Wednesday Bird Droppings - Bats go into hibernation

Mariners snap losing skid at 5 games with 3-1 victory over Baltimore | The Seattle Times
"Andrew Albers, the Mariners’ 16th starting pitcher of the season, picked up his first win, allowing one run in five innings. Four relievers worked the final four innings to snap the streak."

Tillman an option to start Aug. 22 (O's down 3-1) - School of Roch
“He could have pitched last night and would have,” Buck Showalter said. “That was real encouraging. So he’s available tonight and tomorrow, and we want to look at some things as his work days go on and see if there might be a spot where we want to start him, if we want to give some guys some extra time." Some guys = Dylan Bundy, just to be clear.

Orioles lead majors in runs scored since All-Star break - Steve Melewski
"The Orioles leads the majors with 176 runs scored since the All-Star break. The Royals are second with 164." That was prior to last night's anemic output.

Orioles notes: Chris Davis heating up since being lowered in lineup - Baltimore Sun
"I’m not particularly a guy who enjoys batting at the bottom part of the order, but I also understand when I’m not swinging the bat well, that’s probably one of the things that’s going to be most beneficial for the team. So, I’ll put my ego aside and be a dangerous seven-hole hitter, or at least try to be.” - Chris Davis

Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez finding right mix during second-half surge - Baltimore Sun
"As the Orioles rotation has begun to find its footing, Ubaldo Jiménez has as well. And he will enter Wednesday afternoon’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners coming off a season-high 11 strikeouts in his last outing Friday at the Oakland Athletics. Eight of those strikeouts came in the first three innings."

Birthdays and History

Happy Birthday to former Orioles Bret Barberie, Gene Brabender, and Gene Woodling. They share today with famous people including college football coach Amos Alonzo Stagg 1862; labor leader George Meany 1894; former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres 1923; "Gunsmoke" actor Fess Parker 1925; NFL Hall of Famer Frank Gifford 1930; country musician Billy Joe Shaver 1939; actress Lesley Ann Warren 1946; "Titanic" director James Cameron 1954; actress Angela Bassett 1958; singer and actress Madonna 1958; actor Steve Carell 1962; singer Vanessa Carlton 1980 and actress Rumer Willis 1988.

On this day in Baltimore baseball history...

1996 - Trailing, 2 - 0, the Orioles score 14 runs over the final three innings to defeat the Athletics, 14 - 3, in the first game of a doubleheader. Rafael Palmeiro drives home six runs for Baltimore, and each member of the starting lineup, with the exception of leadoff man Roberto Alomar, gets at least two hits. The Orioles stroke 19 hits for the second day in a row off Oakland pitching. Baltimore also takes the nightcap, 5 - 4 in 10 innings.

1998 - Baltimore OF Eric Davis has his 30-game hitting streak snapped in a 5 - 3 loss to the Indians.

On this day in world history...

1861 - U.S. President Lincoln prohibited the Union states from trading with the states of the Confederacy.

1923 - Carnegie Steel Corporation put into place the eight-hour workday for its employees.

1930 - The first British Empire Games were held at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The event is now called the British Commonwealth Games.

1954 - Sports Illustrated was published for the first time. It was claimed that 250,000 subscriptions had been sold before the first issue came off of the presses.

1984 - The U.S. Jaycees voted to admit women to full membership in the organization.

1995 - Voters in Bermuda rejected independence from Great Britain.

1999 - In Russia, Vladimir V. Putin was confirmed as prime minister by the lower house of parliament.

Consider this your discussion space for UEFA Champions League Soccer: Napoli vs. Nice.