Bob Milacki

BASEBALL American League * Orioles -- Placed Ben McDonald (pitcher) on the 15-day disabled list. Signed Ernie Whitt (catcher) and Paul Kilgus (pitcher). Optioned David Segui (first baseman) and Roy Smith (pitcher) to Rochester of the International League. Optioned Bob Milacki (pitcher) to Hagerstown of the Eastern League.* Toronto Blue Jays -- Optioned Rob Ducey (outfielder) to Syracuse of the International League.National League * Pittsburgh Pirates -- Signed Andy Van Slyke (outfielder) to a three-year contract extension through 1994.

ATLANTA - Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel took a no-hitter into the seventh inning tonight against the Braves tonight at Turner Field. Jason Heyward's two-out single to left in the seventh inning broke up Hammel's no-hit bid. Hammel retired 17 straight at one point, allowed just one baserunner -- a walk to Dan Uggla to open the second inning - until issuing another walk to Uggla with two outs in the seventh. Then Heyward came to the plate and lined a 3-1 pitch for a single.

Jeff Ballard's first start in more than two months is the first step in Orioles manager Frank Robinson's motivational crash course for the final week of the season.When Ballard (2-10, 4.99) faces the Yankees tonight (7:30, HTS), he will be the first of three starters getting a final chance to salvage something from the 1990 season. Bob Milacki (4-8, 4.70) and a yet to be determined candidate will get opportunities over the weekend.Especially in the cases of Ballard and Milacki, the club's biggest winners a year ago, the juggling act is more one of reassurance than it is necessity.

AFTER Josh Towers was named American League Rookie of the Month for June earlier this week, he was asked if he felt he had arrived as a major-leaguer or still was auditioning for a job with the Orioles, as if his place wasn't assured. His answer was as mature as the outings that earned him the monthly award. "I think I'm still kind of auditioning," he said. "Anyone can go out and have a good month or a good year and not follow it up." Anyone who has seen Towers pitch since his recall from Triple A would expect such a level-headed answer - he pitches far older than his years, using remarkable command of his fastball to offset a lack of overpowering stuff.

BOSTON -- Before making a final decision on their pitchin rotation, the Boston Red Sox made a roster move similar to some of those of the Orioles this season.Dana Kiecker, whose 7.20 earned run average was morindicative of his performance than his 2-1 record, apparently was on his way to Pawtucket when a funny thing happened to his elbow. It got sore just about the same time righthander Mike Gardiner was promoted from Triple A.Kiecker was originally scheduled to start against the Orioletonight (7:35, Ch. 2)

Besides continuing their quest for respectability, the Orioles have another task on their hands this weekend -- helping to maintain order in the AL East race.The Toronto Blue Jays, who will be at Memorial Stadium for four games, are in a stretch that affords them a chance to build a comfortable lead. Currently leading the division by 1 1/2 games, the Blue Jays are in the midst of 10 straight games against the bottom three teams in the division while the second-place Boston Red Sox are on a difficult West Coast trip.

If the songwriters are correct, it is supposedly always good to touch the green, green grass of homes.Yet, the blades of grass at Memorial Stadium have been razor-sharp so far this season for the Orioles, who have stumbled to a 9-20 home mark, the worst in baseball.There are, of course, 52 more home games to improve upon the mark, including tonight's series opener against the white-hot Minnesota Twins, winners of 15 straight, but, for now, there is no home-field advantage.The notion of domination isn't as big a deal in baseball as in say, hockey or basketball, where it is supreme.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After seven years, Chito Martinez is finally ,, coming "home" to the stadium he's never seen.This isn't quite the way he had it planned back in 1984, when he signed with Kansas City as a sixth-round draft choice. Martinez figured by this time he would be spraying base hits around Royals Stadium as a member of the home team.Instead, Martinez will make his first appearance in K.C. tonight (8:35, ESPN) when the Orioles open a two-game series against the Royals.After spending seven seasons in the Kansas City organization, and hitting 57 home runs in the last three years, Martinez decided correctly that he didn't figure in the Royals' plans.

Contemplating tonight's scheduled doubleheader with the Orioles (5:05, HTS), Boston manager Joe Morgan didn't mince any words."Roger [Clemens] and [Tom] Bolton, in that order," said Morgan. "And that's all I have to say."On the surface the Red Sox do not appear to have the best possible matchups to win two games. But Morgan really has no choice but to lead his ace.Last night's rainout caused only the slightest of changes in Morgan's rotation -- with Clemens pitching ahead of Bolton, who was scheduled to face Dave Johnson last night.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed reserve catcher Jeff Tackett and pitcher Francisco de la Rosa to 1992 contracts, but five of the club's six arbitration-eligible players remain unsigned.Tackett, 26, appeared briefly in the major leagues last year, getting into six games and managing a hit and two walks in 10 plate appearances. His role is expected to increase in the wake of the December trade of veteran catcher Bob Melvin to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Storm Davis, though the recent return of veteran backup Rick Dempsey has clouded the catching picture.

PHOENIX -- The list of former Orioles seeking a fresh start with defending American League West champion Oakland decreased by one yesterday when the Athletics released injured left-hander Jeff Ballard.Ballard, 29, was trying to revive his career in the A's minor-league camp, but Oakland club president Sandy Alderson said Ballard is suffering from an elbow problem that might require surgery.It is not known whether the injury is related to the one that forced Ballard to undergo arthroscopic surgery for the removal of bone chips in 1989.

Bob Milacki waits. So do Sam Horn and Randy Milligan, the two other remaining victims of the Dec. 18 Orioles roster reduction that also left pitcher Mark Williamson and utility man Mark McLemore temporarily unemployed.Williamson and McLemore have re-signed with the club. Milligan and Horn apparently have been cut loose for good. Milacki waits, still holding out hope that he might rejoin the team at Twin Lakes Park next month."There still might be a chance, but I really don't know," he said Friday.

On the surface, Bob Milacki's contribution to the fadingOrioles last night at Camden Yards seemed of little consequence. Six-plus innings of relief in the middle of an 8-2 blowout loss to the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.But for the 28-year-old right-hander, it was another step in the resurrection of his once blossoming big-league career."The start I made in Oakland was very important for the club," Milacki said, alluding to an eight-inning, one-run, four-hit performance Sept. 1 that kept the Orioles in the heat of the now almost forgotten pennant race.

Bad outing aside, Telford is satisfied with second-half results 0) for Red WingsROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Not that Anthony Telford believes in revisionist history, but if he hadn't given up 11 runs to the Toledo Mud Hens on June 10, no one would ask him how much he thinks he has improved in the second half of the season."

The Rangers were up eight by the middle of the sixth inning yesterday, enough cushion even for their famously collapsible bullpen -- barely enough, but enough. So, once again, a big crowd went home with the sole satisfaction of knowing that the Blue Jays had lost. But how much longer can this go on?Let's face it: If contenders were cars, the Orioles would have loose bolts, squeaky hinges, a sizable oil leak and all sorts of the ominous rattles that usually precede a thousand-dollar trip to the mechanic.

Three months ago, 49 wins for the Orioles at the All-Star break would have fallen into the category of impossible dreams.Three days ago, however, it wasn't even a lofty goal, which is why the Orioles took a bummed-out feeling with them into the midseason recess.Overall there can be no quarrel with the Orioles' position -- but the route they took to reach it left a disappointing taste."Back in March or April, I think we'd have settled for 49 wins," manager Johnny Oates said after yesterday's 9-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

CLEVELAND -- With 16 games left in the season, the Orioles still retain hope of finishing fifth in the American League East. Beyond that, their best shot at respectability is to build on some rather impressive home run statistics.Going into the three-game series with the Indians that opens here tonight (7:35, HTS), the Orioles trail the fifth-place Yankees by 1 1/2 games. With the Yankees playing three times in Boston, this would appear to be the best opportunity to make up some ground before the Orioles go into New York for three games Oct. 1-3.With a 61-85 record, the other very modest goal besides matching last year's fifth-place finish would be to reach 70 wins, a figure that would still leave them six below last year's total.

With Mike Devereaux and Paul Molitor in the leadoff spots for their respective teams, the big pop could come at any time. If not tonight, then maybe tomorrow night.The Orioles' Devereaux leads AL leadoff hitters with 12 home runs. Not since Don Buford clubbed 19 in 1970 has an Orioles leadoff hitter had so many. Molitor, his Milwaukee counterpart, has 10.Neither homered in the first two games of the series, but two chances remain, tonight when Ben McDonald (5-5) faces Jaime Navarro (8-9) and tomorrow night when Bob Milacki (7-5)

If there ever was a time for Bob Milacki to shake his slump, last night appeared to be it. Winless in his four previous starts, Milacki was facing a Chicago White Sox team that he had beaten in two previous starts this season.But the third meeting would be anything but a breeze for Milacki, who gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings in an 8-4 loss that dropped the Orioles four games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.And as Milacki (5-6) walked off the field to boos from the crowd of 45,451 -- the Orioles' 20th straight sellout -- he had to be wondering when his next start might be.That start for Milacki, who left the clubhouse early and was unavailable for comment, is scheduled for Sunday against the Minnesota Twins.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- For the first time in almost four years, the Orioles scored a run against Dennis Eckersley. That was the good news here last night.The bad news is that Eckersley still managed his 13th save in as many opportunities against the Orioles since Aug. 28, 1988. In the process the Oakland A's bumped the Orioles out of first place with a 5-3 victory before 31,389.Mike Moore (6-3) and four relievers combined to space 10 hits against the Orioles, who did all of their scoring in the last two innings on home runs by Chito Martinez (No. 2)