In his 4^th and worst start of the season Radhames Liz was overwhelmed in the first 2 innings, but a huge night from Aubrey Huff pushed the Orioles ahead to win 8-5 in Milwaukee. 

After Liz’s shockingly strong start on June 3^rd it’s been a steady downhill decent for the 24-year old righty.  The youngster has not earned a decision since his debut win but has earned himself a ballooning 6.27 ERA – 13 runs on 18 2/3 inning, including 5 runs on 2 innings of work Friday night.

Trembley said of Liz, “I thought he got caught up in the environment of the game.  He just didn't have his delivery tonight or command of his fastball. ... You pitch behind, you get in trouble."  

Experience can cure that but hopefully he can stay mentally tough enough to get back to making quality major league starts.  (read: don’t hang out with Daniel Cabrera too much)

The bullpen went on to lock down the game in the following 7 innings not allowing a run after Liz’s exit in the 3^rd with no outs.  Aubrey Huff was as locked in as we’ve seen him while an Oriole. 

Huff was working first base Friday night while Millar got the night off due to the lack of DH spot and went 4 for 5 with 2 homeruns.  He’s now homered in 2 straight games and 4 of his last 5.

The two teams accounted for 11 combined runs in the first three innings getting the game off to a torrid start.  By the time the craziness was over 5 different Orioles recorded RBI.

Friday night was indeed a wild game with lots of early offense and odd plays including a dropped third strike to Freddie Bynum in the 4^th who was able to leg it out to first.  On the night, though, Bynum struck out in 3 of his 5 plate appearances and recorded no hits.  Cintron is showing a stark offensive contrast to Bynum making Trembley’s allegiance to Freddie look unwarranted.

Sherrill came on in the 9^th to earn his 25^th save of the season.  This one was as hard-won as any as the flat-capped lefty clearly did not have his best stuff, but battled for a save anyway.

Said his manager, “The guy's makeup and sense of competitiveness is as good as I've ever seen”

In Ex-Orioles news, Erik Bedard left his Friday night start after the third inning with back spasms.  More bad luck for the woeful Mariners.

Score: 8-5 Orioles, (Box Score)

Next Game: @Milwaukee 7:05pm Fri, Cabrera (5-2) vs. McClung (4-3)

Record: 38-34, 6GB

(AP Photo)

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)

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)

Jeremy Guthrie made his fifth start of the season Tuesday night in Seattle, but still hasn’t nailed down his first win.  Oriole bats provided little support against the as good as advertised Mariners staff in a 4-2 loss.

Take pressure off the bullpen by pitching late into games?  7 2/3 – check

Keep it close to give your offense a chance?  3 Earned Runs – check

For extra credit, do it on the road?  Seattle, WA – check

Trembley stuck with his number 1 starter through 116 pitches saying, “As well as Guthrie pitched right there, I don't want to bring someone in and have them walk the guy or give up his runs. I felt Guthrie had pitched well enough to win it or lose it on his own." 

Is that confidence in Guthrie or trying to take some pressure off the relief staff?   If starters can’t go this far consistently, it’s exactly the kind of chance Trembley will have to take in close games. 

Of course, we also have to hope that our .196 catcher stops throwing the ball into right field (for error 3 on the year) and we can bring guys home when they get on base (7 left on).  

The Orioles will not have a chance to correct that against Erik Bedard this week as the Seattle Post Intelligencer is reporting Bedard is active but will not make his next start until Saturday against the A’s.  This contradicts an earlier story posted by the SPI stating that Bedard is probable for a Thursday start against the O's. 

Photo: Betancourt Scores In the Fifth (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

In subtle Oriole comedy, team promotions selected Jackie Robinson night to also be Adam Jones T-shirt night.  As a result, 10,000 fans were wearing the number and name of a man who, on the field, wasn't even wearing his own jersey.  For any fan unfamiliar with Jones or that it was Jackie Robinson night, this must have been very confusing.  Interesting way to build a viral following for a future star.

I'll spare you the gory details of the otherwise miserable performance.  In short, Trachsel looked bad, Aquino looked worse, and even Sarfate got into the spirit giving up 2 inconsequential runs in the 9th on the way to an 11-3 loss.  Picture a classic 2007 pitching performance, and there you have it.  Randor Bierd continues to look solid giving up only 2 hits and no runs in 3 1/3, but overall another taxing bullpen night in a definitive loss. (That's right, I said taxing.)

At the end of the third inning when the initial bleeding had stopped and the Orioles got one back, the new monitor moved into the fan favorite This or That contest.  In this between inning entertainment a number of players choose their preferred musical group from two offered.  Last night, Elvis was leading the Beatles 2 votes to 1, when I was simultaneously proud and discouraged.  Aubrey Huff, not even in the night's line-up, came on the screen to pick his favorite when a smattering of boos rose audibly in the stadium.

I love that people are paying attention during the game.  I love that fans want their players to support their city.  I love that fans care enough about the team to boo a guy they disagree with.  But seriously, it's over, it's old news, and it's been argued to death.  Yeah it was a dumb thing to say, yes it was taken a bit out of context, but the ship has sailed.  There are other things to latch on to and at this point the majority of it is going on on the field.

Oh, and the M's put Bedard on the 15-day DL.  Should I not be enjoying that as much as I am?

(Photo by Pete Sabatini/Examiner.com)

Conspiracy theorists (read: me) swirled amid rumors that it was more than just a coincidence that Adam Jones and Erik Bedard were both out of the lineup for what should have been thier first head-to-head encounter, but it looks like Bedard is rankled by more than just chronic sullen-ness.  Could Bedard turn out to be the Mariners' lemon in the big trade that brought Adam Jones and George Sherill to Baltimore? 

In other former Oriole pitcher news, BJ Ryan made his first appearance of the season for Toronto.  Ryan recorded the save in his first game action in over a year after Tommy John Surgery.  This is the third year in the closer's 5-year $47 million contract and should be a key piece in what critics are calling a potential breakout year for the Jays.  Hopefully we'll have a chance to "welcome" BJ back to the Yard this week.