THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles obtained outfielder Jai Miller from the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday for cash considerations.

Miller was designated for assignment by Oakland on Dec. 23 after the A’s received four players for pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

The 26-year-old Miller went 3-for-12 with a homer and two RBIs for Oakland last season after being called up in September. He played in 110 games with triple-A Sacramento, battiing .276 with 32 home runs and 83 RBIs. Miller also stole 16 bases without being caught.

Orioles president of baseball operations Dan Duquette says Miller will compete for a roster spot this spring.

In another deal Tuesday, Baltimore traded infielder Brandon Snyder to Texas for cash. Snyder played in six games with the Orioles last year.

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Kansas City Royals’ Alex Gordon, right, scores on a single by Jeff Francoeur during the first inning of a baseball game as Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, left, waits for the ball, Tuesday, May 24, 2011, in Baltimore.

Joakim Soria is desperately trying to regain the form he displayed last season, when the right-hander registered 43 saves in 46 tries and made the All-Star team.
Until he improves, the Kansas City Royals must realize that no lead is safe.
Working with a one-run cushion in the ninth inning, Soria first allowed the Baltimore Orioles to pull even, then gave up a two-run walkoff homer to Adam Jones in a 5-3 loss Tuesday night.
It was the third blown save for Soria — matching his total from all last season.
“He’s working every day, refining his mechanics. He’s just struggling right now,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It’s some command. I don’t know if it’s mechanics, even though he’s working on his mechanics every day early.
“It’s just location more than anything else. He’s normally a guy whose location is pinpoint, but it’s been off a little bit. He’ll get it going again.”
Baltimore trailed 3-2 entering the ninth. After Soria (3-1) retired the first batter, J.J. Hardy doubled off the glove of third baseman Wilson Betemit. Pinch-hitter Felix Pie then grounded a double inside third base to tie it.
Soria rebounded to strike out Robert Andino before Jones homered on an 0-2 pitch.
“That was up and he hit it good,” Soria said of his ill-fated fastball.
Soria was at a loss to explain his inconsistency.
“Sometimes you have a bad season and you try to figure out what is going on,” he said. “I just go over there, I feel good. I am working hard. It’s just baseball. Baseball is giving me nothing right now.”
Alfredo Simon (1-0) worked a perfect ninth in his season debut. He missed the start of the year after being charged with involuntary manslaughter in his native Dominican Republic; no trial date has been set.
It was the eighth loss in 10 games for Kansas City, now 14-2 when leading after eight innings.
Royals rookie Danny Duffy gave up two runs and five hits over 5 1-3 innings in his second big-league start. The 22-year-old took a three-hit shutout into the sixth before running into trouble trying to protect a 3-0 lead.
Duffy was poised to collect his first win in the majors before Baltimore’s ninth-inning rally.
“He will get deeper in the games,” Yost said of the left-hander. “He did very well.”
Orioles starter Zach Britton allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings, but the rookie was again victimized by a lack of offensive support. The Orioles had gone three straight games without scoring while Britton was in the game before getting two runs in the sixth.
Britton has a 2.35 ERA overall and has allowed a total of six earned runs over his last four starts, but he’s 0-1 in that span.
Britton’s streak of 19 straight innings without allowing an earned run ended when three of the first four Kansas City batters singled, including an RBI liner to left by Jeff Francoeur.
Alex Gordon made it 2-0 in the third with his fifth home run, the first yielded by Britton in three starts since May 6.
The Royals added a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Billy Butler. In the bottom half, Nick Markakis singled and stole second before Matt Wieters chased Duffy with an RBI double and Louis Coleman gave up a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Luke Scott.
NOTES: Orioles manager Buck Showalter said both RHP Brian Matusz (oblique) and 1B Derrek Lee (oblique) should be ready to come off the DL on June 1. Matusz will pitch for Triple-A Norfolk on Friday. … Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts (concussion) saw a specialist in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for at least three more weeks. … SS Cesar Izturis underwent surgery on his right elbow Tuesday and will probably miss 6-8 weeks. “If everything goes as planned, he’ll be a player for us again this year,” Showalter said. … There was a moment of silence before the game for those killed and injured over the weekend by a tornado in Missouri. … Butler has hit in 121 straight series, second-longest active streak in the majors behind Markakis (155).

BALTIMORE (AP) – Adam Jones capped a ninth-inning uprising with a two-run walkoff homer against Joakim Soria, giving the Baltimore Orioles a 5-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

 

Jones hit an 0-2 pitch far over the center-field wall to cap a three-run rally. Upon reaching the plate after a joyous trip around the bases, Jones was buried under a wave of teammates celebrating Baltimore’s third straight victory.

The Orioles improved to 1-21 when trailing after eight innings.

Baltimore trailed 3-2 entering the ninth. After Soria (3-1) retired the first batter, J.J. Hardy doubled off the glove of third baseman Wilson Betemit. Pinch-hitter Felix Pie then grounded a double inside third base to tie it.

Soria rebounded to strike out Robert Andino before Jones connected.

Alfredo Simon (1-0) worked a perfect ninth in his season debut.

It was the eighth loss in 10 games for Kansas City, now 14-2 when leading after eight innings.

Royals rookie Danny Duffy gave up two runs and five hits over 5 1-3 innings in his second big-league start. The 22-year-old took a three-hit shutout into the sixth before running into trouble trying to protect a 3-0 lead.

Duffy was poised to collect his first win in the majors before Baltimore’s ninth-inning rally.

Orioles starter Zach Britton allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings, but the rookie was again victimized by a lack of offensive support. The Orioles had gone three straight games without scoring while Britton was in the game before getting two runs in the sixth.

Britton has a 2.35 ERA overall and has allowed a total of six earned runs over his last four starts, but he’s 0-1 in that span.

Britton’s streak of 19 straight innings without allowing an earned run ended when three of the first four Kansas City batters singled, including an RBI liner to left by Jeff Francoeur.

Alex Gordon made it 2-0 in the third with his fifth home run, the first yielded by Britton in three starts since May 6.

The Royals added a run in the sixth when Francoeur led off with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Billy Butler. Britton avoided further damage by retiring Gordon on a short fly with the bases loaded and two outs.

In the bottom half, Nick Markakis singled and stole second before Matt Wieters chased Duffy with an RBI double. Louis Coleman promptly threw a wild pitch and yielded a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Luke Scott.

NOTES: Orioles manager Buck Showalter said both RHP Brian Matusz (oblique) and 1B Derrek Lee (oblique) should be ready to come off the DL on June 1. Matusz will pitch for Triple-A Norfolk on Friday. … Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts (concussion) saw a specialist in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for at least three more weeks. … SS Cesar Izturis underwent surgery on his right elbow Tuesday and will probably miss 6-8 weeks. “If everything goes as planned, he’ll be a player for us again this year,” Showalter said. … There was a moment of silence before the game for those killed and injured over the weekend by a tornado in Missouri. … Butler has hit in 121 straight series, second-longest active streak in the majors behind Markakis (155).

 

BALTIMORE – Adam Jones capped a ninth-inning uprising with a two-run walkoff homer against Joakim Soria, giving the Baltimore Orioles a 5-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Jones hit an 0-2 pitch far over the center-field wall to cap a three-run rally. Upon reaching the plate after a joyous trip around the bases, Jones was buried under a wave of teammates celebrating Baltimore’s third straight victory.

The Orioles improved to 1-21 when trailing after eight innings.

Baltimore trailed 3-2 entering the ninth. After Soria (3-1) retired the first batter, J.J. Hardy doubled off the glove of third baseman Wilson Betemit. Pinch-hitter Felix Pie then grounded a double inside third base to tie it.

Soria rebounded to strike out Robert Andino before Jones connected.

Alfredo Simon (1-0) worked a perfect ninth in his season debut.

It was the eighth loss in 10 games for Kansas City, now 14-2 when leading after eight innings.

Royals rookie Danny Duffy gave up two runs and five hits over 5 1-3 innings in his second big-league start. The 22-year-old took a three-hit shutout into the sixth before running into trouble trying to protect a 3-0 lead.

Duffy was poised to collect his first win in the majors before Baltimore’s ninth-inning rally.

Orioles starter Zach Britton allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings, but the rookie was again victimized by a lack of offensive support. The Orioles had gone three straight games without scoring while Britton was in the game before getting two runs in the sixth.

Britton has a 2.35 ERA overall and has allowed a total of six earned runs over his last four starts, but he’s 0-1 in that span.

Britton’s streak of 19 straight innings without allowing an earned run ended when three of the first four Kansas City batters singled, including an RBI liner to left by Jeff Francoeur.

Alex Gordon made it 2-0 in the third with his fifth home run, the first yielded by Britton in three starts since May 6.

The Royals added a run in the sixth when Francoeur led off with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Billy Butler. Britton avoided further damage by retiring Gordon on a short fly with the bases loaded and two outs.

In the bottom half, Nick Markakis singled and stole second before Matt Wieters chased Duffy with an RBI double. Louis Coleman promptly threw a wild pitch and yielded a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Luke Scott.

NOTES: Orioles manager Buck Showalter said both RHP Brian Matusz (oblique) and 1B Derrek Lee (oblique) should be ready to come off the DL on June 1. Matusz will pitch for Triple-A Norfolk on Friday. … Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts (concussion) saw a specialist in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for at least three more weeks. … SS Cesar Izturis underwent surgery on his right elbow Tuesday and will probably miss 6-8 weeks. “If everything goes as planned, he’ll be a player for us again this year,” Showalter said. … There was a moment of silence before the game for those killed and injured over the weekend by a tornado in Missouri. … Butler has hit in 121 straight series, second-longest active streak in the majors behind Markakis (155).

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) – There might not be anyone more excited about playing in Baltimore than New York second baseman Robinson Cano.

Cano looks to continue his torrid hitting at Camden Yards and help the headline-grabbing Yankees remain perfect on the season against the Orioles in Wednesday night’s series opener.

Cano got off to a hot start to the year, batting .319 with eight home runs and 21 RBIs in his first 23 games, but has since cooled off, hitting .228 with a homer and four RBIs in 16 games.

A brief two-game series in Baltimore could help him regain his stroke.

Cano has hit safely in his last 15 games at Camden Yards, batting .531, and is hitting .510 with nine homers, 11 doubles, 19 RBIs and 26 runs in his last 23 games there.

The All-Star second baseman was 4 for 10 with an RBI as New York (21-19) swept a rain-shortened two-game series in Baltimore in April. The Yankees have won the first four meetings of the season with the Orioles (19-21), and are 17-5 against them since last year.

Curtis Granderson, who leads New York with 14 homers, has also enjoyed facing the Orioles, batting .315 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 33 games against them since 2008.

The Yankees arrive in Baltimore after defeating Tampa Bay 6-2 on Tuesday, snapping a six-game losing streak.

“We needed a win,” Joe Girardi said. “I don’t want to say must-win, but as close as you can get to a must-win in the month of May.”

Jorge Posada doubled and singled while batting seventh as the designated hitter in his first start since pulling himself out of the lineup Saturday soon after he was set to bat ninth.

“It feels good to be back in the lineup and be able to contribute,” Posada said.

Alex Rodriguez also finally produced offensively, homering twice. The three-time AL MVP was hitting .171 with a home run and six RBIs in his previous 21 games.

“My struggles have been really unacceptable, but hopefully today was the start of good things to come,” Rodriguez said.

It seems Rodriguez could be poised for another big game considering he is batting .538 with two homers, three doubles and 11 RBIs against the Orioles this season.

Baltimore’s game in Boston on Tuesday was postponed because of rain.

The rainout gave the Orioles, winners of five of seven, another 24 hours to re-evaluate Derrek Lee’s status.

Lee, who suffered a strained left oblique Monday, would have been placed on the disabled list had Tuesday’s game taken place.

“We’ve got another day to look at it to see if there’s any drastic improvement,” Buck Showalter said.

Rookie Zach Britton (5-2, 2.42 ERA) was originally scheduled to start Tuesday but will now make his first career appearance against the Yankees.

The left-hander is coming off his best outing, limiting Seattle to three hits without a walk in nine scoreless innings Thursday. The Orioles, however, failed to score for him for a second straight start. Baltimore eventually won 2-1 in 12 innings.

Britton has yielded one run or fewer in five of eight starts, and the Orioles are 6-2 with him on the mound, compared to 13-19 in starts by other pitchers.

New York counters with Bartolo Colon (2-2, 3.74), who allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in six innings in Friday’s 5-4 loss to Boston.

The right-hander, who threw three scoreless innings of relief against Baltimore on April 14, is 2-2 with a 5.57 ERA in his last four starts versus the Orioles.

What’s your prediction for Yankees-Orioles? Let us know in the comments below…

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Baltimore Orioles’ game at the Boston Red Sox has been postponed because of rain.

The Red Sox made the announcement shortly before Tuesday’s game was scheduled to start as rain created puddles on the tarp covering the infield. Temperatures were in the high 40s and dropping.

No makeup date was immediately announced.

It was among three rainouts Tuesday, following postponements of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ game at the Washington Nationals and the Florida Marlins’ contest at the New York Mets.

There have been 29 postponements in the majors this season. Last
year, there were a total of 21 all season.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)