Birds Drop Twelve Straight

Another game, another loss. The Orioles fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Tuesday night, extending the losing streak to twelve straight games.

The losing streak is the longest in the Majors this season...another record in futility for the O's!

Jeremy Guthrie (10-17) pitched another good game but was tagged with the loss. Guthrie went seven innings and allowed just three runs on seven hits while walking one and fanning four.

Once again, the offense was unable to produce...the O's out hit the Rays (9-8) for the second straight game but managed to push just one run home.

The Birds send David Hernandez (4-9) to the mound on Wednesday night...Go O's! Stop the bleeding!

O' Yeah...

• Matt Wieters went 2-for-4 and leads all rookies with a .294 batting average
• Brian Roberts smacked his 56th double of the season in the third inning, setting the new record for switch-hitters
• Felix Pie is probably finished for the season

O's Let Another One Slip Away

The Orioles lost their 11th straight game on Monday night, falling to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-6.

O's starter Mark Hendrickson pitched a great game, and left after six innings with a 6-3 lead. Hendrickson gave up just three hits, but all three went over the fence...

The bullpen, as usual, was horrible. Matt Albers gave up a game-tying, three-run bomb in the seventh before Danys Baez allowed the Rays to take the lead in the eighth...Chris Ray (0-4) took the loss.

At least the offense got on the board tonight...the O's banged out 13 hits (compared to the Rays' 7) but it's just never enough with this pitching staff. The Birds had four doubles and Brian Roberts hit his 16th homer of the year.

Jeremy Guthrie (10-16) takes the mound on Tuesday night...the Birds now must win three of their final six games to finish the season with under 100 losses...Go O's!

O's Swept out of Cleveland

The Orioles lost to the Indians 9-0 on Sunday afternoon. It was the O's 10th consecutive loss.

As promised, I was not watching this game. Instead of watching the Birds get swept in Cleveland, I was watching the Cleveland Browns get humiliated in Baltimore by the 3-0 Ravens. It's amazing how different you feel after watching the home team win a game...

Had I been watching the O's, I probably would have been tempted to turn the game off after the very first inning...starter Chris Tillman (2-5) gave up six runs in the first and lasted just two innings. The 'pen held its' own but the damage had been done...

The offense didn't even bother to show up...the Birds managed five hits, none for extra-bases, and pushed just one runner into scoring position.

The O's head to St. Petersburg to take on the Tampa Bay Rays for a four-game set starting Monday night...Mark Hendrickson takes the mound for the Birds...Go O's!

O' Yeah...

• Chris Tillman has been shut down for the season...Chris Waters will start in place of him

Bullpen, J.J. Blow it Again

This is getting ridiculous. The O's dropped their ninth straight game on Wednesday night, falling 9-8 to the Cleveland Indians.

I'm going to be honest with you...I slept through this game. And I'll be watching the Ravens, not the Orioles, on Sunday afternoon. Sure, I'll switch the channel every now and then, but it's football season now, and I like to watch a winning team every once in a while...I've got tickets to the final game of the season at Camden Yards...but the Ravens are playing the Patriots...I can say with certainty that I won't be going to watch the Birds drop their 100th game of the year.

Starter Jason Berken (5-12) put the team in an early hole after allowing four runs in just 3 2/3 innings...the Birds answered right back with a five-run fifth and added another run in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. Robert Andino, Michael Aubrey and Luke Scott all homered in the rally...

Of course, the bullpen was unable to hold on...the Indians scored four runs in the seventh inning to take the lead back, but again the Orioles rallied and tied the game at eight in the ninth inning (the O's loaded the bases with none out but were only able to manage two sacrifice flies)...

Jim Johnson, the O's "closer," came on in the bottom of the inning and gave up the game winning single after recording just one out...

Hopefully the team can turn this around and avoid being swept for the third straight series...Chris Tillman (2-4) takes the mound Sunday afternoon...Go O's!

Eight Straight

The Orioles came in losers of seven straight games...the Cleveland Indians had dropped eleven in a row...one team would get back into the win column on Friday night...it was not the Orioles, as they fell to the Indians 4-2 at Progressive Field.

The Birds (60-93) have now dropped a season-worst eight straight contests and have the worst record in the American League. Only two teams in baseball (the Pittsburgh Pirates (95) and the Washington Nationals (101) ) have more losses than the O's.

Starter David Hernandez looked sharp but was tagged with yet another loss. Hernandez (4-9) gave up three runs (two earned) through six innings on Friday, while walking one and fanning five. The unearned run (a throwing error by Melvin Mora) and a bases loaded walk from reliever Matt Albers in the eighth inning wound up being the decisive runs in the ballgame.

The O's offense was stagnant again...Michael Aubrey drove in a run in the second and Nick Markakis led-off the sixth with a solo home run, but the team went 1-for-nine with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. The O's out-hit Cleveland 10-8...

The Birds send Jason Berken (5-12) to the mound Saturday...Go O's!

O' Yeah...

The O's may have lost another outfielder on Friday night...the recently-productive Felix Pie hurt his leg running out a ground ball in the seventh inning, and is listed as day-to-day

O's Swept, Drop Seventh Straight

It can't get much worse. The O's lost their seventh straight game, a season-worst, and fell to the Blue Jays 7-3 on Wednesday night.

The Birds have now been swept in back-to-back three-game sets for the first time this season.

Jeremy Guthrie (10-16) was tagged for the loss and now has more losses than any other starter in the American League (along with home runs and runs allowed). Guthrie went seven innings but allowed seven runs (five earned).

Michael Aubrey started at first base and hit his first homer as an Oriole...a 2-run blast to center in the second inning that gave the Birds a brief lead. Matt Wieters smashed a solo shot to right in the fifth inning...Wieters is now batting .290 for the season.

The Orioles (60-92) head to Cleveland to take on the Indians (61-90) for three games...both teams are struggling and this is the O's best chance to win a couple and finish the season with under 100 losses...David Hernandez (4-8) takes the mound Friday night...Go O's!

O's Fall in Extras

It took eleven innings, but the O's eventually fell 6-5 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night. The Birds have now dropped six straight games, tying a season-worst.

Starter Mark Hendrickson allowed just two runs (both off solo homers) on four hits through six innings, and left the game with a three-run lead...the bullpen couldn't hold on, though, as Danys Baez allowed two runs in the eighth and Jim Johnson blew his sixth save...

It's all up to Jeremy Guthrie (10-15) on Wednesday night...here's hoping the Birds don't drop seven straight...Go O's!

O' Yeah...

• Brian Roberts hit his 55th double of the season in the sixth inning...Roberts is now tied for the most doubles by a switch-hitter

Sox Sweep

Thank God. The O's don't have to play the Red Sox again this season. The Birds were swept by the Sox after a 9-3 defeat on Sunday at Camden Yards.

For the season, the O's went just 2-16 against Boston...

Starter Jason Berken (5-12) just couldn't get it going, and was charged with six runs off ten hits in three innings...the bullpen held Boston to three runs off four hits through the final six frames, but the damage had been done.

The Birds head to Toronto to begin a 10-game road trip starting Monday night...Chris Tillman (2-3) is slated to take the mound...Go O's!

Change of Scenery Doesn't Help O's

The Birds dropped the first game to the Toronto Blue Jays 9-2 at Rogers Centre on Monday night.

The O's took an early lead, but starter Chris Tillman (2-4) gave it back in a three-run third when he lost control of the strike zone...Tillman was charged with four runs off six hits and three walks through five innings. Relief pitcher Bob McCrory let the Jays run away with the game after allowing four runs in the eighth inning...McCrory now has a 17.18 ERA since being called up to the majors.

The O's managed just six hits on Monday night...Felix Pie knocked in both runs.

The two teams go at it again on Tuesday night...Mark Hendrickson takes the mound...Go O's!

Boston Wins Again

Another close game turned into a blowout on Saturday night at Camden Yards as the O's fell to the Red Sox 11-5.

Starter David Hernandez looked good, and left after the sixth inning with the score tied 3-3. Hernandez had allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out one.

Enter the bullpen: SIX relievers combined to allow eight runs off ten hits through the final three frames...pitiful.

The O's hit back-to-back solo shots in the ninth inning, and finished the game with four solo home runs (Ty Wiggonton went deep twice, and both Melvin Mora and Felix Pie homered) but it wasn't nearly enough. Matt Wieters went 3-for-5 with an RBI batting third in the lineup, but grounded into a double-play with the bases loaded to end the game...

Even worse, the Birds are now 2-15 against the Sox this season, and need a win on Sunday afternoon to avoid the sweep. Jason Berken (5-11) takes the mound...Go O's!

O's Fall to BoSox

At least the Birds actually got on the board...the O's managed just one run in a 3-1 loss to the visiting Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Luke Scott launched a solo home run in the third inning to knot the game at 1-1. That was the lone run the team scored in the past two games...

Jeremy Guthrie (10-15) took the loss, though he pitched well enough to win. Guthrie allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings while striking out one.

The Birds managed just five hits, and were hitless over the final three frames...let's hope the offense wakes up on Saturday...David Hernandez (4-8) takes the mound...Go O's!

O' Yeah...

• Nolan Reimold was placed on the 15-day DL, officially ending his season. Reimold was a great surprise this season, and I hope is at least mentioned for the ROY honors...

Rays Blank O's

The Orioles had a chance to win when they loaded the bases with none out in the first inning...instead, they lost to the visiting Rays 3-0 on Thursday night.

That scoring opportunity was the best chance the Birds would have all night, as they were shut out on four hits and two walks by a rookie pitcher (both walks and one hit came in the first inning). The Rays' Wade Davis struck out ten in a complete game victory...his first win in the Majors. Davis threw 124 pitches...more than any Oriole starter this season, if I recall correctly.

Mark Hendrickson (5-5) came back to the starting rotation and looked just fine through three innings...the rest of the bullpen backed him up but there's just so much you can do when the offense gives you nothing...

Still, the Birds split the 4-game set with Tampa Bay after taking two of three from the Yankees...sadly, that's progress! The Boston Red Sox come to town over the weekend, and Jeremy Guthrie (10-14) takes the mound Friday night...Go O's!

Weiters Comes Through Again

This time, the O's didn't let a little rain ruin their evening. The Birds lost a lead in the ninth but came right back to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 on Wednesday night at Camden Yards.

Chris Tillman (2-3) pitched the best game of his young career, allowing just one run off five hits through 6 2/3 innings. The O's took a 2-1 lead into the eighth before rain stopped play for over an hour and a half.

Closer Jim Johnson allowed a solo homer in the ninth inning to knot the score at two, but Matt Wieters drilled a 2-run walk-off jack in the bottom of the inning to give the O's a victory. Wieters also threw out Chris Crawford twice in the game, and has eight RBIs over the last two games.

The Birds send Mark Hendrickson (5-4) to the mound Thursday night...Go O's!!!

Bats Back Berken in Win

The O's were down early but battled back to defeat the Rays 10-5 on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

The Rays took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and led 5-0 in the third before the O's even got on the board...the Birds scored the final 10 runs of the game.

Starter Jason Berken (5-11) took the win after allowing five runs through 6 1/3 innings...Berken walked one and struck out two. The 'pen combined to allow just one hit through the final frames...

Every Oriole starter had at least one hit, but Matt Wieters had the offensive game of his young career...Weiters went 3-for-4 with a single, a double and a 3-run blast and finished with a career-best five RBIs. Brian Roberts set a new franchise record with his 52nd double...

Chris Tillman (2-3) gets the ball on Wednesday night as the Birds try to take the series from the Rays...Go O's!!

Every Streak Must Come to an End

The Tampa Bay Rays came to Baltimore losers of 11 straight games, but beat the O's 8-4 on Monday night at Camden Yards.

Starter David Hernandez (4-8) took the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits in three innings. Hernandez walked none and fanned five but was pulled after throwing 80 pitches.

The Birds scored four runs in the first inning but went quietly for the rest of the evening...

Jason Berken (4-11) looks for a win on Tuesday night...Go O's!

23 Years and Counting...

The O's couldn't complete the sweep in New York on Sunday afternoon, falling 13-3 to the Yankees.

I was busy watching the Ravens win, but had to flip back-and-forth for the O's score...

Jeremy Guthrie (10-14) took the loss but kept the game close into the sixth inning...Guthrie allowed five runs off 12 hits through 5 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out four.

The Birds' bullpen was blasted for eight runs in the eighth inning, giving the Yankees a rout and ending any chance of the O's sweeping the Yanks in New York for the first time since 1986.

Next up...the Tampa Bay Rays come to Baltimore for a 3-game set...David Hernandez takes the mound on Monday night...Go O's!

Matusz Dominant as O's Win Again

The Orioles won their second straight game at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon, taking down New York 7-3.

Brian Matusz (5-2) was brilliant yet again, allowing just one run on four hits over seven innings while walking two and fanning three. Jim Johnson was tagged for two runs in the ninth but the Birds held on for the win.

The O's scored six times in the second inning off of A.J. Burnett...Nolan Reimold led-off the inning with a solo homer and Brian Roberts capped it off with a grand slam. Both Reimold and Roberts have 15 homers on the season...

The Birds have won the series in New York and go for an elusive sweep on Sunday afternoon (they haven't swept in NY since 1986). Jeremy Guthrie (10-13) takes the mound...Go O's!!!

O's Take Down Yanks

The Orioles waited out two rain delays that lasted over two hours to hand the Yankees a 10-4 loss early Saturday morning at Yankee Stadium.

Starter Chris Tillman (2-3) went five innings and took the win. Things looked scary early when Tillman allowed a 3-run bomb in the first inning, but he settled down and allowed just one more run while striking out a career-high eight batters. The bullpen held the Yanks scoreless through the final four frames...

The Birds scored 10 runs off 16 hits...every starter had at least one hit except Felix Pie, who left the game early due to a back spasm. The win broke a streak that saw New York winning ten straight against the O's.

The two teams go at it again later this afternoon...Brian Matusz (4-2) takes the mound...Go O's!!

Birds Get on Board but Fall at Fenway

At least they scored this time. The Birds were swept out of Boston after a 7-5 loss on Wednesday night.

Starter Jason Berken really looks like a different pitcher, and left the game after allowing four runs (three earned) through 5 1/3 innings. Berken (4-11) settled down after allowing two runs in the first inning, and took a no-decision. Relievers Matt Albers and Danys Baez allowed the final, crushing blows in the seventh inning, and the Birds now limp out of Boston to head to New York.
Berken wasn't the lone bright spot of the evening; Brian Roberts slapped his 50th double in the fifth inning and is now one of just four players in the history of baseball to have 50-plus doubles in three-plus seasons...congratulations, Brian.

The O's are off Thursday night (I'll be watching football, anyway) before taking on the Yankees over the weekend...Chris Tillman (1-3) is slated to take the mound Friday night...Go O's!

Boston Bashes Birds

The Boston Red Sox humiliated the Orioles at Fenway Park Tuesday night, slapping six homers and shutting out the Birds 10-0.

Starter David Hernandez (4-7) lasted just 2 2/3 innings and was charged with six runs on four hits (all were homers) while walking two and fanning three. Boston's first five hits of the game were homers, and nine of their ten runs came via the long ball.

Meanwhile, the O's managed just five hits in the game, and only one (a Matt Wieters' double) went for extra bases.

The loss guaranteed a losing season, the 12th straight for the O's (56-82)...

The Birds and Sox go at it again on Wednesday night...Jason Berken (4-11) takes the mound. Go O's!

Guthrie Dominant as O's Blank Texas

The O's shut out the Texas Rangers in a 7-0 victory on Sunday afternoon...it was the fourth shutout this season and first for the Birds' pitching staff in three months.

Jeremy Guthrie continued to look like the 2008 version that we knew and loved...Guthrie (10-13) allowed just six hits and one walk through seven innings while striking out six. The 'pen held the potent Texas offense to just one hit through the final two frames, and the Birds won just their second series since the All-Star break.

The Birds jumped ahead early with a 2-run second and a 4-run fourth, and the support was much more than Guthrie would need...

The Birds have Monday off before heading to Boston for the start of a 7-game road trip...David Hernandez takes the mound at Fenway on Monday night...Go O's!!!

Throwback O's Snag a Win

Maybe the O's should wear the throwback jerseys more often...the Birds snapped their 4-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over Texas on Saturday night.

Starter Brian Matusz (4-2) got hit early but recovered and left with the lead after seven innings...Matusz allowed four runs on six hits while walking one and fanning four. Danys Baez pitched a scoreless eighth and Jim Johnson worked the ninth for his eighth save.

Melvin Mora was the game's MVP though; Mora went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and three RBIs, and made a great diving catch in the eighth inning...Nolan Reimold also launched a solo shot, his 14th of the year...

The Orioles looked different in loose-fitting, baggy uniforms...they were replicas of the 1949 Negro League champion Baltimore Elite Giants...whatever works, I say.

The Birds would still have to go undefeated for the rest of the season to finish with a .500 record...they'll try to win a series against Texas first...Jeremy Guthrie (9-13) takes the mound Sunday afternoon...Go O's!!

Tillman Can't Tame Tigers

The Orioles dropped their fourth straight on Friday night after falling 5-1 to the visiting Texas Rangers.

Starter Chris Tillman gave up five runs on seven hits over six innings in the loss. Tillman (1-3) walked three and struck out four and left after throwing 110 pitches (70 for strikes).

Three relievers combined for three innings of one-hit ball, but the O's offense managed just one run on four hits against Texas.

Brian Roberts batted third in the lineup to fill in for Adam Jones, and knocked in the Birds' only run in the sixth inning. Dave Trembley plans on keeping Roberts in the three-hole for the remainder of the season...

The Birds send lefty Brian Matusz (3-2) to the mound on Saturday afternoon...the game will be televised nationally on FOX...hopefully the team shows up...Go O's!

O' Yeah...

• With a month left in regulation, our very own Baltimore Orioles and our neighbors, the Washington Nationals, are the only two teams to be officially eliminated from post-season play...

Birds Blown Out in Ninth

The O's were in the game until a disastrous ninth inning turned a nail-biter into a blowout, as the Yankees swept the O's after a 10-2 win on Wednesday night at Camden Yards.

Starter Jason Berken impressed, pitching into the sixth inning and allowing just one run...the bullpen surrendered the lead in the seventh but the O's headed into the ninth down by just one run. That's when it all fell apart.

Jim Johnson was unable to record a single out and was charged with five runs on three hits and two walks...Dennis Sarfate allowed another four hits and was charged with two runs...Brian Bass (in the role he is most comfortable in: a blowout) was able to record the final out with the O's trailing 10-2.

That pretty much sums it up...the O's have now dropped 10 straight to the Yankees and have been swept in consecutive series...they face NY one more time this season...in New York.

Honestly, this was a humbling series. Sure, the Yankees are nearly 40 games over .500 and the O's are close to 30 under the break-even mark, but I figured the team could win at least one game. Pettitte was untouchable on Monday, the Yankees were homer-happy on Tuesday, but the finale showed promise...until the ninth. So close, yet so far away, as the old saying goes.

The Birds (54-80) are realistically looking at a 100-loss season in 2009. WAY back in April, I posted a poll asking fans what would be acceptable this year, and well over half of the respondents stated that a .500 season would be a welcome refreshment (myself included). Just a few weeks ago, most of us had conceded that the Birds would wind up in the cellar once again...so my question is, have the O's improved? It has certainly been a disappointing season (again), but yet it was one filled with new hope and a belief that the franchise was heading in the right direction...

I'll be sticking around for the final month of the Orioles' season, and hopefully some of you will as well. It's tough, but (hopefully) it will be well worth it in the end...

Chris Tillman (1-2) takes the mound on Friday night as the Birds host the Texas Rangers for a 3-game series...Go O's!

Bombs Away!

The Bronx Bombers smashed five home runs and beat the O's 9-6 on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

The game went back-and-forth until the seventh inning, when Chris Ray allowed back-to-back jacks that broke a 6-all tie and gave the Yankees a 9-6 lead...

Starter David Hernandez set a season-high with seven strikeouts, but he walked six batters and allowed three homers through five innings.

Dave Trembley brought in Dennis Sarfate to start the sixth inning with the Birds up 6-5 (Luke Scott launched a monstrous 3-run bomb in the bottom of the fifth to give the O's their first lead since Felix Pie's solo shot in the first put them ahead 1-0). Sarfate allowed a hit and a walk before being pulled for Alberto Castillo, who got two quick outs before being pulled for Chris Ray. (Trembley went a little crazy now that there are fresh arms in the bullpen...no clue why he brought in Ray to face A-Rod (4-for-8 with 2 homers against Ray coming into the game)). A-Rod ripped an RBI singe to tie the game, and Trembley left Ray in to start the seventh...Ray gave up three runs off five hits (two homers) in just 1/3 of an inning...he took the blown save (his 3rd) and the loss (0-3).

The Birds actually outhit the Yankees 13-12, but five of the Yankees' hits were homers, and they scored eight of their nine runs via the long ball. The O's pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts but also walked eight batters...

Game three Wednesday night...it's up to Jason Berken (4-11) to help the Birds avoid the sweep...Go O's!