nate mclouth

Scott Feldman was forced to watch from the dugout as the Texas Rangers opened up the game with a six-run sixth inning, charged with a season-high seven runs over 5 1/3 innings as the Orioles dropped a 8-5 decision to Texas in the series opener in front of an announced 24,619 at Camden Yards.

The situation was dire Sunday afternoon in the Bronx. The Baltimore Orioles were on the verge of getting swept by the New York Yankees, a team that had been written off by some just a week ago. The 1-0 deficit seemed pretty much insurmountable, and that was before the greatest closer in baseball history took the ball in the ninth. But in an instant, All-Star center fielder Adam Jones turned the tide for the Orioles.

The Orioles deserve props for their campaign to get players into the All Star Game.

Orioles third baseman is on pace to break the all-time record for most doubles in a single season

After making a critical error that fueled the Orioles¿ comeback from a two-run deficit, White Sox first baseman Adam Dunn hit a game-winning solo homer off Orioles right-hander Tommy Hunter in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the Orioles to a 3-2 walk-off loss in front of an announced 21,321 at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Baltimore sports scene is blessed with a bunch of talented bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. This week, we exchanged emails with Avi Miller, who blogs about the Baltimore Orioles for Baltimore Sports Report.

Henry Urrutia was wildly successful at the Double-A level, hitting seven home runs and 16 doubles, driving in 37 runs and producing a .365/.433/.550 slash line in 52 games in Bowie. Last Wednesday, Urrutia was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game during the MLB's All-Star festivities in New York City. A day later, Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced that Urrutia was being promoted to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles managed just five hits in seven innings against Sabathia ¿ and were held without a hit for the game¿s first five innings ¿ but McLouth¿s go-ahead solo homer off Sabathia in the bottom of the seventh was the difference in the Orioles¿ 4-3 comeback win in front of an announced 40,041 at Camden Yards.

The Orioles' 7-3 victory over featured one ridiculously weird inning that included an out that wasn't, a safe baserunner who jogged off the field, and the end of Manny Machado's consecutive-innings streak due to an ejection by an umpire making his big league debut behind the plate.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, who is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Norfolk, hopes his stay there is a short one.

TORONTO -- Four Orioles players are still in line to start for the American League in this year¿s All-Star Game, but one race is getting extremely close, according to the latest AL all-star fan balloting results released Saturday night.

After daughter's birth, starting pitcher holds Blue Jays to three runs, three hits in 7 1/3 innings Saturday

The Orioles pounded Tigers pitching in Wednesday afternoon's 13-3 series finale win over the defending American League champions with three homers and 17 hits.

Chris Davis will get a day off from playing first base in this afternoon's series finale against the Tigers, allowing newly added Travis Ishikawa to start at first today.

Norfolk first baseman Travis Ishikawa exercised his opt-out clause. The Orioles have 48 hours to promote him or trade him or he becomes a free agent.

Orioles veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia began a disconcerting trend after his second start of the season in May. One rough outing; one quality start. And back again and again.

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis moved into third-place among American League outfielders in the All-Star Game voting, putting the team in position to have four starters in the July 16 exhibition.

Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman might not be the biggest name in pitching in the major leagues right now, but his performance over the past two seasons ranks among the best.

Chris Davis' walk-off single to left gave the Orioles a 5-4 win and ended a four-hour, 35-minute marathon at Camden Yards.

Leading 4-2 in the seventh, Orioles reliever Pedro Strop allowed a three-run triple to Angels No. 9 hitter Erick Aybar that sparked a six-run inning and quickly changed the momentum of the game.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said there is a simple key to competing with the slugging teams of the American League, clubs that seemingly can score at will: Play excellent defense.

With the chance to add to a 2-1 lead with the Orioles' top hitters due up, left fielder Nate McLouth took off from first base in an attempt to steal his 23rd base of the year.

The Orioles sent three players to the All-Star Game last season, just the second time since 2000 that they had multiple representatives. They could have even more this summer, perhaps as many as five or six.

But the timing was perfect for the Orioles, who scored two runs through monsoon-like rain in the bottom of the sixth, then held on following a two-hour, 14-minute rain delay for a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels that was completed just 10 minutes before midnight.

-- Orioles manager Buck Showalter right-hander Pedro Strop will be a consideration to be activated off the DL on Saturday. Strop said his bullpen session on Thursday went well and he has no pain.

Five active Orioles have a higher batting average than Nick Markakis this season. The veteran right fielder is fifth on the team in doubles. He is fifth in home runs. Fifth in runs scored. And fifth in runs batted in. Where Markakis currently ranks in those categories has everything to do with the high-powered Orioles offense and nothing to do with how he is hitting.

Six different Astros homered in the first four innings against Orioles pitchers Freddy Garcia (2-3) and Steve Johnson in an 11-7 O's loss.

Each Wednesday, Baltimore Sun blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Baltimore Orioles.

Five times Chris Tillman has pitched in opposing parks this season, and five times the Orioles (33-25) have been victorious. He is 4-0 in those games.

Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that Chris Davis is leading all American League first basemen in the latest All-Star voting results released by Major League Baseball on Monday.

The Baltimore sports scene is blessed with a bunch of talented bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. This week, we exchanged emails with Mark Brown, who blogs about the Orioles for the Camden Chat blog.