Bats

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts made his first competitive appearance on a baseball field in more than a year at Prince George's Stadium on Wednesday night and enjoyed every relatively uneventful minute of it. "It was exciting…fun," he said. "You realize how much you enjoy playing the game of baseball and how fortunate you are to be able to play it this long and hopefully continue to do it. " Roberts has been recovering from the effects of multiple concussions since suffering his second in eight months in a game at Fenway Park last May. He has embarked on a 20-day injury rehabilitation assignment that he hopes will get him ready to return to the major league lineup in mid-June, but has a few more steps to take before that can happen.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts made his first competitive appearance on a baseball field in more than a year at Prince George's Stadium on Wednesday night and enjoyed every relatively uneventful minute of it. "It was exciting…fun," he said. "You realize how much you enjoy playing the game of baseball and how fortunate you are to be able to play it this long and hopefully continue to do it. " Roberts has been recovering from the effects of multiple concussions since suffering his second in eight months in a game at Fenway Park last May. He has embarked on a 20-day injury rehabilitation assignment that he hopes will get him ready to return to the major league lineup in mid-June, but has a few more steps to take before that can happen.

The ball from his first major league hit sat in his locker, and Orioles rookie outfielder Xavier Avery promised he'd give it a good home. “Put it in my trophy room at home, back in Atlanta,” Avery said. “I'm going to hold on to it, and I'm never going to lose it.” And the memories of a night of firsts will also last forever. In the Orioles' 8-5 loss to the Yankees, Avery tallied his first hit - a leadoff double in the first inning - and drove in this first run with a fifth-inning triple that scored Robert Andino.

First baseman Chris Davis was not in the starting lineup on Tuesday with lefty CC Sabathia on the mound. That alone probably is enough to sit the slugging left-hander, who is 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against Sabathia. But Davis has also been in a deep slump. Counting his 0-for-8 performance in Boston on May 6 - the 17-inning game in which he picked up a win by throwing two scoreless innings - Davis has just three hits in his past 28 at-bats, dropping his average from .326 to .274.

Orioles right-hander Tommy Hunter grasped for answers after his team's 8-1 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.   The Orioles' run of success on the road - filled with late-inning dramatics, plenty of home runs and clutch pitching - came to a crashing halt Wednesday evening on Chicago's South Side. The Orioles, who entered the night 4-1 midway through their three-city, 10-game road trip, suffered their worst defeat on the road this season. Hunter struggled in his second consecutive start, allowing eight earned runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.

BEFORE WE GET on with the news of the day, we'd like toupdate you on an item we mentioned Wednesday about Cal Ripken Jr. donating 250 autographed baseball bats to the Baltimore Reads Inc. literacy campaign.Even though we fouled up -- turns out it was actually baseballs, not baseball bats -- Sam Zervitz of Baltimore Reads tells us that the balls were sold out by 1 p.m. that day and wants to thank all of you who bought one.Those who'd still like to contribute to Baltimore Reads Inc. can buy a copy of "Oscar and Other Writings," which sells for $2.95 and was written by adult learners in Baltimore City literacy programs.

In what is thought the be the first dual-Bundy interview in the history of modern civilization, brothers and fellow Orioles pitching prospects Dylan and Bobby Bundy were guests on “The Norris & Davis Show” on 105.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning. The Orioles selected the former with the fourth overall pick on Monday. By no fault of host Steve Davis, the interview might have made a few decaffeinated people fall asleep at the wheel on the way to work. That sort of thing can happen when you interview a senior in high school.

- When Orioles manager Dave Trembley addressed his full squad for the first time this spring, his speech centered on the team over the individual. He'll now have to wait to see whether his talk resonates. Of all the tasks Trembley faces entering this season, his ability to get his players enough at-bats to keep them happy might be the most challenging. While more talent and a deeper bench are issues that Trembley is willing to confront, he also knows they can affect the positive team chemistry he is trying hard to cultivate.

Michael Morse, who had struggled early in the season after winning the left-field job in spring training, went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the season, a three-run blast in the third inning, to lift the Washington Nationals to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday and back to .500 for the season. The Nationals provided a break from their offensive stagnancy, piling up a season-high 15 hits and scoring more runs than they had in their three previous games combined.

Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada saw his first Grapefruit League start of the spring Tuesday as an opportunity to show the Baltimore brass he deserved a starting rotation spot. His spring slowed by left elbow discomfort, he made two previous spring outings - two relief innings on the road against the Braves and a Double-A minor league outing last Thursday - but Tuesday's start would be a more true indicator against a Twins lineup that included six regulars. But by the end of his start, Wada, a Japanese-born lefty who signed a two-year, $8.14 million contract, was left doubting whether he still had time to reverse his most humbling outing of the spring in a 5-0 loss to the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium.

The ball from his first major league hit sat in his locker, and Orioles rookie outfielder Xavier Avery promised he'd give it a good home. “Put it in my trophy room at home, back in Atlanta,” Avery said. “I'm going to hold on to it, and I'm never going to lose it.” And the memories of a night of firsts will also last forever. In the Orioles' 8-5 loss to the Yankees, Avery tallied his first hit - a leadoff double in the first inning - and drove in this first run with a fifth-inning triple that scored Robert Andino.

The Orioles entered Thursday's doubleheader with the hot-hitting Rangers focused on survival. Orioles pitchers served up eight home runs (and 24 runs) in the first two games of the series to the most dangerous hitting lineup in the American League. A string of injuries - the Orioles made 12 roster moves since Monday - had players shuttling back and forth between Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk. A beleaguered bullpen staff - still taxed from playing 39 innings in three games in Boston over the weekend - needed to avoid an early arrival in both games.

Before the Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton did it Tuesday night, the Cleveland Indians' Rocky Colavito was the only player to hit four home runs in a game against the Orioles. Colavito went deep four times at Memorial Stadium on June 10, 1959. Here's a story The Sun ran 30 years later, reflecting on the slugger's feat.   June 18, 1989 ROCKY IV 30 years ago, Rocky Colavito ended a slump by becoming only the third player to hit four homers in four consecutive at-bats in a nine-inning game Rocky Colavito clicked his way down the tunnel from the visitors clubhouse and emerged in the Cleveland Indians dugout carrying his K-55 bats -- 33-ounce models that most hitters would consider light when compared with the weight of a 3-for-28 batting skid.

Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton had 10 homers coming into Tuesday's game, including one Monday night. By the eighth inning Tuesday, he had 14 on the season. Yes, Hamilton had four homers - all of the two-run variety - on Tuesday. It's the 16 th time that has happened in major league baseball history and only the second involving the Orioles. The first was  June 10, 1959, when Cleveland's Rocky Colavito hit four at Memorial Stadium. Hamilton also had a double in his five at-bats for 18 total bases, which sets an American League record, one behind the 19 total bases recorded by the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shawn Green in 2002.

The season didn't start the way Bel Air baseball coach John Swanson hoped. But maybe it will end more to his liking. By the time the Bobcats could catch their collective breath this season they were a 3-8 team. But what Swanson has discovered is that he has capable leaders in senior captains Zack Stout and Tyler Riedal and junior Tyler Norcross. They showed their character by leading their teammates through the building process. Now, Bel Air is 9-11 heading into the Class 3A postseason, which begins this weekend (MPSSAA brackets are expected to be unveiled Wednesday)

Colleges Terps ' Vellano named to IMPACT watch list   Maryland defensive lineman Joe Vellano was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list, which honors the top college defensive player in the country. The list of 42 players, including seven from the Atlantic Coast Conference, was announced at a luncheon Monday held by Ronnie Lott, the NFL Hall of Fame safety, and the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation. Vellano, who will be a senior in the fall, was a second-team All-American and a consensus first-team All-ACC choice last season.

A pizza deliveryman who was beaten and robbed of $40 Tuesday evening by three youths with baseball bats was in serious but stable condition yesterday at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, police said.Robert Lee Ghan, 22, of the 7000 block of Baker St. at Fort Meade, suffered a facial fracture, police said. He told police he went to the 1200 block of Severn Station Road shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday to deliver a pizza for the Pizza Express shop.As he got out of his car, a youth walked up to him and said, "That's my pizza," police said.

The season didn't start the way Bel Air baseball coach John Swanson hoped. But maybe it will end more to his liking. By the time the Bobcats could catch their collective breath this season they were a 3-8 team. But what Swanson has discovered is that he has capable leaders in senior captains Zack Stout and Tyler Riedal and junior Tyler Norcross. They showed their character by leading their teammates through the building process. Now, Bel Air is 9-11 heading into the Class 3A postseason, which begins this weekend (MPSSAA brackets are expected to be unveiled Wednesday)

Orioles leftfielder Nolan Reimold will go on a minor-league rehab before rejoining the team from the disabled list, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Sunday. Reimold, who has a herniated disk in his neck, hasn't played since Monday, and Showalter said he'd like for Reimold to get some at bats before returning. “I expect him to without a doubt,” Showalter said. “I'm hoping that somewhere near the end of the DL period, which would be the 14 th , something around there, he gets some at bats.

Orioles right-hander Tommy Hunter grasped for answers after his team's 8-1 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.   The Orioles' run of success on the road - filled with late-inning dramatics, plenty of home runs and clutch pitching - came to a crashing halt Wednesday evening on Chicago's South Side. The Orioles, who entered the night 4-1 midway through their three-city, 10-game road trip, suffered their worst defeat on the road this season. Hunter struggled in his second consecutive start, allowing eight earned runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.