safeco field

The Orioles didn't play their best baseball this weekend. But after a career day by Nelson Cruz in a 7-5 win in 11 innings over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon, they left Tropicana Field with a 9 1/2-game lead in the American League East.

The Orioles margin for error this season has been razor thin. They know it, and the statistics back it up. That streak was snapped in a 6-3 Orioles loss before an announced crowd of 36,508 at Camden Yards.

Delmon Young rewarded Buck Showalter's decision to give him the start, hitting a three-run home run off Hisashi Iwakuma in the third inning that powered the Orioles to a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners in front of an announced 19,621 at Safeco Field.

Third baseman Manny Machado isn't starting for the third consecutive game Thursday as the Orioles open a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

How does this year's squad stack up through 100 games against successful Orioles teams of the past?

The Orioles bullpen couldn't hold the lead handed to it by right-hander Chris Tillman, though, as the Angels rallied for two runs in the eighth for their major league-leading 31st comeback win.

Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez took a step forward in his recovery from a right ankle sprain that has kept him on the disabled list since July 13, retroactive to July 8.

Power couple Beyonce and Jay Z are going on tour this summer -- and making a stop in Baltimore. The On the Run Tour stops at M&T Bank Stadium on July 7.

The Orioles dropped the rubber match of their three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, 8-3, at Safeco Field on Wednesday night. Here's what some of the key figures were saying in the clubhouse afterward.

As a veteran of eight minor league seasons, right-hander Zach Clark has endured plenty of excruciating bus rides during his career. He had never been on a cross-country flight, however, until he flew to Seattle on Tuesday.

Orioles left-hander Zach Britton was hoping to get more than one start to show the organization that he had regained the form that made him one of the club's most promising pitchers a few years ago. He is going to have to do that again at Triple-A.

Playing against the Orioles has to be viewed as just another game, Seattle Mariners infielder Robert Andino said before the teams' three-game series at Safeco Field kicked off.

The Orioles have made a series of roster moves before tonight's game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Zach Britton's line wasn't good Monday but it was also a little misleading.

No doubt, there were a lot Orioles fans second-guessing the decision to let Joe Saunders get away while they were watching him tie the O's in knots on Monday night at Safeco Field in Seattle. The contrast was just too obvious, as Saunders pitched a complete game while another fifth starter candidate struggled to keep up with him.

The Orioles lost to former teammate Joe Saunders and the Seattle Mariners, 6-2, Monday night at Safeco Field. Here's what some of the key figures had to say afterward.

The Orioles had a pretty good sense as to what they were going to see against former teammate Joe Saunders on Monday night. They had no idea what they could expect from their own starting pitcher.

Catcher Chris Snyder, whom the Orioles acquired Sunday from the Los Angeles Angels in a deal for minor league right-hander Rob Delaney, was at Safeco Field on Monday, but he has not been activated.

Zach Britton had been wondering for four days whether he'd get into a big league game against the Oakland A's.

Zach Britton will make his 2013 debut as the club¿s starter Monday at Safeco Field against the Seattle Mariners and Britton¿s old Orioles teammate, Joe Saunders.

When Zach Britton left the Orioles in March, he felt like he wasn't in a situation in which he could succeed in the majors.

Jim Johnson and Jason Hammel got big paydays on Friday, and are set up for bigger paydays later

Now that former Orioles left-hander Joe Saunders has reportedly agreed to terms with the Mariners on a one-year deal, we know the group that¿s going to open camp with the team in Sarasota next week, minus maybe a minor-league signing here or there.

The Orioles wanted to resign left-hander Joe Saunders, who played a significant role in the team's playoff run, but on Thursday evening the 31-year-old reportedly agreed to one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners.

Trayvon Robinson was on the other side of the Orioles¿ greatest example of resilience last season.

Top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy finally got into a major league game Sunday, making his major league debut in a relief appearance in the eighth inning of the series finale between the Orioles and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Down the stretch is a daily Orioles Insider blog that will set up the coming night for the O's and their American League competition as the push for the postseason continues.

When Adam Jones launched his 30th home run to deliver the crowning blow in the Orioles' three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, it was hard not to think of former O's pitcher Erik Bedard.

It was just a matter of time before Adam Jones picked up his 30th homer of the season. Jones hit a full-count slider over the left field wall in the 11th inning on Wednesday to give the Orioles a 3-1 victory and their first sweep in Seattle since May, 1997.

Dylan just talked with the Orioles media in Seattle. Here's what he sai.

Orioles fans were rubbing the sleep from their eyes Wednesday after the club took them on another wild ride into the wee hours of the morning. Such improbable events have become the norm for this team as it pushes toward the playoffs.

The major league call-up of Orioles 19-year-old phenom Dylan Bundy to help replenish the club's bullpen after an 18-inning game Tuesday night is a surprise. But it's being made for the right reasons, according to Jim Palmer.

We asked Baltimore Orioles fans who stayed up for the 18-inning win over Seattle to share their experiences of watching the marathon game. Here are a selection of responses:

The Baltimore Orioles are calling up Dylan Bundy, their top pitching prospect, to join the team in Seattle against the Mariners.

If the Orioles' 4-2, 18-inning, five-hour and 44-minute victory over the Seattle Mariners wasn't weird enough, consider the plight of reliever Tommy Hunter on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. He picked up the win. And some bird excrement in the process.

Wednesday's news from around the Baltimore area

The Baltimore Orioles won their 14th consecutive extra-inning game on Wednesday morning, 4-2, in the 18th inning over the Seattle Mariners.

After they lost to the Boston Red Sox last night, it's fair to ask: Are the Tampa Bay Rays done?

Now the Orioles step into a stretch in which they have to dominate. Their next dozen games are against sub.500 teams. That span (of 13) started Monday, when they pounded the Seattle Mariners, 10-4.

As we reported last night, the salary of Joe Blanton is a sticking point in a deal to bring the husky right-hander to Baltimore. The Orioles just aren¿t paying $3 million or anything close to it for a two-month rental, No. 4-type starter

The only thing forgiving to the Orioles on Monday night in Seattle was the official scorer at Safeco Field. The Orioles were only charged with one error ¿ raising their major-league high to 70 -- in their 6-3 loss to the Mariners Monday night, but anyone staying up past the late local news to watch Baltimore¿s comedy of non-errors knows better than that.