the Rays last week).

With the loss and a Yankees win, the Birds dropped a season-worst 2 1/2 games out of first in the East and now turn to Tommy Hunter to right the ship on Tuesday night. Johan Santana is slated to take the hill for the Mets, but as long as Dickey isn't on the mound, I like the O's chances!

Chen Sparkles As O's Take Series In Atlanta

Again, my apologies. My post is a day late and probably a Buck short...but here goes nothing.

That pretty much sums up Atlanta's offense for the second straight game...NOTHING. Wei-Yin Chen pitched seven scoreless innings and the Birds blanked the Braves for the second straight game, winning 2-0.

Chen (7-2) wasn't quite as dominant as Hammel was on Saturday, but the two hurlers now lead the O's with identical records. Chen allowed just six hits and a walk while striking out two on Sunday afternoon, and Jim Johnson pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 20th save of the season.

The Birds mustered just four hits but managed to score on a sac fly and a balk.Nothing like playing small-ball in a National League park...

The Birds have now won four straight series but still trail New York by a game and a half in the standings. The Yankees, winners of nine straight, now take on Atlanta and the O's travel to New York to face the Mets. Jake Arrieta takes the mound on Monday night...

Hammel Falls One Shy Of No-Hitter

First things first. I'd like to apologize for my late posts...these new hours are killing me!

I actually slept through this entire game...I may have to do that more often, as Jason Hammel pitched a one-hit shutout in a 5-0 win over the Braves on Saturday night.

Hammel (7-2) took a no-hitter into the seventh before allowing a two-out single. He finished with two walks and eight strikeouts, needing just 103 pitches in his best start of his carer.

Mark Reynolds' two-run single in the fourth put the Birds on top to stay. Brian Roberts went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Wei-Yin Chen took the mound on Sunday afternoon...that post is coming now : )

Offense Stalls in Atlanta

The O's winning streak was snapped at five games after a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

Just a day after setting season-highs in runs, hits and doubles, the Birds were held to just six hits and two unearned runs. The club went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and simply couldn't take advantage of scoring opportunities...the Birds drew seven walks but not a single one of them turned into a run. The O's grounded into four double plays, the last of which ended the game...

Brian Matusz allowed a solo homer in the first before settling down. He tossed a season-high 116 pitches, baffling when you consider he was batting ninth in the lineup. He almost made it out of the sixth inning unscathed but gave up three runs before being lifted.

Overall, it was a game the O's could have won but let slip away. The Yankees won again, so the Birds are now a game and a half out of first, tying the farthest they've been out this entire season. Hopefully they come out swinging Saturday night behind starter Jason Hammel...Let's Go O's!

Pearce, Wieters Lead Assault As O's Sweep Bucs

The O's are rolling now. The club has won five straight and finished a sweep of the Pirates with a 12-6 win on Thursday night at Camden Yards, capping off a 5-1 homestand.

The Birds set season highs in runs, hits (16) and doubles (8), and took an early lead against former Oriole Erik Bedard, scoring four runs in the first inning for the first time this year. They scored five runs in the fourth to take a commanding 10-0 lead.

Three players combined to knock in all 12 runs: Steve Pearce doubled, homered and drove in five, Matt Wieters slapped two doubles and had five RBIs and Mark Reynolds went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and two driven in.

That was more than enough offense for Tommy Hunter, who allowed five runs through six innings, striking out five and not surrendering a free pass for the second straight start. Hunter (3-3) allowed seven hits, one of them a three-run bomb, but got the win thanks to the O's offensive explosion.

The Birds (37-26) are a half-game behind the Yankees in the standings and now head out on a six-game Interleague road trip starting in Atlanta Friday night. Brian Matusz is slated to take the mound.

Arrieta Dazzles Against Pirates

Is it too soon to say Jake Arrieta is back? Probably. But it's safe to say he looked like the O's Opening Day pitcher again on Wednesday night in a 7-1 victory over Pittsburgh at Camden yards.

Arrieta allowed just a run on seven hits and one walk over seven innings, tying a career-high with nine strikeouts. It was his first win since early May, when he struck out nine Yankees in New York.

After dropping six straight decisions, Jake was banished to the bullpen last weekend...but after a freak accident to scheduled starer Brian Matusz, Buck turned to Arrieta, and Jake made the most of the opportunity. After that start, I'd say it's a safe bet that Arrieta has reclaimed his spot in the starting rotation...

The O's made sure he was pitching with a lead, scoring seven runs in the first seven innings. Wilson Betemit went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, and Chris Davis went 2-for-4 with a broken-bat home-run (never seen that before) and three driven in. Brian Roberts went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in his second game back with the club.

The Birds (36-26) have now won three straight series and are in sole possession of second place in the East, one game behind the surging Yankees. Tommy Hunter takes the mound on Thursday night as the O's look for the sweep.

O's Victorious in Roberts' Return

Welcome home, Brian Roberts! Roberts went 3-for-4 in his return to the club, the O's mashed three homers and the Birds bested the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-6 on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

I can't even begin to describe how good it feels to see Roberts batting lead-off again for the first time in over a year. I'm a big Robert Andino fan, but nobody can replace a healthy Brian Roberts at second base.

The Birds trailed just once on Tuesday after the Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first. Mark Reynolds launched a two-run bomb in the second to give the O's a lead they would never relinquish. Adam Jones went yard in the fifth for the 18th time this season, and Chris Davis smacked a two-run shot in a four-run sixth inning.

Wei-Yin Chen allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings, fanning four. Chen (6-2) is now tied with Jason Hammel for the team lead in victories.

Kevin Gregg surrendered a two-run homer in the ninth, but it took Jim Johnson just six pitches to record the final two outs and pick up his 19th save of the season.

The Birds (35-26) are now tied with Tampa Bay for second in the division, trailing the Yankees by a full game. Brian Matusz was slated to start on Wednesday night but injured his nose on a bunt attempt on Tuesday...he's a game-time decision. Jake Arrieta is a possible candidate to start, though the club could also recall someone from Triple-A...we'll find out soon enough.

O's Do It Again In Extras

It only took 10 innings on Sunday for the O's to topple the Phillies 5-4. Once again, Adam Jones was mobbed at the plate, but this time it was Matt Wieters with the clutch hit that drove him home.

The Birds won their second straight series and are now 4-2 in Interleague play this season. They have now won nine straight extra-inning games, a franchise record. After starting the season 0-2 in extras, the O's took seven straight on the road and ave now won back-to-back contests at Camden Yards.

Jason Hammel struggled with his command early, walking five batters in the first three innings. Hammel settled down and was able to last six innings, allowing four runs on six hits and those five walks, fanning four in a 115-pitch outing. The 'pen shut down Philadelphia over the final four frames.

Down 4-1 in the fourth, Steve Tolleson tied it all up with a massive three-run bomb off Cliff Lee. It was Tolleson's second homer of the season and third of his career. Tolleson has certainly made an impression while he was up with the club but is expected to be sent down to Norfolk to make room for B-Rob...

The O's are off today before hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates for a three-game set starting Tuesday night. Wei-Yin Chen takes the mound, and yes, Brian Roberts is expected to be in the lineup.

Jones' Jack Lifts O's In 12th

It took 12 innings, but the Birds took down the Phillies 6-4 in front of a sell-out crowd at Camden Yards on Saturday evening.

Adam Jones broke out of an 0-for-18 slump with a single in the ninth before launching a walk-off two run bomb in the bottom of the 12th. It was Jones' team-leading 17th long ball of the season; 11 of his homers have either tied a game or given the Birds a lead.

Tommy Hunter's return from Triple-A was a success...Hunter went seven innings, walked none and allowed just three runs (all solo homers). The 'pen allowed just a run on five hits over the final five frames.

The Birds have now split the series with Philadelphia and look to take the rubber-game this afternoon behind Jason Hammel.

Arrieta Stumbles Yet Again

What is wrong with Jake Arrieta?

The Birds fell to the visiting Phillies 9-6 on Friday night. Arrieta lasted just four innings, surrendering nine runs on 11 hits before being yanked. He walked none and fanned five in the 83-pitch outing.

Arrieta (2-8) now leads the Majors in losses and he's dropped six straight. It's frustrating. He shows flashes of brilliance (he struck out the side in the third after the Phillies hit for the cycle in a six-run second) but can't seem to put everything together consistently this season. A trip to Norfolk looks likely...

The Birds were down 7-0 in the second inning but rallied back to make a game of it. Chris Davis slapped a solo shot in the fourth and J.J. Hardy launched a two-run bomb in the seventh, but the deficit was just too great to overcome.

With the loss, the O's (32-26) dropped into third place in the division, trailing Tampa Bay by a game and the Yankees by a half game. Tommy Hunter has been called up from Norfolk and will get the start on Saturday afternoon.

Matusz Rocked As O's Blanked In Fenway

Brian Matusz turned in his shortest outing of the season and the O's were blanked on four hits in a 7-0 drubbing by the Red Sox on Thursday night.

Matusz lasted just two innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on four hits and FIVE walks...he needed 67 pitches to record six outs. Devastating.

Of course, the offense was nowhere to be found, and the defense was lacking as the Birds committed another two errors.

The O's still managed to take the series and head home after going 3-6 on this divisional road trip in a tie for first with Tampa Bay.

Jake Arrieta takes the mound Friday night as the Birds kick-off another round of Interleague play starting with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Chen Gives O's Series Over Sox

The Orioles are once again in sole possession of first in the East after a 2-1 win over Boston on Wednesday night.

I could get used to this.

Wei-Yin Chen was magnificent, pitching seven innings of one-run ball. Pedro Strop took on his usual eight- inning duties, and Jim Johnson came on in the ninth to start another streak of saves.

The Birds have snapped a season-worst string of four straight series losses and have a chance to sweep Boston at Fenway for the second time this season Thursday night.

Brian Matusz takes the mound...Let's Go O's!!!

O's Topple Sox In 10 Innings

It was bound to happen...Jim Johnson blew a save for the first time this season. When it was all said and done, JJ picked up his first W in 2012 after the Birds bested the Sox 8-6 in 10 innings on Tuesday night.

You gotta love baseball.

The O's and Sox battled back and forth all evening, but the Birds took a commanding 6-4 lead into the ninth and Buck Showalter handed the ball to the best closer in the majors. Johnson needed one more strike to pick up his 18th straight save before serving up a two-run dinger in the bottom of the ninth.

Nevermind all the stats...I'm WAY late on this post. The O's would not let Johnson down, scoring twice in the top of the tenth, letting the closer try one more time. JJ got em' 1-2-3 and the Birds won again at Fenway.

Wei-Yin Chen looks to make it two straight on Wednesday night.

O's Fall Out Of First

Jake Arrieta was masterful for three innings but unraveled in the fourth and the O's fell to the Rays 8-4 on Sunday afternoon.

It was the fourth straight series the Birds have dropped, and the loss gave Tampa Bay sole possession of first in the East.

Arrieta (2-7) continues to be a mystery this season, showing flashes of brilliance before falling apart. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs on just two hits but four walks, striking out three. The 'pen, overworked lately, gave up another four runs (only three earned...the O's committed three errors and lead the league with 51).

The Birds thankfully have Monday off before starting a three-game set with the Red Sox. Jason Hammel takes the mound at Fenway on Tuesday night.

Matusz Lifts O's Over Rays

Somebody needed to step up. Brian Matusz turned in his best start of the season on Saturday afternoon and the O's snapped a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay. The two clubs are now tied for first with one game left in the series.

Matusz (5-5) took a no-hitter into the fifth and allowed just a run on two hits and three walks over 7 1/3 innings, fanning seven. Pedro Strop came on in relief in the eighth and walked a batter to load the bases before inducing an inning-ending double play. Jim Johnson pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his 17th save in as many tries this season.

Endy Chavez put the Birds on the board with a solo homer, his first of the season, in the third inning. The O's took advantage of a throwing error to score what would be the winning run in the seventh.

Jake Arrieta takes the mound on Sunday afternoon...let's see if he can follow Matusz's lead. Go O's!

Birds Blanked, Drop Out Of First

For the first time this season, I turned off an O's game early. To be fair, I had worked all day and needed to get a two hour nap before heading back in. But after Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first inning, I had no trouble turning off the TV and catching a few z's.

I woke up to find the final score was the same as it was in that fateful first frame...the Rays blanked the O's and took over sole possession of first place on Friday night. It was the sixth straight loss for the Birds...

Wei-Yin Chen was the latest starter to falter, though he bounced back and lasted 5 2/3 innings. The bullpen followed with an impressive performance, but the early damage was too much to overcome.

It's tough to win when you don't score any runs, and the Birds were held scoreless on seven singles. Adam Jones and Matt Wieters both went 2-for-4. The O's haven't had an extra-base hit in the past two games...

Brian Matusz takes the mound Saturday afternoon as the O's try to snap the losing streak...here's hoping.

O's Drop Fifth Straight Behind Hammel

Jason Hammel couldn't stop the bleeding and the O's fell to Toronto 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Hammel gave up four solo homers in 6 2/3 innings after allowing just three in his previous nine starts and fell to 6-2 on the season.

The O's scored on an infield hit in the second inning but were kept off the board the rest of the game, managing just four hits all night and striking out 10 times.

The Birds have now lost three straight series and have won just two of their last 10 games, yet are still tied for first with the Rays.

After an off-day Thursday, things get interesting as the O's take on Tampa Bay for a three-game set starting Friday night. Wei-Yin Chen looks to lead the Birds to victory and sole possession of first...

O's Drop Fourth Straight

The O's recent slide continued with an 8-6 loss to Toronto on Tuesday night.

Jake Arrieta was rocked to the tune of seven runs (six earned) off six hits and three walks in just 4 1/3 innings. Arrieta (2-6) hasn't won in four weeks and his ERA now stands at 5.37.

The offense didn't help him out, either. The Birds managed just three hits over the first five innings, and were down 8-1 heading into the sixth. The O's rally fell short with the go-ahead run at the plate in the ninth.

Adam Jones went 3-for-3 with a single, two walks, two homers and three RBIs and extended his career-best hit streak to 20 games.

The Birds (29-21) are still tied with Tampa for the lead in the East, but just 3 1/2 games separate the five teams in the division. If the Birds don't start winning soon, they could be in last place by the end of this road trip. The O's turn to Jason Hammel on Wednesday night and look to avoid the sweep.

O's Drop Third Straight

The O's lost their third straight game after a humiliating 6-2 loss to Toronto on Monday night.

Tommy Hunter lasted just 3 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits, walking none and striking out none. Hunter (2-3) gave up a two-run shot in the third and another in the fourth before being pulled. The 'pen allowed just three baserunners through the final five frames, but Hunter's hole was too deep...

The O's continued to struggle offensively, and were held scoreless until the ninth inning. They squandered a chance in the third inning...a single, three walks and no runs. That's pretty much been the story these last few games. Adam Jones extended his hit streak to 19 games with a single in the ninth, and Mark Reynolds slapped an RBI double in his first game back from the DL.

The three-game losing streak ties a season-worst for the Birds...they were swept in three by the Yankees in early April. Tampa Bay lost earlier in the day, so the O's (29-20) are still tied for first in the division.

These last few games have hurt, but I fully expect the O's to battle back later tonight. The starters have been pretty consistent so far, and the talent is there. I'm hoping to avoid the long losing streaks that we've seen in seasons past. The offense has been in a slump but the Birds are tied with the Yankees for second in the league with 72 long balls. Let's see if they can put it all together on Tuesday night...Jake Arrieta takes the mound and looks to put the O's back in the win column.

O's Drop Series To Royals

You gotta beat the teams you're supposed to beat. Yet the first-place O's fell to the Kansas City Royals, the second-worst team in the AL,  4-2 on Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

That being said, this was the first time all season that the Birds dropped back-to-back series, which is pretty amazing. The O's finished the homestand with a disappointing 2-4 record but are still tied with the Rays for first in the East.

Brian Matusz pitched a good game, allowing four runs (three earned) on three walks and seven hits over six innings, striking out five. Two of the hits went for solo homers. It was the second straight game the O's lost after getting a quality start after going 22-1 in that scenario since the start of the season. The bullpen allowed just one baserunner over the final three frames, but the damage had been done.

Offensively, the O's just couldn't get anything going...the club went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and didn't score after the fourth inning. Adam Jones, who just a few hours earlier had agreed to a six-year contract extension, extended his career-best 18-game hitting streak with a double in the fifth inning.

The O's now head out on a nine-game divisional road trip starting in Toronto on Monday night. Tommy Hunter takes the mound for the Birds.

A Royal Flush

The O's let one slip away on Saturday afternoon, falling to Kansas City 4-3 in front of nearly 27,000 fans at Camden Yards.

I had just stated in my last post how the Birds were getting all the breaks- Orioles Magic- but things went the Royals' way on Saturday. Most noticeable was a swinging-bunt double in the seventh where the ball hugged the foul line but just wouldn't roll foul. That run came in to score to tie the game. Nick Johnson came a few feet away from giving the O's a 5-4 lead in the eighth with a two-run blast that hooked just foul. It was just one of those games...

The Birds went ahead early, handing Wei-Yin Chen a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. Chris Davis homered for the second straight game in the second inning, J.J. Hardy led-off the third with a solo shot of his own and Adam Jones extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a triple, coming home on Matt Wieters' sac fly. But the bats went silent over the final six frames.

Chen kept the Royals off the board through four innings before allowing a run in the fifth and another in the sixth. He lasted six innings, allowing just the two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five. Darren O'Day allowed the tying run to cross in the seventh and Pedro Strop surrendered the eventual winning run in the eighth.

The O's (29-18) stayed a full game ahead of the Rays after they fell to Boston on Saturday night. Before the game on Sunday, the O's are set to announce the contract extension of Adam Jones- six years for $85.5 million. Brian Matusz looks for his fifth win in May after the mega-deal is announced.

Hammel Out-Duels "Old" Chen

Remember Bruce Chen? The old O's lefty was going for his fourth straight win on Friday night...unfortunately for him, his club was facing Jason Hammel and the Orioles, and the Birds spanked the Royals 8-2 in front of nearly 30,000 fans at Camden Yards.

Hammel (6-1) went six strong innings, shutting out Kansas City on just five hits and a walk while fanning seven. Stu Pomeranz, fresh from Triple-A Norfolk, went two innings in relief but lost the shutout after surrendering a two-out homer in the eighth. Dana Eveland pitched a scoreless ninth.

The O's struck first, scoring on a sac fly off the bat of Adam Jones, but left the bases loaded in the first with just a 1-0 lead. But the bats came to life in a big five-run fifth...Xavier Avery led off with a walk, then stole second although Chen had him picked off (this kid is FAST). Robert Andino laid down a perfect sac bunt that turned into an infield single, and then promptly stole second. Chen had Andino picked off as well, but he hustled and slid in under the tag...instead of none on with two outs, the Birds had runners at second and third with no one down. If you haven't accepted that some Orioles' Magic is in the air this season, you really should! The Birds used two doubles, two singles and another stolen base to chase Chen from the game and take a commanding 6-0 lead. Chris Davis added another pair of runs with a two-run bomb in the seventh.

The O's (29-17) still hold the best record in the AL and maintained a one-game lead over the Rays in the East. The Birds send their own Chen (Wei-Yin) to the mound on Saturday afternoon...

Arrieta Struggles As Birds Fall To BoSox

Finally...a day off. It would have been a little sweeter with a series win over Boston, but the O's will have to settle for one-of-three after a 6-5 loss on Wednesday afternoon.

It certainly isn't easy to take four straight series against the Sox...the Birds hadn't accomplished the feat since 1960. But they were "O" so close...

The game see-sawed throughout: the O's went up 1-0, the Sox tied it, the Birds took a 2-1 lead before Boston tied it again. The Red Sox took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth but Nick Johnson's second homer of the day, a two-run blast, put the O's within a run in the bottom of the frame. Down 6-4, the O's had runners at second and third with none out in the eighth but managed only a run on a sac fly.

Jake Arrieta (2-5) took the loss and was charged with four runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings of work.

The O's (28-17) are still in first and went 12-8 over the last 20-game stretch. They finally get a day of rest before sending Jason Hammel to the mound Friday night to kick-off a three-game set against the Royals.

Matusz Magnificent As O's Roll

Brian Matusz seems to have returned to form over his past few starts, and Tuesday night was no exception. Matusz turned in a gem in the O's 4-1 victory over Boston at Camden Yards.

Matusz evened his record to 4-4 on the season and exited to a standing ovation in the seventh after allowing just one run on two hits and a walk over 6 1/3 frames, fanning a career-best nine batters. Darren O'Day, Pedro Strop and Jim Johnson held the Sox hitless over the final 2 2/3 innings. Johnson picked up his 16th save in as many tries this season, retiring the heart of the order on eight pitches in the ninth.

Third baseman Steve Tolleson gave Matusz an early lead with a two-run bomb in the second, his first as an Oriole and first in nearly two years. Wilson Betemit blasted a two-run shot in the eighth to give Johnson some breathing room...

The O's and Sox face-off once more on Thursday afternoon; with a win, the Birds would take four straight series against Boston for the first time since 1960. Jake Arrieta takes the mound for the O's...

O's Drop Second Straight

The Birds rallied but eventually fell to Boston 8-6 at Camden Yards on Monday night.

Tommy Hunter was given a three-run lead but gave it right back, allowing the tying run to cross the plate on a balk in the sixth inning. Hunter allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings, walking none and fanning three. Kevin Gregg came on in the seventh and was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.

The Birds showed patience at the plate in the third inning against a struggling Clay Buchholz, who walked in two runs with the bases loaded. Chris Davis slapped a solo homer in the fourth to give the O's a 5-2 lead. But the Sox rallied, and the O's didn't score again until the eighth. They had a chance to tie or take the lead with only one out and runners on second and third, but Wilson Betemit popped-out and Nick Johnson struck out swinging to end the threat.

The O's (27-16) still hold sole possession of first in the division while Boston (21-21) is tied with New York for last. The two clubs go at it again later tonight; Brian Matusz takes the mound for the Birds.

O's Fall To Nats In Finale

The streak had to end sometime. You can't win em' all, as the old saying goes. The O's lost on the road for the first time in their last ten tries and saw a five-game winning streak snapped after falling to the nationals 9-3 on Sunday afternoon.

The sad part is that everything went right for the Birds early on. They took a 3-0 lead after two innings and it seemed like they would cruise behind starter Wei-Yin Chen. But baseball is a funny game, and the Nats surged back, scoring nine unanswered runs. The Orioles were held hitless from the third inning until the ninth while the Nationals feasted on Chen and the 'pen.

Chen (4-1) turned in his worst performance of the season, allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks in just 4 1/3 innings. He allowed back-to-back solo homers in the fourth, including Washington's starter Stephen Strasburg's first Major League long-ball.

The Birds went 4-1 on the road trip and now head home for a week. Every other team in the East besides Boston lost, so the O's really didn't lose any ground in the standings and still lead the Rays by two full games. Tommy Hunter takes the mound on Monday night as the Birds welcome the Red Sox to Camden Yards for a three-game set.

O's Swat Nats Away

The O's just keep amazing me (and the rest of the world). In a nationally televised game on Saturday night, the Birds took down the Nationals 6-5  in front of a full house in Washington, D.C.

It was a blowout early on, as the O's took an early 6-0 lead before the Nats came charging back. Robert Andino drove in two with a single in the second, Adam Jones cranked his team-leading 14th homer in the third and Nick Markakis launched a two-run bomb in the fifth.

Starter Jason Hammel was lights-out until running into big trouble in the sixth. Hammel (5-1) got the win but was charged with four runs on six hits and two walks in just 5 1/3 frames. The bullpen didn't allow a run until Jim Johnson served up a solo homer in the ninth, but J.J. shut the door and picked up his 15th save in 15 chances this season.

The O's (27-14) have won five straight and nine in a row on the road. The club sends Wei-Ying Chen to the mound on Sunday afternoon and look for the sweep.

O's Top Nats In 11

The O's went into extra innings, on the road, and won...again. Nick Markakis' solo homer in the top of the 11th lifted the Birds to a 2-1 victory over the Nationals on Friday night.

The Birds scored in the first inning before being shut down until the 11th. The Nationals scored their lone run on a solo homer off starter Jake Arrieta in the sixth.

That was Jake's lone mistake, as he went seven strong innings, allowing just six hits and a walk while striking out nine. The bullpen continued to impress, with four relievers tossing four one-hit innings. Pedro Strop allowed that hit in the bottom of the 11th but escaped the jam to pick up his third save of the season.

The O's (26-14) have now played 40 games, and eight have gone to extras (20%). They have won six of those contests (both losses came against the Yankees). The Birds are 12 games over .500 and have now won eight straight on the road...

The O's look to take the Beltway Series with a win on Saturday night...Jason Hammel takes the mound.

O's Complete Two-Game Road Sweep

The best team in baseball? The Baltimore Orioles. That's right...after Thursday's 5-3 win over the Royals, the O's (25-14) own the best record in the Majors and are 11 games over .500 for the first time since 2005.

It's simply incredible to watch. This team is never out of any game...on Thursday afternoon, starter Brian Matusz retired the first six batters he faced before giving up three runs in the third inning. Three runs? No worries...

Adam Jones trimmed the deficit to just a run with a two-run bomb in the fourth, his 13th long ball of the year and second in as many games. J.J. Hardy's bases-loaded, two-out two-run single in the seventh put the Birds ahead for good.

Matusz picked up his third win of the season, and Jim Johnson recorded his 14th save in as many tries...this team is clicking in all facets of the game right now (defensively, they need some work but at this point I'm not going to complain!).

The first-place O's head home (sort of) to take on the Washington Nationals in D.C. over the weekend. Jake Arrieta takes the mound on Friday night.

Jones' Jack In 15th Wins It

How many extra-inning games can one team play? The O's must be looking to set another record after going into extras for the seventh time this season on Wednesday night, eventually beating the Royals 4-3 in 15 innings. Nearly 20% of the Birds' games this season were decided in extra innings...

It was quite a comeback. Down 2-0, the O's scored in the eighth to make it a one-run game, but Kansas City answered with an insurance run in the bottom of the frame. Wilson Betemit homered in the ninth to again trim the Royals' lead to one, and J.J. Hardy tied the game with an RBI single. Orioles Magic.

At that point it all boiled down to a battle of the bullpens, and it was the O's that came out on top. Dana Eveland came on in the tenth and pitched three scoreless innings before yielding to Kevin Gregg, who pitched another two scoreless frames and eventually got the "W". Adam Jones launched a solo shot, his 12th of the season, in the top of the 15th to give the O's their first lead of the game, and Jim Johnson came on in the bottom half of the inning to notch his 13th save of the year.

Brian Matusz takes the mound Thursday afternoon as the O's look for a two-game sweep in Kansas City.

Chen Leads O's To Series Split

The O's managed a series split with the Yankees after a 5-2 win over New York on Tuesday night.

Starter Wei-Yin Chen improved to 4-0 on the season and exited in the eighth to a standing ovation after shutting down a potent Yankee lineup. Chen went seven innings, allowing just two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out four. The runs came off a bomb from Curtis Granderson, which barely cleared the fence. A Yankee fan reached out and caught the ball, but as happened once before, there was no fan interference called.

Pedro Strop walked two in the eighth but got out of the inning, and Jim Johnson picked up his 12th save in as many attempts this season. The O's turned three double plays, two in the final two frames.

Adam Jones started the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning, his eleventh of the season. J.J. Hardy continued to punish the ball, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The O's have finally finished the grueling 15-game series that began with series in New York and Boston, and concluded with home games against Texas, Tampa and the Yankees again. The so-called experts said the Birds would come down to earth after this stretch. Skeptics that wanted to believe pointed to this as the make-it-or-break-it point of the season. The O's came out of it winning 9 of 16 and remain in a first-place tie with the Rays.

Tommy Hunter takes the mound on Wednesday night as the Birds begin a five-game roadtrip, beginning with two games in Kansas City.

Birds Let One Slip Away

On a wet and dreary Monday in Baltimore, the O's let an early lead slip away in an 8-5 loss to the Yankees.

Jason Hammel looked sharp early, allowing just two hits through the first three frames, but was charged with five runs on seven hits in just five innings of work, his shortest outing as an Oriole. The bullpen allowed another three runs over the final four innings.

The Birds scored twice in the first to take the early lead, and after New York took a 3-2 lead in the fifth, the Birds came right back and scored another three times to reclaim the lead. Xavier Avery, in just his second game, doubled and tripled and notched his first Major League RBI. J.J. Hardy launched his ninth homer of the season. But it wasn't enough, and the offense went silent after the three-run fifth. Meanwhile, the Yankees went on to score five unanswered runs.

With the loss, the O's (22-14) fell into a tie for first with the Rays. The Yankees are just a game and a half back. The two clubs wrap-up the short series later tonight...Wei-Yin Chen takes on CC Sabathia.

O's Fall Just Short

These Orioles have heart...they battled back and fell just short in a 9-8 loss to the Rays on Sunday afternoon.

Down 7-1 in the third inning, the Birds were a timely hit away from a walk-off win in the ninth inning. With one run already in and runners on second and third, Matt Wieters grounded out to end the threat, and the comeback attempt. But the O's were never out of this game, which had "blowout" written all over it early on...

Jake Arrieta turned in the worst performance of his career, allowing seven runs on ten hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 innings. The 'pen bailed Jake out, keeping the Rays off the board until Troy Patton surrendered back-to-back solo homers in the eighth. Those were the only hits Patton allowed over three innings of work, but it proved to be too much to overcome.

The Birds still took two of three from the Rays and are ahead of them in the standings by a full game. The Yankees come to town for a two-game set before the O's hit the road again...Jason Hammel takes the mound on Monday night.

Matusz Victorious As O's Topple Tampa

The Orioles guaranteed a winning series against their divisional foes with a 5-3 victory over the Rays on Saturday night at Camden Yards.

Brian Matusz eclipsed last year's total with his second win of the season. Matusz (2-4) surrendered a solo homer in the second inning but then cruised until running into trouble in the sixth. He was charged with three runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings, striking out five. The bullpen was once again simply spectacular, keeping the Rays off the bases over the final three frames. The 'pen has now retired 19 straight in this series...incredible.

The O's took advantage of five errors, scoring two unearned runs in the second. They scored two more on Adam Jones' single in the fifth, and added an insurance run in the eighth. Bill Hall, called up from Norfolk with Mark Reynolds hitting the DL, homered for the first time since last May and got the obligatory shaving cream pie to the face after the game...

The Birds (22-12) are now two full games ahead of the Rays in the division and look for the sweep this afternoon...Jake Arrieta takes the mound for the O's.

O's Alone In First After Downing Rays

The Orioles claimed sole possession of first place in the East after taking down Tampa 4-3 on Friday night at Camden Yards.

I'll say this about these O's...they can hit homers. Lots of them. The Birds slapped another three dingers and lead all of baseball with 53 round-trippers this season. All four runs came via the long-ball on Friday night.

Adam Jones started things off with a solo homer in the second, his tenth of the year. Nick Markakis slapped his sixth of the season in the sixth inning, and Nick Johnson launched a two-run blast, his first as an Oriole, to give the Birds the lead in the seventh.

Dana Eveland, making his first start of the season, was shaky but managed to keep the O's in the game, and the bullpen was lights-out. Eveland allowed three runs on five hits and six walks over six innings. He struck out two and hit two batters, one with the bases loaded. But he managed to hold Tampa to just the three runs, giving the offense a chance to come back.

Eveland had a little defensive help, as well. The play of the game had to be a play at the plate in the fourth...Matt Wieters took a jarring hit but came up with the ball in his glove, denying the Rays a run and minimizing the damage in the inning.

The bullpen was spectacular as well...Darren O'Day and Pedro Strop needed just six pitches each to get through the seventh and eighth innings, and Jim Johnson needed just eight pitches in the ninth en route to his tenth save in as many tries this season.

The O's (21-12) and Rays (20-13) go at it again Saturday night...Brian Matusz takes the mound for the Birds.

Birds Split Doubleheader, Drop Series

The O's just couldn't keep pace with the Texas Rangers, falling 7-3 in Game Two of a doubleheader on Thursday at Camden Yards.

Tommy Hunter, pitching on just three days rest, looked pretty good against his former club but was tagged with the loss. Hunter (2-2) gave up a two-run bomb to Josh Hamilton in the first inning but settled down after that (Hamilton finished the four-game series with six homers). Hunter went six innings, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk, striking out seven.

All three of the O's runs came in a sloppy second inning...Texas committed three errors and all three runs were unearned. Had the Rangers played a clean game the Birds could have been kept off the board all together. The O's managed just five hits, but unlike Game One, where every hit left the Yard, all five hits went for singles.

The Orioles are still 20-12 and tied for first with the Rays, who are in town for a three-game set starting Friday night. Dana Eveland will get his first start as an Oriole as the two clubs battle for first in the division.

Homers Lift Birds Over Rangers

This season has been pretty adventurous, and Thursday was no exception. The O's beat the Texas Rangers 6-5 in Game One of a doubleheader, and it took just eight pitches for history to be made...

The Birds hit back-to-back-to-back jacks in the first inning, the first time the feat has been accomplished in the AL, and only the fourth time it has happened in the Majors. Ryan Flaherty led-off with his first career homer, followed by long-balls from J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis.

Adam Jones launched yet another solo shot in the seventh, his team-best ninth of the season. After Matt Wieters walked, Wilson Betemit crushed a two-run bomb to give the Birds a 6-1 lead. The O's managed just five hits all game, but all five cleared the fence...

Wei-Yin Chen (3-0) allowed just two runs on six hits over 7 2/3 innings, walking one and fanning five. Jim Johnson surrendered a three-run blast in the ninth but held on to pick up his ninth save in as many attempts.

The O's send Tommy Hunter to the mound for Game Two of the doubleheader; a win would give the Birds a split with Texas.

O's Can't Stop Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton went 5-for-5 with a double and four home runs, knocking in eight as the Rangers pummeled the O's 10-3 on Tuesday night.

Yup. The four long balls in a game are the most by a player since 2003, and Hamilton's 18 total bases set an AL record. Simply put, it was a bit embarrassing.

Jake Arrieta became the latest starter to turn in their worst start of the season after turning in their best the start before. After shutting out the Yankees over eight innings without surrendering a single walk, Arrieta walked the second Ranger he faced before serving up Hamilton's first long ball. Arrieta (2-3) settled in and went 6 1/3 innings but was charged with six runs on nine hits and a walk, striking out three. He allowed three homers, two coming off Hamilton's bat.

Hamilton ended up going deep against each pitcher he faced. Lefty Troy Patton pitched a scoreless ninth, but he didn't have to face the slugger...

Nick Markakis broke out of his slump, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a solo home run. J.J. Hardy went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, as he continues to swing a hot bat as of late.

Texas has now outscored the Birds 24-6 over the past two games. Let's hope the O's can take the next two games and split the series...Wei-Yin Chen takes the mound on Wednesday night. Let's Go O's!

Birds Blown Out By Texas

The O's five-game winning streak was snapped Monday night with a deflating 14-3 loss to the Texas Rangers at Camden Yards.

Fresh off his best start of the season, Brian Matusz (1-4) turned in his worst performance of the year, allowing seven runs on ten hits and two walks in just five innings of work while fanning four. Jason Berken  allowed another seven runs (only two earned thanks to Mark Reynolds' sixth error) in the ninth inning. The lone bright spot? Stu Pomeranz, making his MLB debut, held the potent Rangers offense scoreless over three innings of work, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out two.

Robert Andino put the Birds on the board in the sixth with a solo homer, his second in as many games, and Wilson Betemit followed with a two-run blast in the seventh. That was all the O's could manage, as they finished with just six hits, three coming off the bat of J.J. Hardy.

The O's (19-10) are now tied with Tampa Bay for first in the division and are in a three-way tie with the Rays and Rangers for best record in the Majors. The Birds and Rangers go at it again Tuesday night...Jake Arrieta is slated to take the mound.

O's Sweep Sox After Wacky 17-Inning Win

It took 39 innings for the O's to complete their first three-game sweep in Boston since 1984. No wonder it doesn't happen very often...

On Sunday, it took 17 innings and just over six hours for the Birds to finally topple the Sox 9-6. And it was Chris Davis, the O's first baseman, who was credited with the win. It was probably the craziest game I have EVER seen...

The O's handed starter Tommy Hunter an early 5-0 lead: J.J. Hardy launched two solo homers and Robert Andino smacked his second of the season, a three-run shot in the fourth. But Hunter fell apart and surrendered five runs in the bottom of the frame, exiting after just 4 1/3 innings. The O's went ahead again in the eighth but the 'pen allowed Boston to tie it up yet again in the bottom half of the frame. Neither team scored again until the 17th inning, when Adam Jones launched his team-leading eighth homer over the Green Monster.

Both clubs ran out of arms in the bullpen as the game went on, forcing their respective skippers to use a position player on the mound. Buck Showalter turned to Chris Davis, who was the DH and had gone 0-for-8 with five strikeouts at the plate. Davis went from goat to hero, tossing two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out two. Seriously.

With the win, the O's (19-9) took sole possession of first in the division as well as the best record in the Majors. The club went 5-1 over the road trip through New York and Boston, and return home for a nine-game homestand starting Monday night against the Texas Rangers.

Birds Rout Sox

Jason Hammel took a shutout into the seventh inning and the offense came to life early as the O's rolled over the Red Sox 8-2 on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.

The Birds scored seven runs in the third inning, a season-best, and all came with two outs on the scoreboard. Adam Jones absolutely crushed a ball over the Monster and is now tied with Matt Wieters for the team lead with seven round-trippers, and Mark Reynolds launched a three-run shot to cap-off the inning and give the club an eight run advantage.

It looks like Reynolds is finally back...he's had two homers, two doubles and five RBIs in the past two games. He had no homers and just three RBIs in the month of April.

Hammel (4-1) escaped a jam in the first before holding the Sox without a hit over the next five frames. He entered the seventh with an 8-0 lead but couldn't finish the inning. He went 6 2/3 and tossed a season-high 115 pitches, allowing just two runs on four hits and a walk while fanning eight. The bullpen allowed four hits but blanked Boston over the final 2 1/3 innings.

The O's have now won back-to-back series in New York and Boston for the first time in 20 years, and can sweep the Sox in Fenway for the first time since 1994 with a win on Sunday afternoon. Tommy Hunter takes the mound for the Birds...

O's Topple BoSox In 13

The magic continues...

The O's took down the Red Sox 6-4 in 13 innings on Friday night at Fenway Park.

In a battle of the bullpens, the Birds came out on top, as five relievers combined for eight shut-out innings. Starter Wei-Yin Chen was charged with four runs (three earned) in five innings before yielding to the 'pen. Matt Lindstrom, Pedro Strop, Luis Ayala, Troy Patton and Jim Johnson then held Boston's potent offense to just three hits over the final frames. Patton (1-0) picked up the win while Johnson notched his eighth save in as many attempts.

Mark Reynolds went deep for the first time this season, putting the Birds on the board with a solo shot in the third. Reynolds led-off the seventh with a double and later scored, and knocked in the sixth and final run in the 13th with a sac fly. It would be nice if his bat heated up; he committed yet another error at third base in the first inning, one of three O's errors that could have put them out of the game early...

But the Birds battled back all night, coming back from deficits of 1-0, 3-1, and 4-3 before taking the lead for good with two runs in the 13th. Chris Davis' RBI single proved to be the game-winner.

The O's (17-9) remain in second place in the division and have now won three straight. Jason Hammel takes the mound on Saturday afternoon as the Birds look to take the series.