On Wednesday night Jeremy Guthrie poured in the performance of the season.  You can ask for no more from the righty who gave up only 3 hits in 8 innings while striking out 8 batters. 

The one run Guthrie surrendered was a Lance Berkman Eutaw St. blast in the 7th, the slugger’s 20^th of the season, that you can hardly call a blemish on Guthrie’s sparkling gem. 

This will serve as exhibit A when anyone points to the young pitcher’s woeful record because yet again he unjustly did not receive the win for his efforts.  Bradford was the recipient of Wednesday’s ‘w’ for his 2 hit, 2 inning, work in the 9^th and 10^th with the score 1-1.  That is, until the tenth.

Brian Moehler had a strong 1 run outing of his own going through 6 1/3, and the middle relief cobbled together 3 innings of shutout baseball.  Houston closer Jose Valverde was summoned in the 10^th looking for his 5^th win of the season (that’s right, 2 more than Guthrie). 

Melvin Mora, with 1 out, stroked a single to put the go-ahead run on base.  Mora then broke for second, pulling Tejada, who was 0 for 4 on the night, out of position to cover the bag, as Huff sent a short liner through the vacant shortstop hole and into left, allowing Mora to reach third.  Millar then stepped up, and on a 2-1 count, laced a game-winning single right back up the middle at Valverde.

The closer gave Millar the credit saying, “It was the same as last night -- I threw my best pitch. All of my pitches are working. My split-finger, my cutter is working. This guy was hitting good today -- nothing you can do about that."

After Luke Scott’s homerun in the 7th, the scoring should never have stopped there.  The O’s proceeded to load the bases with 1 out, but Nick Markakis struck out with his bat on his shoulder and Mora hit a weak grounder for an out. 

But, as Guthrie said after the game, “You just want to win. If the team wins, that's what's most important to me.”

Score: 2-1 Orioles (10), (Box Score)

Next Game: Houston 7:05pm Thurs., Burres (5-5) vs. Chacon (2-2)

Record: 36-34, 7.5GB

(AP Photo)

 In the second inning, Millar took a foul ball hard off of his knee and had to leave the game during his first at bat.  Oscar Salazar stepped in to fill his role in the clean up spot.  Why not? He was hitting 1.000 on the year before today (1 for 1). 

 Early in the game, the O’s had trouble getting anything going against Lester.  Adam Jones worked a no out walk in the fifth only to get caught stealing during Jay Payton’s subsequent at bat.

Guthrie looked pretty strong through 4.1 innings, but surrendered a grand slam to Mike Lowell in the fifth.  The O’s walked the bases loaded, giving an intentional pass to Manny in the previous at bat.  Manny runs like he’s in a vat of pudding, so with one out and men on second and third, Trembley was looking for the double play.  Not a bad strategy, if it works.  Since it didn’t, Guthrie is pulled with two outs in the fourth, his shortest outing of the season.

Chad Bradford steps in to retire the only batter he had to face in the fifth, stranding one of the Sox’s 19^th century strong men, Kevin Youkilis, on third, where he seemed to be lingering all day.   

The Orioles get on the board in the top of the sixth, thanks to Salazar’s two out double that drives in Brian Roberts, who hit his own double and advanced to third on a Markakis ground out.  Huff hits the third double of the inning to drive in Salazar and make it a 5-2 game.  But Lester induces an Adam Jones pop up with Huff on third and Hernandez on first to squelch a potential rally. 

Continuing a strong performance, Youkilis hits a two run homer off of Sarfate in the seventh, once again putting a five run distance between the teams. 

Salazar then pulls a muscle legging out up the first base line.  He is replaced in the game by Freddie Bynum.  At the top of the eighth, Alex Cintron shifts to first base and Bynum takes over at short.  Cintron is thus the third Oriole of the day to play first.  Is Eddie Murray still hanging out around the broadcast booth?

JD Drew hit another two run dinger in the eighth, widening the Sox lead to 9-2.  After that, the deficit was too great for the O’s, who head back to Camden Yards for an interleague homestand.  First up, a reunion with utility man Chris Gomez.  No word on whether his former teammates will finally teach Gomez their secret handshake.   

So the birds finish a 5-4 road trip, taking two of three from Minnesota and Toronto and losing the last two of three in Boston.  The team currently stands at 32-33, eight behind the East-leading Red Sox.  They’ll face the Pirates and Astros at home, then travel to face the Brewers, Cubs, and Nationals. 

Jim Hunter and Rick Dempsey were insisting after today’s game that a winning road trip foreshadows a strong performance in the team’s next stretch, but how do you feel?   Was this a successful road trip?  The team seamed to have a chance to win most of their recent games, with today’s being the most one sided.  Where do you see the team’s record after interleague matchups?  Hopefully, the team can get some more strong pitching performances from their young arms and timely hits from the middle of the lineup, or we’ll be talking about trade deadline maneuvers by the All-Star break.

Score: 2-9 Red Sox, (Box Score)

Next Game: Pittsburgh 7:05pm, Burres vs. Dumatrait (3-3)

Record: 32-33, 8 GB

(Youkilis: AP Photo, Orioles: Getty Images)

Jeremy Guthrie wound up on the losing end of another strong effort Wednesday night giving up 3 in a 4-2 loss to the Yankees.

I can’t stop feeling bad for the young pitcher who is now 2-6 but could just as easily and probably deserves to be 5-3. 

After a week’s worth of four run comebacks on Tuesday night, only Roberts and Mora could keep the ball rolling against a strong Andy Pettitte performance. 

The pair combined to go 6 for 9 and accounted for both runs and both RBI.  The rest of the lineup scrounged up 3 hits on 27 at bats.

Though Markakis only managed a 1 for 3 with a walk, he is showing signs of returning to form.  He looks more disciplined at the plate (only 1 K in his last 3 games) and seems looser in his approach.

The series win does pull the O’s back to .500 and brings them half a game ahead of the last place Yankees.

After an off day Thursday, the Red Sox red tide rolls through town for a weekend set.  Be sure to get your orange out around town.

The Sox will throw Beckett, Lester, and the rejuvenated Colon against Cabrera, Olson, and Burres. 

You’ll notice one senior Orioles pitcher missing from that list - it is confirmed that Trachsel will not make his next start. 

His future has not been commented on by Orioles brass just yet, but hopefully we will get some kind of answer for the void he leaves in the rotation (whether he pitches or not).

 Bedard Shows Up

Erik Bedard recorded his fourth win in a 1-0, 7 inning, 8 K gem against the Red Sox.  The AP didn’t pull any punches, “Finally, two months into a dreadful season, the Mariners' ace showed up.  Erik Bedard looked like the man for whom Seattle traded five players to Baltimore in February,” but as long as it’s against the Red Sox, I can applaud.

Apology

I'm sorry for the brief and unexpected hiatus.  What a couple days for it to happen too, a pair of great Orioles wins at home against the Yankees.  What do you prefer: win it in the bottom of the eleventh in a 9 homerun game, or run away with it 6-1 with a big seventh inning?

(Wednesday Box Score)

(AP Photo)

Jeremy Guthrie and the Baltimore Orioles lost another close one Friday night 2-0 to the Rays at Tampa Bay.  The righty goes to 2-5 despite a very respectable 3.62 ERA.

The poor guy gives up 1 run on 4 hits in 6 and 2/3 and he takes the loss – a good example of the typical Guthrie outing this year.  He can’t seem to get the run support to record the wins that his performances deserve.

Mora returned with his cut finger only to go 0 for 4 not contributing to the 4-hit Oriole effort.

The Orioles offense has scored only 1 run in the past 2 games, behind on an aggregate score of 4-1. At the end of the night, the top hitting Oriole in average is Freddy Bynum at .289 who seemingly just hasn’t had a chance to fall below the Mendoza line.

Other than Bynum, Scott and Roberts lead the O’s with .257 – an embarrassing batting average to be leading a lineup (minimum 50 at bats).

This loss is the third straight and the fourth in the last five, but the O’s still remain half a game ahead of Toronto for the middle slot in the division.

Saturday night the struggling and very well rested Steve Trachsel (2-4) takes on Tampa’s Edwin Jackson (2-3) at 6:10. 

Trachsel hasn’t pitched since May 9^th, so let me refresh you a bit.  The veteran’s ERA has skyrocketed to 6.75 and he hasn’t made it out of the third inning in 3 of his 7 starts in 2008. 

In his career, the sluggish Trachsel is 0-3 with a 5.93 ERA in 5 starts against the Rays and is 7.13 on the road this season.  Maybe 15 days off will rejuvenate him.

Brace yourselves, hope for the best, and pray that the offense can produce some runs.

(Friday Night Box Score)

(Photo: AP)

A ball off Huff’s glove at third.  A ball between Millar’s legs at first.  3 runs in.  Given credit for 2.  Really only earned 1.  Many starting pitchers would pack it in after a first inning like that.  Not Jeremy Guthrie.  Not Tuesday night in Baltimore against Josh Beckett and the Sox.

The Orioles number 1 has seen his share of tough losses this season, evidenced by the 2-3 record and 4.18 ERA despite how well he has actually pitched.  When Guthrie came back onto the field in the second, he looked like a kid who decided he just had to get tougher.

And so he did, striking out 7 over 6 innings and not giving up another run, allowing the O’s to win it 5-4.  

Guthrie was looking so smooth Trembley sent him back out in the 7^th with over 100 pitches under his belt.  The break from conventional managing wisdom turned out to be a mistake.

Guthrie had clearly lost his pop allowing the first 2 batters of the inning to reach base, followed by the struggling Walker walking Ortiz to load up the bases.

With no one out, O’s up 5-3, the young Jim Johnson was summoned from the pen to face Manny Ramirez in just the type of situation Manny has made a living on for nearly 16 seasons.

Seemingly by sheer will, in a Camden Yards pressure cooker situation, Jim Johnson delivered an unhittable, but irresistible, inside slider to the slugger that bounced in front of the plate back to the pitcher. 

Toss home, throw to first, double play, and with Mike Lowell’s lazy fly ball to left field, Jim Johnson was a magician for a night making a sure Red Sox comeback disappear.

“He worked a pitching miracle right there,” said a grateful Guthrie.

Johnson would give up a run before Sherrill locked it down in the 8th and 9th, but the kid showed signs of a deadly combination- poise and talent.

Luke Scott’s 3-run homerun in a 4-run third off Beckett was Scott’s first in Camden Yards and second on the season.  Given the Success the young left fielder/DH has had at home, his power numbers will likely spike as he gets more comfortable.

Adam Jones took a small step toward breaking out of a 4 for 35 May by going 2 for four Tuesday night.

Melvin Mora was hit in the shoulder by a ball during batting practice and is listed as day to day.  He will get x-rays and will be more thoroughly evaluated.  Don’t expect to see him until this weekend at the earliest.

Ramon Hernandez is worse than Trembley had originally let on.  He took a cortisone shot in the ailing wrist but still reports difficult swinging the bat.  Don’t be surprised if he goes on the 15-day DL.

Tampa Bay beat the Yankees to secure first place for the first time in franchise history this late in the season.

Steve Trachsel will be skipped this time through the rotation, as expected.  He will be used in relief only in "emergency situations."

 (Tuesday Box Score)

(AP Photo: Nick Wass)

Baltimore bats showed signs of life Wednesday afternoon in Oakland, but it just wasn’t enough as the O’s lost their fifth straight, 6-5.

The Orioles can’t get out of California quick enough after going 1-5 on the road trip.  Unfortunately, they have another stop before coming back to the Yard, but with any luck the 14-18 Royals give us a chance to get back on track Thursday. Cabrera (2-1) takes on righty Luke Hochevar (2-1) at 8pm Eastern in the series opener.

Base runners weren’t the problem for a change, with 13 hits and 5 team walks, but hitters couldn’t capitalize on some prime opportunities.  Leadoff men on base should score, but the Birds had trouble stringing their hits together for much of the game.

Trembley and Guthrie were visibly frustrated after the game giving short abrupt answers and cutting interviews to a minimum.  You can’t blame them-  Trembley can’t get the pitching when he finally gets the hitting, though he did defend his pitcher, and poor Guthrie (1-3), who gave up 4 runs, isn’t getting the wins when he deserves them or not. 

Melvin Mora scored his 4^th error of the season in the eighth inning leading to a run that allowed the A’s to get right back into the game with a tie at 5.  The game-ender then came in the bottom of the tenth when the slumping Mark Ellis broke out of his 0 for17 with a solo shot against recent call-up Lance Cormier.

With today’s loss, the Orioles drop to the bottom of the division in a temporary tie with the Jays who play Wednesday evening at home against Tampa Bay.  The 1-0 Matt Garza tries to win on the road against the 3-2 Shaun Marcum.

 (Wednesday Box Score)

(Photo: AP)

Pat Santarone, Longtime Orioles Groundskeeper Dead at 79

The Orioles family is saddened by the passing of Pat Santarone, head groundskeeper for 28 years from 1969-1991.

Great article here at WBAL about Santarone and his longtime friendship with Earl Weaver.  Take a listen to the audio clip of Earl next to the story - great oldtime baseball stories told firsthand. 

From the 2-hole, Markakis sparked the offense, which has been languishing for a couple games, with his 5th home run, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored – one off a Mora single in the fifth.  After scrounging up only 3 hits on Thursday, Oriole bats managed 8 hits Saturday and even got stolen bases from Luis Hernandez and Melvin Mora.

The highlight of the night came on a sharp grounder to Brian Roberts in the 8^th who barehanded a catch deep behind second base to stop an Angels rally.  With a quick throw to first, Roberts nabbed the fleet-footed Figgins at first and kept the Oriole momentum moving. 

Of course, Ramon Hernandez went 0-4 to follow-up his lively Friday and even allowed a pair of steals.  Ramon falls back to .190 and the vigil starts anew.

In a bit of uncharacteristic batting order shuffle, Trembley moves Millar down to the 6^th spot with his .209 and slots Huff into the cleanup slot.  What took so long to get Millar out of cleanup, I’ll never understand, but let’s see if Huff can capitalize and start accumulating RBI.

Baltimore jockeys to second in the division on a Red Sox win against Tampa.

No Lance Cormier just yet, but we'll see how the rest of the weekend goes.

(Friday Box Score)

Bedard Takes First Loss

In New York, Erik Bedard took his first loss of the season against the Yankees.  He only surrendered 4 hits in 7 innings for 1 earned run, but 3 total runs, and still took the L in a 5-1 defeat.  It wasn't the M's night as Bedard is now 2-1.

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Due to some spotty pitching, the Orioles lost the latter two of the first three games in Chicago, 6-5 and 6-1 this weekend.  After riding a three game winning streak into the second game of Saturday’s twin-bill, the O’s still find themselves in a three-way tie for first in the division with Tampa Bay and Boston.

In Saturday’s nightcap, veteran Steve Trachsel couldn’t get out of his own way sinking the team into a five run hole (four earned) after only nine outs.  The offense rallied to tie it until Randor Bierd, nearly automatic until now, gave up the conclusive run on two hits and two runs. 

Millar and Huff, the two experienced RBI producers, both had a chance in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded, but they could not make it happen.  You set the fourth and fifth hole in the order for situations just like that, but they did not come through on Saturday night.

In your evening with the Hernandezes, we were spared the stress of watching Luis try to make plays at short and drop his .233.  Granted, he did go 1 for 1 pinch-hitting for Eider Torres who recorded two errors himself, but the young Eider also recorded his first hit as an O.  The also disappointing Ramon actually raised his average by going 1 for 4 and did admittedly record two, what could have been key, RBI. 

Sunday’s game certainly went even worse.  Once again, the offense couldn’t figure out Jose Contreras (for previous woes against the funky delivery, read here) and the Baltimore pitchers weren’t stingy giving out runs – a rough combination.  

Jeremy Guthrie gave us five innings and was credited with three earned runs – not horrible, but you hope for more.  The real disaster came when Greg Aquino’s cock-eyed hat poked out of the bullpen.  Three runs and only one out.  Can you believe this guy was nearly our closer?  I have a quick hook, but how long do we give his 14.21 ERA to come around?  Can’t we put this guy on the DL or something?

Oh, and Ramon Hernandez scored his fourth error and went 0 for 4 bringing him to .181.  Make that another candidate for the DL.  I’m starting a prayer group that he can reach Mendoza by Memorial Day.

Final note of interest, a post just popped up that’s speculating on a Roberts trade to Colorado.  Another compelling option to ponder.  Thoughts?

(Saturday Night Box Score)   (Sunday Box Score)

(Photo: AP)