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Thursday, April 13, 2017

Game Stories:

Orioles offense breaks out early in 12-5 win over Red Sox The Sun 4/12

O's go wild with 5 jacks in win over Red Sox MLB.com 4/13

Mancini leads O's homer parade against Sox MLB.com 4/13

Orioles offense breaks out in 12-5 win (with quotes) MASNsports 4/12

Mancini hits 2 of Orioles' 5 HRs in 12-5 win over Red Sox Associated Press 4/13

Trey Mancini Jacks 2 of Orioles’ 5 HRs in 12-5 Win over Red Sox

Mancini Has Majorly Memorable Night At Fenway Park The Sports Xchange 4/13

Mancini Hits 2 of Orioles’ 5 HRs in 12-5 Win Over Red Sox Associated Press 4/12

Columns:

Ubaldo Jimenez still erratic for Orioles, even when staked a big lead The Sun 4/12

Orioles notes: Tillman to make rehab start Monday at Bowie; Showalter cures flu spat

The Sun 4/12

Orioles on deck: What to watch Wednesday at Red Sox The Sun 4/12

After offseason talk of a bigger role, Orioles' Kim finding opportunities limited The Sun

4/12

Tillman slated for rehab appearance at Bowie MLB.com 4/12

Gausman set for rematch against Blue Jays MLB.com 4/13

Flu shots? Buck says he wasn't insulting Sox MLB.com 4/12

Orioles return to Toronto on opposite end of standings MASNsports.com 4/13

Tillman to start Monday night at Double-A Bowie (O’s lead 12-5) MASNsports.com

4/12

Gentry back on the bench tonight MASNsports.com 4/12

A look at Tanner Scott pitching at Bowie (plus O’s notes) MASNsports.com 4/13

O’s game blog: O’s have lost five in a row against Boston MASNsports.com 4/12

Orioles visit soft-swinging Blue Jays STATS LLC 4/13

Showalter insists he wasn't trying to needle Red Sox with flu talk ESPN.com

Jim Palmer: Dylan Bundy Has A Complete-Game Mentality PressBoxOnline.com 4/12

Haynie: Mancini, Birds’ Bats Explode At Fenway CBS Baltimore 4/13

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-orioles-offense-breaks-out-early-in-12-5-win-

over-red-sox-20170412-story.html

Orioles offense breaks out early in 12-5 win over Red Sox

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 12, 2017

The only question was, what took so long?

April had been a lean month for the Orioles at the plate, mitigated by their winning record and

almost everyone in the heart of their lineup delivering a big hit at one point or another to help

them to it.

Until Wednesday, they hadn’t put it all together. In their most complete offensive performance of

the season, the Orioles clubbed four mammoth home runs off knuckleballer Steven Wright

before Wright could even record five outs and split the two-game series with a 12-5 win.

Mark Trumbo, the team’s premier slugger, felt it all coming.

“We’ve been battling, but we haven’t hit our stride by any means,” Trumbo said before the

game. “It’s hard to say exactly when that happens, but I think we’re at the point where things are

going to start to get better pretty quickly.”

It’s hard to pack more into one game than the Orioles managed at Fenway Park. Wright, who last

year mowed down the Orioles twice, hit Seth Smith with his first pitch and never saw his day

improve. Manny Machado blasted a double to the deepest part of the ballpark to score Smith.

Trumbo scored Machado with a single.

Then, on back-to-back pitches, left fielder Trey Mancini and second baseman Jonathan Schoop

sent identical, towering drives over the Green Monster to make it 6-0 Orioles in the first inning.

Center fielder Adam Jones and first baseman Chris Davis — the only two players who didn’t

reach base in the first inning — atoned by trotting around all of them in the second inning.

Davis’ blast chased Wright after eight runs and just 34 pitches.

Mancini added a second home run in the third inning to cap off the barrage with the biggest blast

of them all.

Manager Buck Showalter enters games against knuckleballers looking for one specific thing —

the quality of contact.

High pops and topped ground balls mean a long night. When your men are leaving vapor trails

across the Fenway Park sky, it means a short one for the pitcher in question.

Off Wright, the Orioles were doing the latter. They hit seven balls measured by Statcast as harder

than 100 miles per hour, including all four home runs off him. Mancini’s blast, at 116 mph

according to Statcast, was one of the five hardest-hit balls in the league this year and the hardest

home run of the season, according stats through Tuesday.

The 14 balls they put in play in the first three innings averaged 100.2 mph. When Red Sox

manager John Farrell came out for his pitching change in the second inning, he would have been

well served warning the fathers on the field to consider their families before stepping in front of

a batted ball.

In the seventh inning, the Orioles extended their lead with a two-run double by Castillo and a

run-scoring single by Schoop. Their 12 runs and 17 hits were both season-highs.

Showalter, too, believed before the game an offensive outburst was imminent.

"I could tell walking around the locker room today our guys were frustrated about last night,"

Showalter said. "They were looking forward to getting back out there and getting back to playing

the type of baseball we’re capable of and have to play.”

Davis said they played "such a sloppy game" that they wanted to come out early and erase it.

Mancini, who became the first player in club history with five home runs in his first 10 games,

felt a breakout for the team was due.

"I’ve been watching this team the last few years, ever since I got drafted, and I know if there’s a

couple of slow offensive games, there’s one game where it’s just an outpouring of offense, and

tonight was the night."

"The first inning and after that, you just kind of had that feeling. It was one of those nights, and

hitting is really contagious. It’s an old baseball cliche, but for whatever reason; I don’t know if it

gives everybody confidence or whatever it is. One guy went up, got a hit and the next guy came

and did the same thing. It was really awesome to be a part of that.”

How all that will carry over against a more traditional pitcher is certainly a question, but a moot

one. Entering Wednesday’s game, the Orioles were among the league’s worst collective units at

the plate. They’d played a league-low six games and scored a league-low 21 runs while batting

.215 (26th in MLB) with a .610 OPS (25th).

With five home runs Wednesday, they doubled their season total to 10.

But with two home run kings, a prodigious third baseman and the rest of the Orioles’ powerful

lineup, a showing like this is always a possibility.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/223891834/orioles-hit-five-homers-in-win-over-red-

sox/?topicId=27118142

O's go wild with 5 jacks in win over Red Sox

By Ian Browne and Craig Forde / MLB.com

April 13, 2017

BOSTON -- The Orioles staged an early-game home run derby against Steven Wright's

knuckleball and rolled to a 12-5 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.

It was a swift barrage of four homers against Wright, who lasted 1 1/3 innings while giving up

eight hits and eight runs. Baltimore clubbed five homers on the night. It was a bounceback night

for the O's, who imploded in the late innings of an 8-1 loss in the opener of the two-game set on

Tuesday.

"I could tell walking around the [clubhouse] today that our guys were frustrated about last night,"

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "They were looking to get back out there and getting back

to playing the type of baseball we're capable of and have to play."

Trey Mancini (two homers, four RBIs) kicked off the long ball barrage with a three-run shot to

center with two out in the first. Jonathan Schoop made it back-to-back homers to cap the scoring

in the six-run first. Red Sox manager John Farrell gave Wright a chance to settle into the game,

but the right-hander was taken deep in the second by Adam Jones and Chris Davis and was then

removed from the game.

"I mean, the knuckleball is kind of a mysterious pitch sometimes," Wright said. "Some times

you're throwing really good ones and give up a bunch of runs. Some times you don't have a good

one at all and you don't give up any. Today was not a good knuckleball and I gave up a lot of

runs."

Ubaldo Jimenez was the beneficiary of all that run support and seemed in line for a sure win, but

he labored and couldn't make it out of the fifth inning. Baltimore's bullpen was able to stave off

the Red Sox. Pablo Sandoval belted a two-run home run over the Green Monster for Boston.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Mancini wears out Red Sox: Of the O's No. 5 prospect's five career homers, four have come

against Boston. His second long ball was a certified laser beam into the Green Monster seats.

According to Statcast™, the drive had an exit velocity of 115.5 mph and narrowly missed being

the fastest homer in MLB this season, trailing only Joey Gallo and Giancarlo Stanton, who have

both hit 115.6-mph ropes. Stanton's blast came just hours after Mancini's.

Givens snuffs out rally: Remarkably, the Red Sox brought the potential tying run to the plate by

the bottom of the fifth inning in a game they once trailed, 9-0. An RBI single by Xander

Bogaerts made it 9-5 and loaded the bases. But reliever Mychal Givens buckled down, striking

out Sandoval and getting Chris Young on a flyout to deep right.

QUOTABLES

"Let's face it. I was throwing a lot of strikes and that can not be a good thing if you don't have a

good knuckleball, and you're throwing it too much over the plate. It becomes BP." -- Wright

"I've been watching this team the last few years, ever since I got drafted, and I know that if

there's a couple of slow offensive games, there's one game where there's an outpouring of

offense. Tonight was the night. It felt really good to be a part of that." – Mancini

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland kept his doubles streak alive by ripping one to the

opposite field in left in the seventh inning. It marked the sixth straight game Moreland has had at

least one double, and it gave him a league-leading seven for the season. Moreland became the

fourth Red Sox player in the last 100 years to double in at least six straight games, joining David

Ortiz (2016), Jason Varitek (2004) and Bill Regan (1929).

UNDER REVIEW

When Welington Castillo clubbed a two-run double into the corner in right and went to third on

the throw in the seventh, Farrell challenged that the batter was out at third. But after a review of

two minutes and 15 seconds, the call was ruled to stand.

WHAT’S NEXT:

Orioles: Baltimore will head north of the border for the first time this season to open a four-

game series against Toronto on Thursday at 7:07 p.m. ET. The O's, who won both games in their

opening series of the season against the Blue Jays, will give the ball to Kevin Gausman in the

opener. The righty had a no-decision in his Opening Day start against the Blue Jays, giving up

two runs on five hits with four walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Red Sox: The Pirates come to town for one day on Thursday -- to make up the postponement of

a week ago. Fittingly, the two pitchers who were supposed to face off a week ago will do so in

the rescheduled game. Eduardo Rodriguez takes the mound for Boston and he'll be opposed by

right-hander Chad Kuhl. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/223922814/trey-mancini-orioles-crank-out-homers-vs-sox/

Mancini leads O's homer parade against Sox

By Craig Forde / MLB.com

April 13, 2017

BOSTON -- After scoring just one run in the series opener on Tuesday, the Orioles' bats erupted

in the early innings of a 12-5 win over the Red Sox on Wednesday night, as they connected for

five home runs over the first three frames, including two by O's No. 5 prospect Trey Mancini.

Mancini became the first player in franchise history to hit five home runs in his first 10 games,

something the rookie was pleasantly surprised to hear when asked about it by a reporter after the

game.

"I didn't know that, actually. That's really cool," he said. "That's something that I can definitely

appreciate."

The O's wasted little time against knuckleballer Steven Wright, who hit Seth Smith with the

game's first pitch before laboring in a six-run opening frame.

"I could tell walking around the locker room today that our guys were frustrated about last

night," manager Buck Showalter said. "They were looking to get back out there and getting back

to playing the type of baseball we're capable of and have to play."

Manny Machado's double, two batters later, opened the scoring, while Mark Trumbo and

Welington Castillo singles helped set the stage for Mancini's first homer, and the left fielder took

a 1-0 pitch the opposite way into the Red Sox bullpen to make it 5-0.

Jonathan Schoop hit the next pitch by Wright into the Green Monster seats -- his first homer of

the season -- to cap the huge inning that saw 10 batters step to the plate.

Adam Jones then led off the second with a homer, and after Machado grounded out, Chris Davis

hit a first-pitch homer, his second of the season, to chase the Red Sox starter.

"They're a good-hitting team, a powerful team, as they showed tonight," Wright said. "I was

throwing a lot of strikes and that can not be a good thing if you don't have a good knuckleball,

and you're throwing it too much over the plate. It becomes BP."

Leading off the third, this time against reliever Ben Taylor, Mancini worked the count full before

hitting his second blast -- this one into the Green Monster seats with an exit velocity of 115.6

mph, according to Statcast™.

"Hitting is really contagious," said Mancini, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and a career-high four

RBIs. "It's an old baseball cliché, but for whatever reason, I don't know if it gives everybody

confidence. ... It was really awesome to be a part of that."

It was the first multi-home run game and first two homers this season for Mancini, who has hit

four of his five career home runs against the Red Sox, the second of which staked the Orioles to

a nine-run lead in the third inning. The most home runs in one game by a Baltimore team came

just two years ago -- eight against the Phillies on June 16, 2015.

"It felt incredible and something that I'll remember my whole life," Mancini said. "It was a

special night for sure and to be able to do it at a place like this is something that I couldn't have

imagined before."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/orioles-offense-breaks-out-in-12-5-

win.html

Orioles offense breaks out in 12-5 win (with quotes)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 13, 2017

BOSTON - While so much attention is being paid to the flu and how the Red Sox didn’t

appreciate the needling from manager Buck Showalter, the Orioles may have found a cure for the

common knuckleball.

Drop the heavy lumber on it.

The Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning and scored six runs on six

hits. It started with Seth Smith being tapped by the first pitch from Steven Wright and ended with

Smith sending left fielder Chris Young to the warning track with a scorching line drive.

In between were an RBI double by Manny Machado, an RBI single by Mark Trumbo, a single by

Welington Castillo and back-to-back home runs by Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop.

J.J. Hardy singled to bring Smith to the plate again and increase the volume on the booing from

the Fenway Park stands.

It got louder. The ovation would be saved for the man who took Wright out of the game.

Wright served up four home runs, including solo shots by Adam Jones and Chris Davis, and was

done after 1 1/3 innings. Red Sox manager John Farrell received a nice ovation as he walked to

the mound to remove Wright, who threw 34 pitches and allowed eight runs and eight hits.

The Orioles began the night tied for last in the majors with 21 runs scored and concluded it with

a 12-5 victory that halted their losing streak at two games and enabled them to split the series. It

got a little tense with Ubaldo Jiménez failing to clear five innings, but the flight to Toronto grew

more pleasant.

Mancini, getting the start in left field, hit a three-run homer to right-center field. Schoop and

Hardy were 2-for-19 before their home run and single, respectively.

The Orioles (5-2) didn’t collect more than three hits in an inning this season, but they had six

tonight after the first.

Mancini homered again leading off the third against reliever Ben Taylor, the first multi-homer

game of his young career. The ball disappeared, and so did the last few people asking why Hyun

Soo Kim didn’t start in left field.

The Notre Dame product is the first player in Orioles history with five home runs in 10 major

league games, according to Elias. He’s a keeper.

Jones’ home run was his 224th as an Oriole, moving him past Rafael Palmeiro for fifth place on

the all-time list. Jones and Davis have homered in the same game 37 times since becoming

teammates in 2011, the highest total for any combination in baseball over that span.

Jones cleared the Green Monster in the second inning, a shot measured by Statcast at 421 feet.

Davis’ ball traveled 406 feet.

The Orioles set a club record with eight home runs in a June 16, 2015 game against the Phillies.

They had five tonight by the third inning, matching their season total.

Before Wright, the last Red Sox pitcher to allow eight or more runs in 1 1/3 innings or fewer was

Josh Beckett on June 5, 2006.

Jiménez was better than Wright, but he wasn’t right. His pitch count exceeded 100 with two

runners on base in the fifth inning, one out and the Orioles ahead 9-4. He was gone after walking

Mitch Moreland on his 104th pitch to load the bases, and Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single off

Mychal Givens shaved the lead to 9-5.

Jiménez was charged with five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, with two walks, a strikeout

and a home run. Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer in the fourth after Bogaerts’ RBI single.

Jiménez’s ERA stayed at 10.38 because he also allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings in his first

start.

The rotation beyond Dylan Bundy isn’t performing at an acceptable level. Seven games and

Bundy owns the only two quality starts.

Givens struck out Sandoval for the second out in the fifth, a huge out against a left-handed batter,

and Young flied to deep center field to leave the bases loaded. Givens was superb with two

scoreless innings before Donnie Hart replaced him in the seventh with none on and one out.

Hart struck out three batters in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Castillo lined a two-run double down the right field line in the seventh after Davis and Trumbo

singled, making him 8-for-21 with the Orioles. Schoop added an RBI single with one out to

increase the lead to 12-5.

Manager Buck Showalter on Wright: “He’s a lot better than that. Glad we get out of here because

he’ll right the ship. He’s a good one. Just one of those nights tonight. He threw a really good one

to Adam in the first inning and I kind of went, ‘Oh, there it is.’ I can’t speak to a knuckleballer

and nobody can. It’s hard. But he’s got a good body of work. He’ll be fine. We were just

fortunate.”

Showalter on Jiménez: “Ubaldo, a little frustrating because he was really good early on and it

looked like he was going to pitch like a veteran should pitch with a lead and then it just kind of

left him there and he couldn’t seem to get his delivery back together. I know it’s frustrating for

him. Created some anxiety in the game. Of course, in this ballpark, it’s always a possibility.

Nobody takes anything for granted.”

Showalter on offense breaking out: “I could tell walking around the locker room today our guys

were frustrated about last night. They were looking forward to getting back out there and getting

back to playing the type of baseball we’re capable of and have to play.”

Showalter on Givens: “I thought Mychal Givens was one of the keys to the game tonight. Came

in and kind of got some momentum back to us. Welington had a big base hit to take that

momentum and run with it.”

Mancini on reaction to tonight’s performance: “It felt incredible and it’s something I’ll

remember my whole life. It was a special night, for sure, and to be able to do it in a place like

this is something I couldn’t have imagined.”

Mancini on whether he felt a big night coming: “Yeah, I’ve been watching this team the last few

years ever since I got drafted and I know if there’s a couple of slow offensive games, there’s one

game where it’s just an outpouring of offense, and tonight was the night. It felt really good to be

a part of that and it was a great night.”

Mancini on whether he sensed more runs coming after his homer: “Oh, definitely. The first

inning and after that, you just kind of had that feeling. It was one of those nights and hitting is

really contagious. It’s an old baseball cliché, but for whatever reason, I don’t know if it gives

everybody confidence or whatever it is. One guy went up, got a hit and the next guy came and

did the same thing. It was really awesome to be a part of that.”

Mancini on a knuckleballer being the latest challenge: “I had a little bit of experience. I faced

Eddie Gamboa in Triple-A last year, but not too much. I talked to Cooley (Scott Coolbaugh) and

Howie (Clark) about what my approach should be off the knuckleballer. And it’s been a learning

experience in the field, too, and being able to play left field at Fenway is a really cool thing.”

Mancini on five home runs in first 10 games being a club record: “I didn’t know that, actually.

That’s really cool. It’s something I can definitely appreciate.”

Davis on whether he sensed a big night coming: “I think after last night, just the mood in the

clubhouse, everybody was disappointed and I think we played such a sloppy game last night,

especially defensively and really didn’t have much to show for it. I think tonight going into the

game guys wanted to go back out there and get the momentum back in our dugout and try to

come out with a win.”

Davis on Wright: “I don’t know if the cold weather makes a difference, but I mean, his

knuckleball last year, the first time we faced him at our place, it was dancing all over the place.

Tonight, it was just a little bit more flat. I don’t know if he was throwing it harder or he couldn’t

get it to dance the way that he normally does, but we obviously took advantage of it early and got

on him.”

Davis on whether he’s pleased with his start: “It’s obviously still early, but every year you want

to get off to a good start. I think the biggest thing for me is I’m not going out there and trying to

do too much. I felt good at the plate the last few games and have had some return for that. I’m

excited not only with where I’m at, but where the team is at.”

Jiménez on not going further with nine-run lead: “It’s one of the worst feelings, especially when

you make the guys in the bullpen come into the game that early. I mean, of course you want to

get a W, but what hurts the most is when you make those guys come into the game.”

Jiménez on what happened after looking good early: “I was doing good. I had my fastball,

command was good, the breaking ball was good, but I was throwing way too many pitches per

hitters. I mean, I think that’s something that I need to work on. In these last two games I haven’t

found a way to put hitters away. Even when I get ahead I’ve been throwing way too many

pitches and they made my pitch count go up. I started leaving everything flat. That’s what

happened.”

http://scores.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370412102

Mancini hits 2 of Orioles' 5 HRs in 12-5 win over Red Sox

Associated Press

April 13, 2017

BOSTON -- The Orioles had all kinds of trouble with Steven Wright's knuckleball in two

matchups last season.

Not on Wednesday night.

Trey Mancini hit two of Baltimore's five home runs -- all in the first three innings -- and the

Orioles powered their way to a 12-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

A night after Boston's bats put up eight runs, Baltimore returned the favor against Wright by

tagging him for six in a first inning that included back-to-back homers from Mancini and

Jonathan Schoop. Adam Jones and Chris Davis each added a solo shot in the second.

Mancini hit his second home run in the third, marking the first multihomer game of his career.

He finished with four RBI.

"It felt incredible, and it's something I'll remember my whole life," Mancini said. "It was a

special night, for sure, and to be able to do it in a place like this is something I couldn't have

imagined."

Wright (0-1) lasted only 1 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs and eight hits. He also threw a wild

pitch and hit a batter. He called the outing "terrible."

"It felt pretty good in the bullpen. Then I came out and obviously I kind of shot myself in the

foot with the first pitch of the game," Wright said. "Then after they went into swing mode, and

the knuckleball just wasn't doing anything."

Baltimore reliever Mychal Givens (2-0) got the win after starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitched his way

into a bases-loaded jam and was pulled in the fifth.

Jimenez, who has lost three straight decisions to Boston, started strong but gave up five runs and

eight hits. He's given up five runs in each of his first two starts this season, both no-decisions.

Wright was able to stifle Baltimore's powerful bats last season, beating the Orioles twice in two

appearances while allowing five earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

The 2016 All-Star seemed set up for a similar performance, facing an Orioles lineup that had

been outscored 15-4 in two straight losses after starting the season with four consecutive wins.

Instead, Baltimore's hitters jumped on him early in the count, hitting balls hard and into the gaps

when they weren't going out of the ballpark.

Davis, who also had three hits, an RBI and scored two runs, said he likes the way his team is

playing right now.

"It's obviously still early, but every year you want to get off to a good start," he said. "I'm excited

not only with where I'm at, but where the team is at."

SICK LEAVE

A day after Orioles manager Buck Showalter perhaps took a subtle jab at the issues several Red

Sox players have had fighting the flu this season, Boston manager John Farrell shrugged off any

suggestion his team was using it as a crutch.

Showalter said Monday that while a lot of Orioles players have dealt with similar illnesses, they

had "done a good job of not broadcasting it to the world."

"We haven't publicized it," Farrell said before Tuesday's game. "I've answered questions. There's

been no excuse made. We're here to play baseball. "

Asked if he was surprised by Showalter's comments, Farrell flatly responded: "No."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: LHP David Price (left elbow strain) threw a 30-pitch bullpen and is set to throw again

on Saturday. ... RHP Tyler Thornburg (right shoulder impingement) began the first day of his

throwing program with 30 tosses from 60-70 feet. ... LHP Robbie Ross Jr. (flu) was slated to

make his first rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Pawtucket.

LONG BALL PARTY

The five home runs were the most for the Orioles at Fenway Park since they hit six on Oct. 1,

1977. Baltimore clocked seven homers at home against Boston on June 2 last year.

UP NEXT

Orioles: Begin a four-game series with Toronto on Thursday.

Red Sox: Host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday to make up a rainout from their season-

opening series.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/baltimore-orioles/trey-mancini-jacks-2-orioles-5-hrs-12-5-win-

over-red-sox

Trey Mancini Jacks 2 of Orioles’ 5 HRs in 12-5 Win over

Red Sox

Associated Press

April 12, 2017

BOSTON (AP) -- Trey Mancini hit two of Baltimore's five home runs, all in the first three

innings, and the Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 12-5 on Wednesday night.

A night after Boston's bats put up eight runs, Baltimore returned the favor against knuckleballer

Steven Wright by tagging him for six in a first inning that included back-to-back homers from

Mancini and Jonathan Schoop. Adam Jones and Chris Davis each added a solo shot in the

second.

Mancini hit his second home run in the third inning, marking the first multihomer game of his

career. He finished with four RBIs.

Wright (0-1) lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs and eight hits. He also had one wild

pitch and hit a batter.

Baltimore reliever Mychal Givens (2-0) got the win after starter Ubaldo Jimenez was pulled in

the fifth after pitching his way into a bases-loaded jam.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/04/13/mancini-has-majorly-memorable-night-at-fenway-

park/

Mancini Has Majorly Memorable Night At Fenway Park

The Sports Xchange

April 13, 2017

BOSTON — The Baltimore Orioles said they felt they had something to prove after a dismal

performance Tuesday in a blowout loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Safe to say they proved it.

“I think after last night, just the mood in the clubhouse, everybody was disappointed and I think

we just … we played such a sloppy game last night, especially defensively, and really didn’t

have much to show for it,” Chris Davis said after hitting one of five Baltimore homers in the first

three innings en route to a 17-hit attack and a 12-5 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday

night.

“I think tonight, going into the game, guys wanted to go back out there and get the momentum

back in our dugout and try to come out with a win.”

Trey Mancini hit two homers: a three-run shot off shelled starter Steven Wright and a solo liner

off reliever Ben Taylor.

“It felt incredible, and it’s something I’ll remember my whole life,” Mancini said. “It was a

special night, for sure, and to be able to do it in a place like this is something I couldn’t have

imagined.”

Mancini, a right-handed batter getting the start in left field over lefty-swinging Hyun Soo Kim

against the knuckleballer, hit one of the four homers yielded by Wright (0-1) in 1 1/3 innings.

Mancini hit his fifth homer in 29 major league plate appearances, off Taylor in the third.

Mancini, who has 10 RBIs in 10 big league games, and Jonathan Schoop went back-to-back in

the first inning. Adam Jones and Chris Davis homered to chase Wright (0-1) in the second as

Baltimore (5-2) built a 9-0 lead and went on to a split of the two-game series.

“I could tell walking about the locker room today our guys were frustrated about last night,”

manager Buck Showalter said. “They were looking forward to getting back out there and getting

back to playing the type of baseball we’re capable of and have to play.”

Ubaldo Jimenez, 2-6 lifetime against the Red Sox, couldn’t get through five innings for the win

as Mychal Givens was summoned with the bases loaded in the fifth. Givens (2-0) gave up an

RBI single — one of Xander Bogaerts’ three hits — but pitched well into the seventh to keep the

lead intact.

Welington Castillo doubled home two runs among his three hits and Schoop added an RBI single

in a three-run seventh.

Baltimore hitters batted .129 against Wright in two starts — both wins — last season. No such

problems this time.

Wright allowed more runs in this game than he did in four starts last April. It took until June 15

last year for him to give up four home runs.

“Inconsistent action to the knuckleball,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “As we’ve seen

before when that pitch has not got the violence in the strike zone, it can be some quick-strike

offense against him, and that was the case tonight.”

Said Wright: “It was terrible. I felt pretty good in the bullpen and then I came out and kind of

shot myself in the foot with the first pitch of the game hitting Seth Smith and then after that they

went into swing mode and the knuckleball just wasn’t doing anything — and they capitalized on

it.

“It was probably one of my worst games, in terms of my knuckleball and stat line — I think I

gave up more home runs tonight than I did all of last year.”

For the record, he gave up 12 last year, but you get the point.

Davis had a single and double to go with his homer, Mark Trumbo had an RBI single and two

hits and Jones, J.J. Hardy and Schoop had two hits apiece. Schoop and Hardy came into the

game 2-for-19 on the season.

Pablo Sandoval, who hit into a double play his first time up, hit a two-run homer in the fourth

inning but also struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth, fouled out with two men on in the

seventh and popped out with two men on to end the game.

Mitch Moreland had a seventh-inning double for Boston (4-4) — his sixth straight game with a

two-base hit.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/04/12/mancini-hits-2-of-orioles-5-hrs-in-12-5-win-over-red-

sox/

Mancini Hits 2 of Orioles’ 5 HRs in 12-5 Win Over Red Sox

Kyle Hightower / Associated Press

April 12, 2017

BOSTON (AP) — Trey Mancini hit two of Baltimore’s five home runs, all in the first three

innings, and

A night after Boston’s bats put up eight runs, Baltimore returned the favor against knuckleballer

Steven Wright by tagging him for six in a first inning that included back-to-back homers from

Mancini and Jonathan Schoop. Adam Jones and Chris Davis each added a solo shot in the

second.

Mancini hit his second home run in the third, marking the first multihomer game of his career.

He finished with four RBIs.

Wright (0-1) lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs and eight hits. He also threw a wild

pitch and hit a batter.

Baltimore reliever Mychal Givens (2-0) got the win after starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitched his way

into a bases-loaded jam and was pulled in the fifth.

Jimenez, who has lost three straight decisions to Boston, started strong but gave up five runs and

eight hits. He’s given up five runs in each of his first two starts this season, both no-decisions.

Wright was able to stifle Baltimore’s powerful bats last season, beating the Orioles twice in two

appearances while allowing five earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

The 2016 All-Star seemed set up for a similar performance, facing an Orioles lineup that had

been outscored 15-4 in two straight losses after starting the season with four consecutive wins.

Instead, Baltimore’s hitters jumped on him early in the count, hitting balls hard and into the gaps

when they weren’t going out of Fenway Park.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: LHP David Price (left elbow strain) threw a 30-pitch bullpen and is set to throw again

on Saturday. … RHP Tyler Thornburg (right shoulder impingement) began the first day of his

throwing program with 30 tosses from 60-70 feet. … LHP Robbie Ross Jr. (flu) was slated to

make his first rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Pawtucket.

UP NEXT

Orioles: Begin a four-game series with Toronto on Thursday.

Red Sox: Host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday to make up a rainout from their season-

opening series.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-ubaldo-jimenez-still-erratic-for-orioles-

even-when-staked-a-big-lead-20170412-story.html

Ubaldo Jimenez still erratic for Orioles, even when staked a

big lead

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 12, 2017

Even by the standards enigmatic Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez has set in his three-plus

years in Baltimore, it’s hard to pick an outing that caused more heartburn than Wednesday’s no-

decision against the Boston Red Sox.

"A little frustrating because he was really good early on and it looked like he was going to pitch

like a veteran should pitch with a lead, and then it just kind of left him there and he couldn’t

seem to get his delivery back together," manager Buck Showalter said. "I know it’s frustrating

for him. Created some anxiety in the game."

It was supposed to be simple, with his offense hitting five home runs and chasing the opposing

starter before most of the Fenway faithful could get settled in their seats.

Instead, Jimenez, who started well, didn’t make it out of the fifth inning and couldn’t earn the

win in the Orioles’ 12-5 victory.

He got through the first two frames smoothly, but in the third inning, Boston cobbled together a

run on two hits and a sacrifice fly. In the fourth inning, three more runs scored on a home run by

third baseman Pablo Sandoval that barely made it over the ledge of the Green Monster.

The bullpen stirred in the fourth inning and needed to get back to work in the fifth when Jimenez

walked the leadoff man, Andrew Benintendi, on four pitches. Three batters later, he had

conceded his eighth hit, issued his second walk and gave way to Mychal Givens.

One of those three men he passed on to the bullpen scored, so Jimenez ended the day with the

same final numbers as he did in his first start, with five runs in 4 1/3 innings, keeping his ERA at

10.38.

"It’s one of the worst feelings, especially when you make the guys in the bullpen come into the

game that early," Jimenez said. "Of course, you want to get a 'W,' but that’s what hurt the most

— when you make those guys come into the game.

"I was doing good. I had my fastball command was good, breaking ball was good, but I was

throwing way too many pitches per hitter. I think that’s something that I need to work on. In

these last two games, I haven’t found a way to put hitters away, even when I get ahead. I’ve been

throwing way too many pitches, and I made my pitch count go up. Then I start leaving

everything flat."

Sweet relief: Givens and Donnie Hart combined for 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief, striking out

four between them while allowing three hits.

"I thought Mychal Givens was one of the keys to the game tonight," Showalter said. "Came in

and kind of got some momentum back to us."

Hart, a left-hander who fares much better against lefties than righties, survived a stretch of three

straight right-handed batters, retiring two after a single by shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Vidal

Nuno pitched a scoreless ninth.

Amen corner: Right fielder Seth Smith made an ambitious sliding attempt on a line drive down

the foul line Tuesday, but came up short. In the first inning Wednesday, he tracked a fly ball that

trailed into the stands right to the wall and leaned in for a difficult catch over the fans.

Quite a duo: Center fielder Adam Jones and first baseman Chris Davis each homered in the

second inning, the league-high 38th time they’ve gone deep in the same game.

Jones’ home run was his 224th as an Oriole, giving him sole possession of fourth all-time in

franchise history. He passed Rafael Palmeiro.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-notes-chris-tillman-to-make-rehab-

start-at-bowie-monday-buck-showalter-cures-flu-spat-20170412-story.html

Orioles notes: Tillman to make rehab start Monday at

Bowie; Showalter cures flu spat

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 12, 2017

Chris Tillman’s next stop on his deliberate rehabilitation path back from shoulder soreness will

be a three-inning start Monday for Double-A Bowie, manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday.

“He’s going to take his work day there [in Sarasota, Fla.],” Showalter said. “His next outing will

be in Bowie. … He’s going to pitch Monday in a 6:35 p.m. game, three innings. That’s good

news.”

Tillman started an extended spring training game Tuesday, lasting two innings and coming out of

it with no discomfort. He never made it this far in his rehab the last time he was coming back in

March, as the soreness that kept him off a mound all offseason and into spring training cropped

back up and required a cortisone shot.

After that, Showalter said Tillman would have more minor league rehab starts with the Orioles’

various affiliates, with the first week in May targeted as his return date.

Showalter squashes the flu talk: A day after a perceived jab was delivered from the visiting

clubhouse at Fenway Park about how the Red Sox's cases of the flu are broadcast to the world

more than other teams', Showalter said there was no malice behind his words.

The Boston media joined Showalter’s pregame session and asked about his comments, which

Red Sox manager John Farrell said weren’t surprising to hear from the visiting manager. Farrell

said he only talked about his players having the flu because he was asked and had to explain why

they weren’t at the park.

Showalter reiterated that “it just seems to get broadcast more here.”

“Seeking pity? No, they don't," Showalter said. "Everybody has challenges like they do. Heavens

no. They’ve had some issues like all clubs do with some issues of life, whether it be

bereavement, whether it be paternity, whether it be sickness or whether it be injury. Those are

the things people grind through, and they do a great job of it.”

Asked if he was trying to needle the Red Sox, Showalter said, “That’s ridiculous.”

Gentry seeking stability: Two consecutive starts this week didn’t yield a hit for reserve outfielder

Craig Gentry, who is adjusting to life as a reserve after being a regular for six weeks of spring

training.

“It’s tough for any player to go from playing every day and getting a lot of reps to not getting

that,” Gentry said. “It’s definitely tough to stay confident and obviously, you want to see results.

It’s just put in a tough situation so it’s definitely a mental grind on that part. I’ve kind of done it

for my whole career, and I know how to handle a lot of that stuff. It is what it is.”

A longtime spare outfielder, Gentry will likely continue to start against left-handed pitching

while Joey Rickard is on the disabled list with a sprained finger.

“We had an early injury to Joey that casts him in a little different situation,” Showalter said. “But

once again, I wouldn’t cast too much doubt on two or three games. He’s going to do some good

things for us. Already has. I think with a veteran player like him, really spring was about

checking out his health and the rest of it will come. As long as he’s a physically healthy player, I

think what he’s capable of bringing, he’ll bring.”

Around the horn: Jayson Aquino and Alec Asher seem to be the front runners to start Saturday in

Toronto when the Orioles need a fifth starter. Aquino is scheduled to start Friday, while Asher

would be on turn Saturday. … Showalter said Rickard had another good day of treatment and

could return when he’s eligible on April 18.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-on-deck-what-to-watch-

wednesday-at-red-sox-20170412-story.html

Orioles on deck: What to watch Wednesday at Red Sox

By Josh Land / The Baltimore Sun

April 12, 2017

Orioles (4-2) vs. Red Sox (4-3)

Where: Fenway Park

First pitch: 7:10 p.m.

TV/Radio: MASN2/105.7 FM

Starting pitchers: Orioles RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (0-0, 10.38 ERA) vs. Red Sox RHP Steven

Wright (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

What to watch

1. Searching for quality. So far this season, Dylan Bundy has the only two quality starts for the

Orioles. Ubaldo Jimenez, tonight's starter, had the worst outing so far. Can he rebound from

allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings to help the Orioles snap their first losing streak of the season?

2. Knuckle under. Knuckleballer Steven Wright was one of the top stories for the Red Sox last

season, going 13-6 with a 3.33 ERA to become an All-Star in his first full major league season,

at age 31. Along the way, he went 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA against the Orioles, who commonly

struggle against soft-tossing pitchers of his ilk. Will they get the best of Wright tonight?

3. O(h no)'Day. As Jon Meoli wrote Monday, if Darren O'Day isn't his All-Star self this year, it

could pose some problems for the Orioles. And in each of his three outings, O'Day has had

difficulty -- the latest coming Tuesday night. O'Day has allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits

and five walks in 2 2/3 innings so far. Will Buck Showalter's handling of the bullpen tonight

indicate how he might intend to use O'Day to try to get him on track?

Orioles lineup

RF Seth Smith

CF Adam Jones

3B Manny Machado

1B Chris Davis

DH Mark Trumbo

C Welington Castillo

LF Trey Mancini

2B Jonathan Schoop

SS J.J. Hardy

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-after-offseason-talk-of-a-bigger-role-hyun-

soo-kim-still-finding-opportunities-limited-with-orioles-20170412-story.html

After offseason talk of a bigger role, Orioles' Kim finding

opportunities limited

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 12, 2017

An offseason full of conjecture about an everyday role for left fielder Hyun Soo Kim -- by

everyone from manager Buck Showalter down to the fans who grew to love him -- has ended up

with him playing the same platoon role he did in 2016.

Kim didn't start for the third straight game Wednesday against knuckleballer Steven Wright, with

the previous two games coming against left-handed starters. He has started just three of the

team’s first seven games — an improvement over the days at a time he sat early last year — but

isn’t letting it publicly get him down.

“I have no complaints right now,” Kim said through interpreter Derrick Chang. “I’ve been

though this last year and our team had success last year, doing the same thing. Whatever I can do

to help the team win, I’m OK with it.”

As early as the winter meetings in December, Showalter said Kim could expect a bigger role. He

said not only was he capable of hitting left-handers — despite finishing hitless in 22 plate

appearances against them last year — but he could even have the defensive capacity to play right

field.

Of course, myriad changes to the roster since then have made Kim just an option against right-

handers, and not even all of them. Seth Smith came over in a trade in January, not too long

before Mark Trumbo re-signed. Trey Mancini became an outfield option, and Joey Rickard and

Craig Gentry are around to get at-bats against lefties, too.

Showalter said it was just as much an effort to keep him away from Wright as it was anything

else, though he interestingly pointed to a desire to get Mancini several days in the lineup in a

row. And a date with left-hander Francisco Liriano in Toronto on Thursday means Kim will

likely sit again.

“It’s circumstantial things early in the season,” Showalter said of Kim’s still-limited role. “That

opportunity will, I think, at some point have a chance to present itself. I wouldn’t weigh too

much on one day six or seven games into the season.”

There are only so many spots, and those available would be drastically less if Kim were an

everyday player. That doesn’t stop the free-agent-to-be from considering having such a role.

“I always think about it, but there’s a reason for everything and I’m just trying to get myself

better every single day,” Kim said. “Just work on things that I need to, and kind of play hard

every single day, take nothing for granted and play hard every single day.”

Kim collected all three of his hits this season Saturday against the New York Yankees, and is

batting .333 in nine at-bats this year.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/223904434/chris-tillman-to-make-rehab-outing-at-double-

a/

Tillman slated for rehab appearance at Bowie

By Craig Forde / Special to MLB.com

April 12, 2017

BOSTON -- Following Chris Tillman's two innings of work at extended spring on Tuesday,

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said it would be a 50-50 decision on whether the right-hander

would continue to rehabilitate his right shoulder injury at Double-A Bowie, or remain in

Sarasota, Fla.

Just 24 hours later, Showalter announced Tillman would indeed take the next step toward

rejoining the O's by making his first rehab outing with Bowie on Monday.

"He's ready to go," Showalter said on Wednesday. "He's going to take his work day [in Sarasota]

and his next outing will be in Bowie. ... That's good news."

Tillman, who missed all of Spring Training with soreness in his throwing shoulder, threw to

hitters for the first time on Saturday during batting practice, and he followed that up with 30

pitches in two innings of work on Tuesday.

Showalter expressed the intention to have Tillman work for three innings vs. Richmond on

Monday.

Tillman last pitched for Bowie in 2012.

Worth noting

Showalter also provided an update on the recovery progress of outfielder Joey Rickard, who

injured his left middle finger on a steal attempt against the Yankees over the weekend.

"Joey feels good today. He's making steady improvement," Showalter said. "He's got a shot at

that second day in Cincinnati [next Wednesday], we hope, if he continues down this path."

Rickard, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Sunday, said on Tuesday that the

swelling had gone down considerably and that he too felt that his return should coincide with the

duration of his DL stint.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/223900408/liriano-blue-jays-aim-to-get-on-track-vs-

os/?topicId=26688836

Gausman set for rematch against Blue Jays

By Keegan Matheson / MLB.com

April 13, 2017

The Blue Jays are looking up at the rest of the American League East, but they have a chance to

balance out their slowest start in franchise history with a four-game series against the Orioles

beginning Thursday at Rogers Centre.

Baltimore swept a two-game set against Toronto to begin the season, holding the Blue Jays to

just three combined runs. Opening Day starter Kevin Gausman will circle back to face Toronto

for the second time after limiting the Blue Jays to two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings on

April 3. Gausman's fastball has averaged 95.23 mph this season, according to Statcast.

Francisco Liriano will counter for the Blue Jays after recording only one out in his 2017 debut.

The left-hander struggled to locate any of his pitches on Friday against the Rays, throwing 22

balls and just 13 strikes. This led Liriano to four walks and five earned runs, leaving the heavy

lifting to Toronto's bullpen.

Things to know about this game

• Entering play on Wednesday, the Blue Jays ranked 29th in Major League Baseball with a team

batting average of .196, ahead of only the Royals. Russell Martin's struggles have been at the

forefront, though he did record his first hit with a double in the seventh inning on Wednesday

after opening the season 0-for-20. In 2016, Martin hit .150 with a .391 OPS before finding his

groove and hitting .243 with a .784 OPS the rest of the way.

"It's hard to hit and everybody goes through phases," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said prior

to Wednesday's game. "Right now, we've got a bunch of guys that are cold, but for the most part,

they're all battling up there."

• Gausman owns reverse splits over his career, holding left-handed batters to an OPS of .686,

while right-handed batters have posted a mark of .781. These have yet to apply to Jose Bautista,

though, as the Blue Jays right fielder has just one hit in 15 career at-bats against Gausman.

• Liriano posted the second-lowest in-zone pitch percentage among starters, 31.8 percent per

Statcast, from the beginning of 2015 to the end of his tenure with the Pirates last July. From his

first Blue Jays start in August to the end of the regular season, he raised that in-zone percentage

by 5.2 and pitched to a 2.92 ERA down the stretch.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/223899370/buck-showalter-said-he-wasnt-teasing-red-sox/

Flu shots? Buck says he wasn't insulting Sox

By Ian Browne / MLB.com

April 12, 2017

BOSTON -- Maybe you have to read between the lines to decide if Orioles manager Buck

Showalter has been taking flu shots at the Red Sox the last couple of days.

Last week, the Red Sox were without Mookie Betts for three games and Hanley Ramirez for four

due to the flu, and lefty reliever Robbie Ross Jr. was placed on the 10-day disabled list with

influenza. Several other players were also affected, including Andrew Benintendi, who was

vomiting during Saturday's game against the Tigers.

"The Red Sox are the only ones that have it, huh?" Showalter said on Wednesday. "I didn't know

that. Nobody else has it? No, everybody in the whole league's got it. It just seems to get

broadcast more here."

Though Showalter sounded like he was trying to tweak his American League East opponent, he

said that was not the case.

"Am I trying to needle the Red Sox?" Showalter said to a Boston media member. "No. That's

ridiculous, but I appreciate you trying to go down that road. That's typical."

For context, here is what Showalter said on Tuesday.

"Everybody in the league has a flu issue. I've had it. It's a different strain. It lingers for a long

time. Some of them seem to be a little more noteworthy, it seems like," he said. "Our guys have

fought their way through it. We got a lot of guys who aren't 100 percent with it. So do other

clubs. So, nobody really wants to hear somebody complain about it. Our guys have done a good

job not broadcasting it to the world."

Red Sox manager John Farrell defended his team's handling of the situation on Wednesday.

"We haven't publicized it," he said. "I've answered questions. There's been no excuses made.

We're here to play baseball."

Was Farrell surprised by Showalter's comments?

"No," Farrell said.

Showalter maintained he wasn't taking a shot at the Red Sox.

"It wasn't meant that way," Showalter said.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/orioles-return-to-toronto-on-opposite-end-

of-standings.html

Orioles return to Toronto on opposite end of standings

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 13, 2017

BOSTON - The Orioles are back in Toronto tonight for the first time since their 11-inning loss in

the wild card game. They’re facing left-hander Francisco Liriano, who earned the win in relief

that night.

Wonder if anyone will find a good storyline?

At least Ubaldo Jiménez can’t come out of the bullpen. He started last night in Boston and won’t

be available after throwing 104 pitches in 4 1/3 innings.

Toronto lost again last night and is in last place in the American League East with a 1-7 record,

the worst start in franchise history through eight games. The Orioles sit in first place at 5-2.

The Orioles’ 12 runs last night marked their highest total at Fenway Park since May 31, 2004,

when the scored 13. The five home runs were their highest total here since they hit six on Oct. 1,

1977.

Kevin Gausman will make his third start of the young season after allowing a combined six runs

and 13 hits with seven walks over 10 innings. He faced the Blue Jays on opening day and was

charged with two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Gausman is 2-3 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.450 WHIP in 13 career games (eight starts) against the

Blue Jays and 0-3 with a 5.59 ERA and 1.586 WHIP in eight games (five starts) at Rogers

Centre.

José Bautista is 1-for-15 lifetime against Gausman. Russell Martin is 4-for-10, Kevin Pillar is 5-

for-12, Ezequiel Carrera is 5-for-11 with a double and home run, Darwin Barney is 4-for-8 with

a home run and former Oriole Steve Pearce is 3-for-5.

Liriano has some catching up to do. He’s made one start and it lasted only one-third of an inning.

The Rays worked him over for five runs, three hits and four walks on April 7.

Liriano is 2-4 with a 4.34 ERA and 1.552 WHIP in nine career starts against the Orioles.

Welington Castillo is 6-for-19 with two home runs and seven walks, Adam Jones is 8-for-22

with a double and three home runs and Chris Davis is 3-for-6 with a home run.

Mark Trumbo has four hits in 21 at-bats, including a double and two home runs.

Davis homered, doubled and singled last night and is 10-for-26 (.385) in seven games. He batted

.235 (20-for-85) last April and sustained an injury to his thumb that hindered him all season.

It remains a positive development that Davis is driving the ball to all fields. His home run last

night traveled to right-center, he doubled to left and dumped a broken-bat single to center. He

flashed power to left-center field on the homestand.

“He seems relaxed, seems like he’s having a good time out there and not pressing and just going

out there and just playing,” said outfielder Craig Gentry, a longtime friend and teammate in

Baltimore, Texas and the minors.

“I haven’t played with him every day for quite a few years, but this is how he was back when I

played with him. It’s definitely a good sign.”

Manager Buck Showalter has stated that he likes having Gentry with Davis, though there are

plenty of actual reasons why the veteran outfielder broke camp with the team. But it’s a nice

byproduct.

“We’re a lot alike,” Gentry said. “We’ve known each other for over 10 years now and were both

in each other’s weddings and we’re really close on and off the field. When you have that kind of

relationship with somebody throughout the baseball season, it makes everything a lot easier.

“I’m ecstatic to get to be with him and get to hang out with him whenever I want and get to see

him and spend that time with him. He’s a good friend of mine and I feel like we support each

other and that’s nothing but positive stuff.”

Davis gained more attention on the homestand for his defense, especially his ability to scoop

balls out of the dirt to prevent errors. Teammates constantly point out how he tends to unfairly

get overlooked.

“It’s like a young player coming up - Manny (Machado), Jonathan (Schoop) - as long as you can

defend and impact our games every night, you can go through the peaks and valleys

offensively,” Showalter said. “If you can’t defend, you just can’t run guys out there with that

many ups and downs. Chris impacts our team every night.

“Another thing that separates him is his ability to throw. He’s a fearless thrower, too. He’s

engaged in the defense. It kind of breeds.

“It starts with J.J. (Hardy). It really does. He’s constantly engaged. If I was MASN or ESPN, I’d

follow J.J. around during a BP session, from the time he walks on the field until the game starts.

His preparation to play defense that night. It’s methodical. And it rubs off on people.

“There’s such a lure to give yourself a day off. I was watching a couple days ago, it’s cold and

it’s nasty and most people might take three or four and call it a day. It’s almost like if he doesn’t

do that, he doesn’t feel like he’s ready.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/tillman-to-start-monday-night-at-double-a-

bowie-plus-other-notes.html

Tillman to start Monday night at Double-A Bowie (O’s lead

12-5)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 13, 2017

BOSTON - Chris Tillman will start Monday night at Double-A Bowie to begin his injury rehab

assignment. He’s slated to work three innings if his pitch count allows it.

The discomfort hasn’t returned to Tillman’s right shoulder and he feels good after yesterday’s

two-inning start at extended spring training.

“He’s ready to go,” said manager Buck Showalter. “He’s going to take his work day in

(Sarasota) and his next outing will be in Bowie. That’s good news.”

The Orioles are expected to transfer Tillman to Single-A Frederick following the start in Bowie.

He could be ready to come off the disabled list on May 2 or 7.

Showalter said outfielder Joey Rickard is making “steady improvement” after spraining the

middle finger on his left hand in Saturday’s game.

“He’s got a shot at that second day in Cincinnati, I hope, if he continues down this path,”

Showalter said.

Showalter explained that Trey Mancini is starting in left field mainly to keep Hyun Soo Kim

away from knuckleballer Steven Wright. Kim’s experience with the pitch is limited and he’s 0-

for-6 versus Wright.

“More of that,” Showalter said. “I’d like to give Trey three days in a row, too. He’ll play

tomorrow with the left-hander (Francisco Liriano). Try to let him get some consistent at-bats.

“I remember talking to Kim last time about knuckleballers in Korea. He hadn’t seen any.”

Kim went 0-for-17 in 22 plate appearances against left-handers as a major league rookie and

hasn’t faced one this season. He’s still in a platoon situation, though Showalter has indicated that

Kim eventually could get a chance to broaden his batting resume.

“It’s a circumstantial thing early in the season,” Showalter said. “That opportunity at some point,

I think, has got a chance to present itself, but I wouldn’t weigh too much on one day and six or

seven games into the season.”

Still no announcement on Saturday’s starter, but it’s evident that Showalter is choosing between

Alec Asher and left-hander Jayson Aquino. Both pitchers are on the 40-man roster.

Gabriel Ynoa is starting tonight at Triple-A Norfolk.

Showalter’s pregame session in his office attracted a bunch of Red Sox media members, and

CSN New England reporter Evan Drellich pressed him on yesterday’s comments regarding his

team not advertising its illnesses - an apparent swipe at the Red Sox.

“The Red Sox are the only ones who have it?” Showalter asked. “I didn’t know that. Nobody

else has it? No, everybody in the whole league’s got it. It just seems to get broadcast more here.”

This opener led to the following exchange:

Drellich: “Do you think that’s because they’re seeking pity?”

Showalter: “Seeking pity? No. Everybody has challenges like they do. Heavens no. They’re deep

and they’ve had some issues like all clubs do, like issues of life. Whether it be bereavement,

whether it be paternity, whether it be sickness, whether it be injury. These are things people

grind through and they do a great job with it.”

Drellich: “Do you think there would be a reasonable way for them not to talk about it as much as

they did when a guy doesn’t show up?”

Showalter: “No, I’d talk about it, too, when a guy doesn’t show up at the park. Wouldn’t you?

No, I’d do it the same way.”

Drellich: (after other questions were asked): “Buck, are you trying to needle the Red Sox?”

Showalter: “Am I trying to needle the Red Sox? No, that’s ridiculous. But I appreciate you trying

to go down that road. That’s typical. What else?”

Drellich: “Well, your commentary yesterday would suggest that.”

Showalter: “No, I don’t think it would. That’s how you read it. It wasn’t meant that way. What

else?”

Update: The Orioles scored six runs on six hits and a hit batter in the top of the first inning.

Mancini hit a three-run homer and Jonathan Schoop followed with a solo shot, as the Orioles

sent 10 batters to the plate and worked Wright for 27 pitches.

Update II: Adam Jones led off the second inning with his 224th home run as an Oriole, moving

past Rafael Palmeiro for fifth place on the all-time list. Chris Davis added a solo shot with one

out and Wright was done.

Four home runs in 1 1/3 innings and an 8-0 lead.

Update III: Mancini homered again leading off the top of the third to give the Orioles a 9-0

lead. Andrew Benintendi had a sacrifice fly in the bottom half after Young’s leadoff double and

Sandy Leon’s infield hit.

Ubaldo Jiménez has thrown 60 pitches in three innings.

Update IV: The Red Sox scored three runs in the fourth, the last two on Pablo Sandoval’s

homer, to reduce the lead to 9-4.

Update V: Jimenez was charged with five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two

batters, struck out one and gave up a home run. He threw 104 pitches, the last a walk to Mitch

Moreland that loaded the bases with one out in the fifth.

Bogaerts singled off Michal Givens to drive in a run, but a strikeout and fly ball ended the

inning.

Update VI: Welington Castillo’s two-run double in the seventh and Schoop’s RBI single

increased the lead to 12-5.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/gentry-back-on-the-bench-tonight.html

Gentry back on the bench tonight

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 13, 2017

BOSTON - Craig Gentry was spared Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright tonight at Fenway

Park, but he never really had a chance. Not with a right-hander on the mound.

Gentry has been forced to tap the brakes since the Orioles broke camp. He played in a career-

high 29 spring training games and received 53 at-bats, crafting a .321/.429/.528 slash line and

proving that he could stay healthy. Getting on the field up north isn’t as easy.

Gentry mostly is working in a platoon role and as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner, the

roles limiting him to only seven hitless at-bats with three strikeouts. He started in right field last

night against southpaw Drew Pomeranz.

“It’s tough, I think, for any player to go from playing every day and getting a lot of reps and

then not getting that,” Gentry said. “It’s definitely tough to stay confident. Obviously, you want

to see results and it’s just put in a tough situation. It’s definitely a mental grind on that part, but

I’ve kind of done it for my whole career and I know how to handle a lot of stuff. It is what it is.

But, yeah, it’s definitely tough to go from playing every game to not.”

Gentry is learning that a right-handed starter for the opposition likely means he’s taking a seat on

the bench while Seth Smith is in right field and Hyun Soo Kim is in left. Tonight is an exception

because rookie Trey Mancini is playing left, presumably because manager Buck Showalter

doesn’t want Kim trying to hit a knuckleball.

Showalter will meet with the media around 5:15 p.m. and provide an explanation.

Gentry owns a career .346 on-base percentage against left-handers, and the Blue Jays are starting

Francisco Liriano on Thursday and J.A. Happ on Sunday.

“Definitely when a lefty’s going I feel like there’s at least a pretty good chance I’ll be in there,”

Gentry said. “You’ve got to be prepared every day and that’s just the name of the game, but

when a lefty’s going, you have a better idea that you’ll probably be in there.

“When you know your role and kind of know what to look for and you’re better prepared, it

definitely makes it a lot easier, for sure.”

Mancini said he faced knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa a few times in the minors and someone else

in Single-A ball, though the name escaped him. So he’s not a total stranger it.

For the Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia 2B

Andrew Benintendi CF

Mookie Betts RF

Hanley Ramirez DH

Mitch Moreland 1B

Xander Bogaerts SS

Pablo Sandoval 3B

Chris Young LF

Sandy Leon C

Steven Wright RHP

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/04/a-look-at-tanner-scott-pitching-at-bowie-

plus-os-notes.html

A look at Tanner Scott pitching at Bowie (plus O’s notes)

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

April 12, 2017

He is a 22-year-old left-hander that has worked his way into prospect status thanks to a fastball

that has touched 100 mph. What comes along with that is the challenge to control and command

that pitch along with his slider and throw it consistently for strikes.

It has been a bit of a battle for young Tanner Scott, but he remains upbeat about the challenge -

and how can you not be intrigued by a kid that touches triple digits? The process of developing a

young pitcher here is ongoing.

Along those lines, the Orioles decided to provide more structure to his schedule this year by

starting him and pitching him three innings every five days rather than make more inconsistent

and unscheduled relief appearances.

He is not changing roles, just changing how they are using him this season at Double-A Bowie.

In his first start on Monday at Erie, Scott gave up two hits and one run over three innings. He

walked three and fanned three, throwing 53 pitches.

“We are kind of considering it more that he’s a reliever that is starting every fifth day,” Bowie

pitching coach Kennie Steenstra said. “The biggest thing we wanted to do is give him an

opportunity to work on his slider more. Have a chance to have a designated bullpen time in

between starts to get in extra work. Really it is just a way for him to get more controlled work

in.”

The Orioles can envision a future late-inning bullpen arm if Scott can begin throwing more

consistent strikes. Over his career, he has averaged 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings but also 6.9

walks.

How can Scott improve his control and command?

“I think the big thing is delivery-wise we are trying to get him to stay taller,” Steenstra said. “He

had a tendency to drop down on his back leg which resulted in him missing arm-side a lot, arm-

side and high. Which this spring, he’s looked better.”

Orioles manager Buck Showalter got one look at Scott in a spring training game back on Feb. 27.

He pitched a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts against the Yankees, flashing a fastball

that touched the upper 90s.

“It was good for Tanner to get in there,” Showalter said after that game. “He threw some good

breaking balls. He’s not just a one-way Harry with the fastball.

“I was talking to Roger (McDowell) today. Roger’s got a couple things he’d like to see him do

with his hands and close him off a little more. His presentation is a little open. That’s why he

misses up and away a lot.

“You know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them

really susceptible to the breaking ball, because the recognition is so late,” Showalter said. “If he

can get a breaking ball like he threw today, it gives him a chance to really take it to another level.

And a lot of it is because of velocity.”

Scott’s fastball often sits in the 94-98 mph range and his slider works between 88 and 92 mph.

He was ranked by Baseball America as the club’s No. 11 prospect at the of both the 2015 and

2016 seasons.

Birds bash in Boston: The Orioles hit five homers in the first three innings - two by Trey

Mancini - in last night’s 12-5 win over Boston. They are 5-2 and leading the AL East as they

head to Toronto to start a four-game series there tonight. Mancini became the first Oriole to hit

five home runs in his first 10 games with the team.

Some notes on the win:

* The Orioles’ five homers matched their season total through the first six games. They had hit

five in their first three games and none in the previous three before the breakout at Fenway.

* The Orioles produced season highs with 12 runs and 17 hits. Their previous bests this year

were six runs and 10 hits. They had scored four runs in their last two games.

* They snapped a five-game losing streak versus Boston and had been outscored 28-9 during that

span.

* Since the 2012 season, the Orioles are 55-41 (.573) against Boston and 30-19 (.612) at Fenway

Park.

* Boston starter Steven Wright began the night with a record of 2-0 and ERA of 2.45 in four

career games against the Orioles. Then he allowed six runs and two homers in the top of the first.

He lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and eight runs and a career-high four home runs.

* When Mancini homered in the third inning, he had homered five times in 10 career games and

29 plate appearances as an Oriole. That homer, which had an exit velocity of 116 mph, tied for

the fifth-hardest hit ball in the majors this year and hardest-hit homer according to this Statcast

list.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/04/os-game-blog-os-have-lost-five-in-a-row-

against-boston.html

O’s game blog: O’s have lost five in a row against Boston

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

April 12, 2017

The Orioles and Red Sox conclude a brief two-game series tonight at Fenway Park. The Orioles

lost 8-1 last night and have now lost five games in a row to Boston.

They have been outscored 28-9 during those five games, which started with Boston’s four-game

sweep at Camden Yards last September. The Orioles have scored two or fewer runs in four of the

five games.

But overall since the 2012 season, the Orioles are 54-41 (.568) against Boston. At Fenway Park,

the Orioles won all three series last year and went 6-3. The Orioles have a winning record in four

of the last five seasons in Boston, going 29-19 (.604) at Fenway Park since 2012.

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones went 1-for-4 with a double on Tuesday and that was the 250th

double of his career. He has hit safely in all six games to begin the season batting .261 (6-for-

23). Jones has 164 career hits against the Red Sox to tie with Evan Longoria for the fourth-most

against the Red Sox among active players. He also played in his 1,327th game as an Oriole and is

now tied with Brian Roberts for the 11th most in Orioles history.

Jones’ next homer will be his 224th as an Oriole and will break his fifth-place tie on the club’s

all-time homers list with Rafael Palmeiro. Jones needs 14 more hits to reach 1,500 for his career.

On the mound tonight, O’s right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (0-0, 10.38 ERA) pitches against

knuckleballer Steven Wright (0-0, 5.40 ERA).

Jiménez’s season debut Friday was not good against the Yankees. The Orioles rallied from 5-1

down for a 6-5 win. But Jiménez lasted just 4 1/3 innings allowing seven hits and five runs. He

gave up two-run homers to Matt Holliday and Gary Sánchez.

Jiménez is 2-6 with a 6.82 ERA and two quality starts in 14 career starts versus Boston. He’s lost

three straight decisions against Boston. His last start against the Red Sox came on Sept. 21, 2016

at home, when he worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (none earned) on four hits with four

walks and eight strikeouts. In seven career starts at Fenway, Jiménez is 1-3, 6.09 ERA.

Wright went 13-6 with a 3.33 ERA last season. In two starts in 2016 against Baltimore, he went

2-0 with a 2.76 ERA. In four career games (two starts) against the Orioles, he is 2-0 with a 2.45

ERA. In 22 innings, he has walked nine and fanned 19 Orioles and they have hit just .182 off

him.

Most American League wins since 2012:

448 - Orioles

438 - Yankees

436 - Rangers and Tigers

On the farm this afternoon: Double-A Bowie won 8-6 at Erie to improve to 4-3. Cedric

Mullins had just one hit, going 1-for-5, but is still batting .516. DJ Stewart is batting only .125 to

start the year, but hit a three-run homer today - his second in the Eastern League. Starter Brandon

Barker gave up three runs over four innings. Right-hander Ryan Meisinger got the win in relief

with 2 2/3 scoreless innings and four strikeouts.

Potomac won 5-3 at Single-A Frederick as the Keys fall to 2-4. Left-hander Keegan Akin had a

shutout until allowing a three-run home run in the fifth. Over five innings, he gave up 10 hits and

three runs with 10 strikeouts. Alex Murphy, out of Calvert Hall in Baltimore, hit a two-run

homer. Jomar Reyes had two hits and is batting .520. Steve Wilkerson had two hits and is batting

.429. Outfielder Austin Hays is batting .357 and his his first homer in the Carolina League. The

Keys went 1-for-13 today with runners in scoring position. Right-hander Cody Sedlock (1-0,

0.00 ERA) starts Thursday night for the Keys.

Single-A Delmarva won 8-2 at Greensboro to improve to 2-5. Lefty Zach Muckenhirn had a

strong start. Over six innings, he gave up four hits and one run with eight strikeouts and his ERA

is 0.75 with 14 strikeouts in 10 2/3 through two starts. He is the highest-drafted player ever from

the University of North Dakota, taken in round 11 last June. Preston Palmeiro (Raffy’s son) hit a

grand slam in the first inning. It was his first professional homer. Cole Billingsley went 2-for-5

and drove in three runs.

O’s mash five homers in Fenway: Trey Mancini became the first Orioles player to hit five

homers in his first 10 games in the majors tonight, according to Elias Sports. Mancini hit a three-

run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the third as the Orioles blasted Boston 12-5.

The Orioles remain in first place at 5-2 as they split a two-game series. They had scored nine

total runs during a five-game losing streak to Boston and exceeded that tonight.

The Orioles had hit five homers all season - none over the previous three games - and they hit

five tonight. All five came in the first three innings. Jonathan Schoop, Adam Jones and Chris

Davis also connected as the Orioles produced season highs with 12 runs and 17 hits.

Now they move onto Toronto to start a four-game series on Thursday night at Rogers Centre.

Kevin Gausman (0-0, 5.40 ERA) faces Francisco Liriano (0-0, 135.00 ERA). Liriano allowed

five runs over on-third of an inning in his season debut versus the Rays.

http://scores.espn.com/mlb/preview?gameId=370413114

Orioles visit soft-swinging Blue Jays

STATS LLC

April 13, 2017

TORONTO -- The Baltimore Orioles finally got their offense together Wednesday night.

The Toronto Blue Jays are still waiting for their bats to make some noise.

The two well-established slugging teams will get together for a four-game series at Rogers

Centre, starting Thursday night.

Baltimore won both games in a season-opening series at Camden Yards.

The Orioles (5-2) hit five home runs in a 12-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday to

gain a split in the two-game set at Fenway Park.

Two of the home runs were by Trey Mancini, who became the first player in club history to hit

five home runs in his first 10 major league games. He has three homers in five games this year

after hitting two in five games last September.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays (1-7) were held to four hits in a 2-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers,

who swept the two-game set at Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays are off to the worst start in franchise history. They have lost four games by one

run, and six of their losses were decided by three runs or fewer.

The Orioles and Blue Jays entered Wednesday 14th and 12th in runs scored and 11th and 14th in

home runs. The Orioles were batting .215 and the Blue Jays were at .196.

The Orioles doubled their home run total to 10 with the onslaught Wednesday, with four of their

homers coming against Red Sox knuckleballer Steve Wright. That followed an 8-1 loss to the

Red Sox.

"I've been watching this team the last few years, ever since I got drafted, and I know if there's a

couple of slow offensive games, there's one game where it's just an outpouring of offense. And

tonight was the night," Mancini said. "The first inning and after that, you just kind of had that

feeling. It was one of those nights, and hitting is really contagious. ... One guy went up, got a hit,

and the next guy came and did the same thing. It was really awesome to be a part of that."

The Blue Jays' offense has shown little this season. Toronto has been outscored 34-23.

"With hitting, it's such a fine line -- you want to have passive-aggressiveness," said Josh

Donaldson, who returned to the lineup after being limited to pinch-hitting Tuesday due to a tight

right calf. "You don't want to get too aggressive because then you get out of control and you start

swinging at bad pitches.

"At the same time, you don't want to be too passive because then you're letting too many pitches

go by that you could possibly hit. So it's a fine line, and I feel like we haven't quite found that

fine line yet, to be passive-aggressive. It's something that hopefully with time is going to get

better."

Toronto manager John Gibbons said, "Some of our better hitters are missing their pitch. There

are some times, too, when I think we're taking too many fastballs early in the count, and we can

swing our way out of it a little bit."

The Blue Jays will send out left-hander Francisco Liriano (0-0, 135.00 ERA) against the Orioles.

He is coming off a dreadful first start of the season -- a no-decision in the Blue Jays' 10-8 loss to

the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. He allowed three hits (one home run), four walks and five runs

in one-third of an inning. It was the shortest outing of his career.

"One of those games where you don't even know what you're doing," said Liriano, who is 2-4

with a 4.34 ERA in nine starts against the Orioles.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19144977/orioles-manager-buck-showalter-says-needling-

red-sox-flu-scourge

Showalter insists he wasn't trying to needle Red Sox with flu

talk

Scott Lauber / ESPN.com

April 12, 2017

BOSTON -- For someone who claims to be sick of hearing about the highly contagious flu that

has run through the Boston Red Sox clubhouse over the past two weeks, Buck Showalter can't

seem to stop talking about it.

One day after Showalter said multiple teams have had to cope with the flu and praised his

players for "not broadcasting it to the world," the Baltimore Orioles manager rejected the idea

that he was trying to get under the Red Sox's skin during the first series of the season between

the AL East rivals.

"Am I trying to needle the Red Sox? No, that's ridiculous," Showalter said before Wednesday

night's game at Fenway Park. "But I appreciate you trying to go down that road. That's typical.

What else?"

Moments earlier, though, Showalter took another chance to note the fact that the Red Sox's flu

infestation has gotten so much attention.

To recap: Beginning in the final week of spring training, Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland,

right fielder Mookie Betts, utilityman Brock Holt, designated hitter Hanley Ramirez, relief

pitchers Robbie Ross Jr. and Joe Kelly and at least two coaches have missed time because of the

flu. Some have needed to be quarantined. Ross was even placed on the 10-day disabled list.

The Minnesota Twins asked that the visiting clubhouse at Comerica Park be fumigated after the

Red Sox left Detroit on Monday night. The home clubhouse at Fenway received the same

treatment before the Sox began a seven-game homestand Tuesday night. The Red Sox have gone

3-3 in their first six games and have not had their optimal lineup on the field since Opening Day.

Yet before questions about the flu could be completed during his pregame media session

Wednesday, Showalter mocked the very mention of the illness.

"The Red Sox are the only ones who have it, huh? I didn't know that," Showalter said. "Nobody

else has it? The whole league's got it. It seems to get broadcast more here."

It seems, then, that Showalter is either blaming the Red Sox for accentuating their health issues

or the media for reporting about it. Showalter suggested he wasn't doing the former.

"Not at all," he said. "I'd talk about it, too, if my guy doesn't show up to work. Wouldn't you? I'd

do it the same way."

Told that his comments Tuesday would seem to indicate he was trying to at least tweak the Red

Sox, Showalter said, "No, I don't think it would. That's how you read it. It wasn't meant that

way."

Red Sox manager John Farrell defended himself by saying he merely has been explaining why

players are absent from the lineup.

"We haven't publicized it. I've answered questions," Farrell said. "There's been no excuses made.

We're here to play baseball."

Asked if he was surprised by Showalter's initial comments Tuesday, Farrell said flatly, "No."

It isn't uncommon for Showalter to stir his players by denigrating their big-market rivals. For

years, he has harped on the advantages the high-payroll Red Sox and New York Yankees have

had over the Orioles, who nevertheless lead the American League with 448 wins since the

beginning of the 2012 season.

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/04/12/jim-palmer-orioles-dylan-bundy-has-a-complete-

game-mentality

Jim Palmer: Dylan Bundy Has A Complete-Game Mentality

By Dylan Sinn / PressBoxOnline.com

April 12, 2017

Orioles great Jim Palmer raved about right-hander Dylan Bundy's first start of the season, saying

it was "almost like the perfect game" during an appearance on The Bat Around with Stan "The

Fan" Charles April 8.

Bundy threw seven innings against the Blue Jays April 5, giving up just one run while striking

out eight. It was his longest start since Aug. 2, 2016, but Palmer said Bundy wasn't satisfied.

"I looked at Dylan [April 7] and said, 'I don't know if you can get a lot better,' Palmer said. "And

he said, 'Yeah, I can; I can pitch nine innings.' So that's the kind of mentality he has, and it's good

to see."

Palmer characterized this year's Orioles team as essentially the same as the 2016 version, when

"they led the world in home runs," but he believes the team has a better bench this season. One

player the former pitcher believes will bring some punch off the bench is outfielder Seth Smith,

who the Orioles acquired during the offseason in a trade that sent right-hander Yovani Gallardo

to Seattle.

"He's only going to play against right-handed pitching, but again, you're trying to say, 'How can

my ballclub be better in 2017,'" Palmer said. "He hit four home runs against the Orioles last year,

and he's a threat. You match him up right, and [Orioles manager] Buck [Showalter] will have no

problem doing that, and all of a sudden he's going to be an impact player.

"He can drive the ball to left field; you can hit home runs to the opposite field [at Camden Yards]

if you have that kind of approach, so I think offensively it's an upgrade."

Smith has already paid dividends for the Orioles this year, hitting .357 during his first four games

and slugging .714 with four runs scored. Against the Yankees April 7, he hit a two-run home run

in the seventh to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 victory.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado also homered in that game, a three-run shot in the fifth

inning, yet Palmer had some high praise for Machado's defensive ability.

"Manny can make all the plays, and he makes them spectacular," Palmer said.

On the offensive end, Palmer said he's been impressed with how Machado has filled out his

frame since he was drafted in 2010.

"[Machado] came up to visit the ball club after his first year, and Jim Presley was the hitting

instructor, and he grabbed his bicep and said, 'Son, you have to spend some time in the weight

room,'" Palmer said. "And he has. He's got a chance to be even better [than last year]. You look

at the numbers and go, 'How can that happen?' I think experience will allow him to be a little bit

more discerning."

Early in the season, those comments seem prescient, as Machado has indeed had a better

approach at the plate through his first 20 plate appearances of the year. He's swung at 24.2

percent of pitches he's seen outside the strike zone. That would represent a career low and is

almost 10 percent below his 2016 mark (32.3).

While discussing Machado, Palmer also mentioned that having former Orioles third baseman

Brooks Robinson behind him at third base helped make him and the rest of that era's vaunted

Orioles rotations better.

However, the Hall of Famer pushed back on the idea that he was "lucky" or "overrated" because

he pitched in front of a great defense. In 2011, an article in SBNation's Lone Star Ball pondered

whether Palmer was the "most overrated pitcher of all time."

"If [having a great defense] got me to Cooperstown, I'm still on the wall, I still have the plaque,"

Palmer said, laughing. "A lot of that has to do with the guys that played behind me, they made us

all better."

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/04/13/haynie-mancini-birds-bats-explode-at-fenway/

Haynie: Mancini, Birds’ Bats Explode At Fenway

By Bob Haynie / CBS Baltimore

April 13, 2017

Heading into Wednesday night’s contest against the Boston Red Sox, the Orioles had dropped

two-straight games after a 4-0 start. In losing to the Yankees and Bosox, the Birds were

outscored 15-4 and went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

After six games, they were certainly due for a bash-fest. And that was definitely the case at

Fenway Park as the Orioles ambushed Boston pitching.

Before the third inning was over, the Orioles had blasted five home runs and led 9-0 against the

shell-shocked home team. The five homers matched Baltimore’s season total going into

Wednesday’s action.

Trey Mancini smacked two long balls for his first homers of the season. Adam Jones, Chris

Davis and Jonathan Schoop also went deep as the Orioles clobbered Boston knuckleballer Steven

Wright and–to a lesser extent–reliever Ben Taylor.

Given that big lead, you would figure that right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez would cruise for the

Birds. You would have figured wrong.

The inconsistent Jimenez labored through 104 pitches and was yanked with the bases loaded in

the fifth. He could no longer qualify for the win.

Luckily, for the Orioles, Mychal Givens, Donnie Hart and Vidal Nuno came out of the bullpen to

restore order as Baltimore wins 12-5.

In summary, the Orioles hit a bunch of home runs, get a strong effort out of the ‘pen and a

questionable performance from their starting pitcher. Yet, they still find a way to win.

Does this formula sound familiar?