Bowie

Paralympics Long finishes with five golds, seven medals Jessica Long , who grew up in Middle River, won her fifth gold medal at the London Paralympics, breaking her world record in the women's 100-meter freestyle S8 with a time of 1 minute, 5.63 seconds Thursday. Long, who also two silver medals, finished 2.44 seconds in front of Great Britain's Heather Frederiksen . The 20-year-old Long led from the start to lower her own world mark by 0.43 to 1:05.63, with Great Britain's Heather Frederiksen second.

He isn't a part of the Orioles' postseason push, but Dylan Bundy was a playoff winner Wednesday night, pitching Double-A Bowie to a 4-2 win over Akron in Game 1 of their Eastern League playoff series at Prince George's Stadium. The Orioles' top prospect allowed one run on six hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking just one. Bundy's only run allowed came on a homer by Matt Lawson in the top of the second inning. Rhyne Hughes' two-run homer in the fourth gave Bowie the lead, and Ronnie Welty and Ty Kelly added solo home runs for the Baysox.

After going 0-for-4 in his first injury rehabilitation game with Double-A Bowie on Wednesday, Orioles infielder Wilson Betemit was 2-for-4 with a grand slam Thursday night for the Baysox. Betemit played third base as the Baysox won, 8-6, over Erie at Prince George's Stadium. He was Bowie's first baseman Wednesday. Betemit was scheduled for a two-game rehab stint with Bowie, so it's likely he'll be activated when rosters expand this weekend as long as he doesn't report any issues.

The Orioles haven't made it known whether top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy will join the big league team once rosters expand on Saturday -- and the organization's moves with the 19-year-old right-hander this season have set the stage for a late-season call-up -- but manager Buck Showalter's words Wednesday indicated otherwise. Before Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox, Showalter indicated that Bundy will remain with Double-A Bowie through their likely postseason run and then participate in the instructional league in Sarasota.

Super prospect Dylan Bundy had another solid performance for the Bowie Baysox on Tuesday, which will be his last outing before major league rosters expand on Sept. 1. In his third start for Bowie, the 19-year-old allowed two earned runs on four hits and four walks while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings against Erie. Bundy threw 97 pitches, 61 for strikes. Both of the runs charged to Bundy scored in the sixth after he left. Baysox reliever Chris Petrini allowed a two-out, two-run double.

Double-A Bowie right fielder Ronnie Welty had a night to remember Thursday night, hitting two home runs and driving in a career-high eight runs in the Baysox's 17-2 trouncing of the Harrisburg Senators at Prince George's Stadium. The 24-year-old Welty, who was the Orioles' 20th-round selection in 2008, opened his night with a solo homer in the third inning, then hit a three-run triple in the fifth, followed by a three-run homer in the sixth. He finished his night with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Making his second start for Double-A Bowie, Orioles top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy gave up two runs on five hits (including a homer) in six innings Monday night at Richmond. Bundy struck out four and walked one, throwing 63 of his 97 pitches for strikes. He didn't get a decision, as Robbie Widlansky hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth to pull the Baysox ahead 3-2. But Richmond came back to score twice in the bottom of the ninth to win the game. The home run Bundy allowed was a solo shot hit by Juan Perez leading off the bottom of the sixth.

For 10 weeks, the Frederick Keys were Dylan Bundy's stewards. The Orioles' High-A affiliate was charged with bringing along the 19-year-old's arm and delivering him to Double-A Bowie in better shape than he arrived, a transaction that is expected to be made with all stipulations met before Game 1 of the Baysox's doubleheader Tuesday. The Orioles invested more in Bundy than they have in any other pitcher, and the right-hander came to Frederick in late May after posting utterly goofy numbers during his stint in Low-A Delmarva (30 innings, no earned runs, five hits, and 40 strikeouts in eight starts)

One minute this week Manny Machado was the baron of Bowie, traveling with the Baysox to glamorous ports of call like Altoona. And the next -- he's in Baltimore, pulling on a pristine new Orioles uniform. No matter how cool he might have seemed on the field in his big-league debut Thursday, being plucked from the minors and dropped into the majors without warning could make a 20-year-old's head spin. He's among the youngest to ever play the game and brand new in the big city. The kid needs pointers.

Following Wednesday's sweep-clinching win over the Mariners -- a win that put the Orioles in a three-way tie for the AL wild-card lead -- the O's made a late night move that further proved they're trying to win this season. The club announced it is purchasing the contract of top position prospect Manny Machado from Double-A Bowie before Thursday's game. In other words, the future is now. Machado, ranked the 9th best prospect in the game by Baseball America, will make his first major league start in Thursday at third base against the Kansas City Royals and left-handed starter Will Smith.