Orioles Game

It seemed every seat was filled during the Baltimore Orioles' exciting playoff run last season except the one that belonged to Matt Hersl. Friends say the rangy, baldheaded Orioles regular never sat during games but ran around Camden Yards, laughing with season ticket holders, keeping an eye on the batter to make sure he had the best vantage point to snag an errant fly ball or a home run souvenir. Hersl was a vigilant "ballhawk," and brought the same sharp eye and enthusiasm to his Little Italy community, where he served as the neighborhood watch leader.

Just last week, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said pitching prospect Kevin Gausman was a starting rotation option for the future, but not the immediate present. But the 22-year-old right-hander will join the Orioles this week and is expected to make his major league debut Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to multiple industry sources. The Orioles' first-round draft pick last June - the fourth-overall selection out of LSU - will make the jump from Double-A Bowie, where he is 2-4 with a 3.11 ERA in eight starts.

Up until the ninth inning, it was a great game, and TBS provided coverage worthy of it. As I said in my review of Friday night's wildcard game, the broadcast team of Ernie Johnson on play by play and Cal Ripken and John Smoltz as analysts is a winner. Johnson's easygoing style creates a solid and steady baseline that allows Ripken and Smoltz to concentrate on taking viewers inside the game. Smoltz was especially sharp Sunday in explaining how C.C. Sabathia managed to keep the Orioles off balance at the plate all night.

In the end, the umpires got the call right. But it sure took long enough. And a rough five-game homestand for the Orioles got even rougher in the sixth inning Sunday when Tampa Bay's Matt Joyce hit a soaring fly ball down the right field line in the Rays' eventual 3-1 win. That's when all the fun started. Actually, it was only fun if your idea of a good time is a long game delay while both managers and all four umpires yak endlessly about whether Joyce's shot was a foul ball, a double or a homer.

Here comes the windup and what a -- um, change of pitch. OK, now he's ready. Oops, well, he didn't like that signal, either. Now the catcher and the pitcher will have a little talk. The catcher walks slowly back to the plate. Here goes the windup and what a -- throw to the first baseman.Now the catcher will join the pitcher on the mound and he's followed by the first baseman and here comes the manager out '' of the dugout. And it looks like there will be a pitching change. Stay tuned, we'll return after this commercial break.

Ron Taylor isn't really a singer who performs the national anthem before ball games -- but he played one on TV.That was enough for the Baltimore Orioles, who have enlisted Mr. Taylor to sing the anthem before their game July 1.Mr. Taylor played a gospel singer who sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" on a recent episode of "L.A. Law." His unconventional rendition -- in which he embellished notes, holding some for unusually long periods -- caused him to be blipped. He sued and, with the help of the McKenzie firm, got an out-of-court settlement in his favor.

Where to watch or hear tomorrow's induction: TV ESPN Classic, 1:30 p.m. (highlights show on ESPN2 Monday at 8 p.m.) Ch. 13, Celebrating Cal special, about 4:30 p.m. (after Orioles game) RADIO ESPN 1300 AM, 1:30 p.m. (replayed after Orioles game on WHFS [105.7 FM]) ONLINE For a multimedia presentation, go to baltimoresun.com/ripken -- video of Ripken's speech should appear by 9 p.m.

Pick a signature Orioles game Let's assume we could get into a time machine and go back to one regular-season Orioles game. Which would you chooose? May 8, 1966: Frank Robinson homers out of Memorial Stadium. Aug. 13, 1969: Jim Palmer's no-hitter. June 22, 1979: Doug DeCinces' homer triggers Orioles Magic. Aug. 24, 1983: Tippy Martinez picks off three runners in the 10th, then Lenn Sakata homers to win the game. Sept. 6, 1995: Cal Ripken Jr. breaks the consecutive-games-played record. (For more, go to baltimoresun.

On a hot July night in 1978, 7-year-old Stefan Shilgalis of Laurel was kidnapped from Memorial Stadium by a child molester.He was led through a dark alley to the back yard of a nearby home, where the man told him not to scream.It was then that an off-duty city police detective, Eugene Constantine, then 35, rushed to his rescue, overpowering the man. As the officer dragged the kidnapper, Jimmy Lee Brown, back toward the street, the child clung to the officer's legs and cried to be taken back to his father.

In a case of road rage, a Prince George's County man admitted yesterday to shooting at a motorist June 18 on busy Interstate 95 in Howard County and faces a potentially lengthy prison term. William Franklin Shearer III, 29, of District Heights pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree assault and felony handgun use. The assault charge carries a maximum of 25 years in prison, although prosecutors said that sentencing guidelines call for 10 to 18 years. Shearer, who is out on bail, is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 26. According to prosecutors and court documents, Shearer and James Christopher Soresi, 29, were on their way home from an Orioles game on Father's Day when their Ford Explorer was hit from behind with a plastic Lipton Ice Tea bottle.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he still has not made a decision who will pitch Monday at Seattle. A lot depends on whether Zach Britton will be needed today in relief. Freddy Garcia, who is slated to pitch Sunday for Triple-A Norfolk, is the other candidate. Wilson Betemit (right knee) has progressed to exercise activities in a pool, including the underwater treadmill. He is in Sarasota, Fla. There is no set timetable for his return. Brian Roberts (hamstring) has started light jogging in Sarasota.

The Orioles' 17-game extra-inning winning streak ended Wednesday afternoon, but the team's 100-game winning streak when leading at the completion of the seventh inning is still alive and well heading into the Orioles' 11-day, 11-game West Coast road trip, which begins tonight in Oakland. When that streak - which dates back to Aug. 8, 2011 - reached the century mark after Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Blue Jays, closer Jim Johnson noted that the streak coincided with the time when the Orioles began to turn things around.

The passing of yet another icon of old school, the much beloved Peter N. Panos, came late last month. The heart and soul of Bel Air's Main Street for many years, Pete passed away Monday, March 25, and the main thoroughfare through Bel Air became just a little emptier. You won't see the name of Pete Panos on any buildings or hear him honored for being a big noise. On the contrary, Pete, his brother Gus and his mom, Pota, were quiet, hard-working, middle-class folks with a passion for honest trading, human kindness and integrity.

It seemed every seat was filled during the Baltimore Orioles' exciting playoff run last season except the one that belonged to Matt Hersl. Friends say the rangy, baldheaded Orioles regular never sat during games but ran around Camden Yards, laughing with season ticket holders, keeping an eye on the batter to make sure he had the best vantage point to snag an errant fly ball or a home run souvenir. Hersl was a vigilant "ballhawk," and brought the same sharp eye and enthusiasm to his Little Italy community, where he served as the neighborhood watch leader.

Henry Urrutia, the Cuban defector who joined the Orioles earlier this month eight months after he signed, will play in his first game at Ed Smith Stadium in today's exhibition against the State College of Florida. Urrutia will start in right field and hit sixth in the batting order.   Urrutia, who signed a $778,500 signing bonus in July, hasn't played in two seasons. He was suspended for the entire 2011 season in Cuba after a failed defection, so the Orioles are pacing him slowly to get him readjusted to the game while getting him ready for the season.

Orioles, please change your date ("Goodell optimistic on scheduling conflict," March 21). Our home team won the Super Bowl . Show some respect. If an Orioles game is rained out, it's made up - or not. The Ravens deserve to open their season here in Baltimore and we deserve to have that happen. Move your game date and be gracious about it. Sandra Shapiro, Baltimore Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Lord Stanley outranks Queen Elizabeth II -- at least on Home Team Sports.HTS was scheduled to telecast tomorrow night's Baltimore Orioles-California Angels game, which will be attended by the Queen of England. But the Stanley Cup finals also begin tomorrow night, and HTS has been showing the playoffs, carried by SportsChannel America. So, yesterday HTS announced it will take hockey over baseball tomorrow. (HTS will substitute another Orioles game on June 2.)Channel 2, which was informed of HTS' decision by a reporter, is considering picking up the Orioles game, but may not be allowed to because of blackout restrictions that apply during Wednesday night ESPN major-league telecasts.

Attending an Orioles game this season will cost more than it did last year, but after a couple of years of big increases the club has held the line on ticket and other prices, according to an annual survey.A typical family of four that buys average tickets, two small beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs and a few souvenirs will pay $104.96, according to Team Marketing Report, a Chicago-based newsletter.That makes the Orioles the sixth most expensive team in the major leagues, down from fifth last year, according to the newsletter.

Tears filled my eyes as I read Kevin Cowherd 's column this morning about the illness of Charlie Zill or Zillbilly, the "country boy" usher at Camden Yards ("Cancer-stricken 'Zillbilly' usher hopes to see 1 or 2 more games," March 18). Having taken zillions of photographs of Mr. Zill over the years during the 7 t h -inning stretch, I was sure Mr. Cowherd would need one of them to highlight his tribute to Charlie. I was completely wrong. Charlie's Zillbilly character has been so admired, loved and photographed by others, including The Sun's photographers, that any pictures I had were superfluous.

Just met with Orioles manager Buck Showalter prior to tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Sarasota. Here are some highlights: Brian Roberts is back in the Orioles lineup Thursday after fouling a ball off his ankle in the sixth inning Wednesday. He said he was fine; he was. Nolan Reimold is back out in left field for the second consecutive game. Showalter said previously that Reimold needs to play the field to be active on Opening Day. Right now, Showalter said he feels “good about [Reimold playing left field]