zach britton

Orioles closer Zach Britton just missed winning the first-ever Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award, finishing tied for second place behind Kansas City Royals closer Greg Holland.

There was plenty of disappointment from Orioles fans on Tuesday when Buck Showalter placed second for the annual Sporting News American League Manager of the Year Award.

As the Orioles' season ended in Kansas City on Wednesday, there was a lot of reflecting on the series and the season in the visiting clubhouse of Kauffman Stadium.

Orioles left-hander Zach Britton was making good pitches, and drawing weak contact, but the Royals still were rounding the bases.

For the second consecutive evening, it took more than four hours to determine an outcome in the biggest games at Camden Yards in 17 years. And for the second straight night, it ended poorly for the Orioles, who again saw a formidable bullpen crack in a 6-4 loss to the Royals.

With three home runs, including two in the 10th inning, the Kansas City Royals handed the Orioles a devastating 8-6 loss to take a 1-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Baltimore Sun reporters, columnists and editors share their immediate reaction to Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Orioles and the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards.

The power of the Kansas City Royals' bullpen against the versatility of the Orioles' should make for an American League Championship Series that could be decided early in each game since the relievers don't often break.

Orioles fans come to grips with rescheduling events for American League Championship and possible World Series appearance.

Zach Britton will return to the Orioles on Thursday as a new dad. Britton and his wife Courtney became parents to a baby boy, named Zander Lee Britton.

Call it karma or mojo or the most overused word in the sports lexicon -- destiny. There's going to be at least one team in the World Series this year that will have no logical explanation for its presence on baseball's biggest stage.

Whether you're an Orioles fan or you're executive vice president Dan Duquette, it's hard not to be pumped about what left-hander Andrew Miller has done in his two-plus months in Baltimore.

Zach Britton left the team today and should be back Wednesday. ALCS game times announced

In the aftermath of the Orioles' American League Division Series win over the Detroit Tigers, we wanted to share some quotes that may not have made it into print.

Nelson Cruz broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning with a two-run homer off left-hander David Price, giving the Orioles a 2-1 clinching victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

Orioles right-hander Bud Norris finally received the chance Sunday on a blistery afternoon at Comerica Park against the celebrated Detroit Tigers offense. He seized it, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory, catapulting the Orioles into a second postseason round.

Delmon Young's three-run double in the eighth inning put the Orioles ahead 2-0 over the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS.

In the first year under pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti, the Orioles posted a 3.43 ERA this season. That was the third-best mark in the American League in 2014 and the club's best since a 3.28 ERA on the way to the World Series in 1979.

In the past year, Zach Britton considered what it would be like to wear a different uniform. But after getting another chance with the Orioles, the left-hander has found a home in a ninth-inning role as the club prepares for the postseason.

With the Orioles preparing for the postseason, closer Zach Britton is anxiously anticipating the birth of his first child, and his baby boy's arrival could come in the middle of the club's playoff run.

The Orioles hit three home runs, including Nelson Cruz's 40th of the season, and had 17 hits in a 5-4 win over the Yankees in front of an announced 43,201, putting a dagger in New York's already faint postseason hopes.

The Orioles took one humongous step toward winning the American League East with their 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, giving the club an opportunity to clinch the division title with a win Tuesday.

With a 10-game homestand beginning Friday, the Orioles are in the driver's seat to clinch the American League East title at Camden Yards for the first time in the ballpark's history. The club plays the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays in the first two series of the homestand.

One of the most impressive things about Zach Britton's handling of the closer's role this season is that he hasn't had an extended stretch of trouble.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is always going to veer on the side of caution when preserving his bullpen.

The Orioles had five hits -- all singles -- to score four runs in the first inning against Reds right-hander Mat Latos and then held on for a 5-4 win in front of an announced 15,021 at Camden Yards.

The Orioles entered the final month of the regular season with the second-best record in the major leagues, a sizable American League East lead and their offense catching fire at the right time.

On Saturday night, in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, the Orioles didn't pitch well and squandered several scoring opportunities, but they ultimately squeaked out another win.

Brad Brach, Andrew Miller, and Zach Britton combined for three scoreless innings in Thursday¿s 5-4 win, and completed a four-game series against the Rays without allowing an earned run in 14 1/3 innings.

Despite pitching well, Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Aug. 12 to make room for right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who was coming off the disabled list.

The beating the Orioles put on the Chicago White Sox bullpen last night -- five runs in the eighth inning off three relievers with ERAs over five -- was born of the same offseason strategy that the Orioles took with their bullpen.

Stuck in one of their longest offensive droughts of the season, the Orioles finally broke through with two runs in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon.

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, making his second start since coming off the disabled list last Saturday, remained maddeningly inconsistent in the Orioles' 6-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians Saturday night.

Bud Norris will start Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox followed by Chris Tillman on Tuesday, but the club is still listing "to be announced" as Wednesday's starter.

With a 5-3 comeback victory paced by eighth-inning home runs from Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones, the Orioles are now eight gamse ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East.

Third baseman Manny Machado underwent a MRI and was diagnosed with a sprained ligament in his right knee.

After third baseman Manny Machado injured his right leg during an at-bat in the bottom of the third inning, Chris Davis entered as a defensive replacement at third base to start the top of the fourth.

Buck Showalter has been frustrated by the ambiguity of baseball's new replay review system, so when a call was overturned against the Orioles in the seventh inning of the club's 8-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon, the manager wanted some answers.

Games like the Orioles' 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Thursday night's series finale at Rogers Centre are ones that the club will have to win as the season winds down and the playoff chase heats up.

Caleb Joseph's two-run homer in the fourth inning -- the club's only offense against Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ -- led the Orioles to a 2-1 win in Thursday night's series finale at the Rogers Centre.

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez was back with his Orioles teammates Monday after pitching well in a rehab start at Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday night. And he's eager to get back on the mound in a major league game.

According to multiple sources, teams asked the Orioles about the availability of several position prospects, including Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Dariel Alvarez and first baseman Christian Walker, Double-A Bowie outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and Low-A Delmarva catcher Chance Sisco.

The Orioles beat the Seattle Mariners, 1-0, thanks to a home run by Nick Markakis to lead off the bottom of the first inning and a strong pitching performance by Chris Tillman.

On Friday, in the Orioles¿ 2-1 win against the Seattle Mariners, Wei-Yin Chen pitched into the eighth in one of his more impressive outings of the season, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out a season-high eight batters.

Andrew Miller, 29, joined the Orioles Thursday after the Red Sox dealt him at the nonwaiver trade deadline for minor league pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez. The Orioles made room for Miller, who spent three years in Boston, by designating right-handed pitcher Ryan Webb off the 25-man roster.

The Orioles have acquired the do-it-all left-handed reliever they were seeking, picking up Andrew Miller from the Boston Red Sox for minor league left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.

Orioles relief pitchers Darren O'Day and Zach Britton effectively made Wednesday night's 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Camden Yards a seven-inning game.

Rookie right-hander Kevin Gausman's bid for perfection ended in the fifth inning, but he still was pretty good Wednesday night in the Orioles' 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Camden Yards.