Two Innings

Teams from Tampa, Fla., and Mexico advanced yesterday to the Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series championship game, which will be held today at 5 p.m. at Cal Sr.'s Yard in Aberdeen. This is the fifth consecutive series final for Mexico, which won the title in 2003 and 2004. Christian Arroyo, Tampa's outstanding shortstop, is aware of Mexico's toughness and tradition, but he said, "Bring 'em on. We can take them." Today's title game will be televised on Versus, with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother, former Oriole Bill Ripken, as analysts.

Highlights and lowlights from the Orioles' 10-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Fort Lauderdale Stadium:Juan Guzman: Working on a two-seamer, he showed the form that makes opposing batters dread every at-bat against him.Doug Linton: It appears the "Tommy John" surgery in '97 was a complete success. So far, Linton has been the same.Willis Otanez: Out of options, but not out of the club's plans. Not by a long shot.Davey Johnson: Always good copy, even when he's not trying.Outfield communication: The Dodgers need some of their youngsters to work on it. Now.Brady Anderson: Goes 0-for-3 but scores twice and drives in a run. Neat trick.

The Orioles found a little bit of everything -- good, bad and worrisome -- in yesterday's 10-7 Opening Day win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.They rediscovered right fielder Albert Belle's bat and were rewarded with four RBIs, including a game-turning three-run homer in his second at-bat as an Oriole. They found the offense that had eluded them for much of an indifferent spring training.They happened upon more positive returns from new first baseman Will Clark. They even received a piece of clutch pitching from scrutinized closer Mike Timlin.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Orioles reduced their spring roster to 37 players before last night's game when right-handers Rocky Coppinger and Gabe Molina were optioned to Triple-A Rochester and left-hander Terry Burrows was reassigned to the minor-league camp. Burrows also is expected to pitch for the Red Wings.Coppinger's work this spring consisted of only five innings, a point he raised while gathering his gear after leaving manager Ray Miller's office. He allowed four homers, and five runs, in three games.

Highlights and lowlights from the Orioles' 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Vero Beach, Fla.DOWN --Doug Johns: Was due for a poor outing. This is it.UP -- Brady Anderson: Takes over the club lead in RBIs with 10 after hitting a two-run homer in the fifth.DOWN -- Willis Otanez: Commits his team-leading fourth error, a wild throw that allowed a run in the first. Also goes 0-for-3 in the cleanup spot.UP -- Mike Timlin: Breezes through the fifth, not allowing the ball out of the infield.

Highlights and lowlights from the Orioles' 11-10 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.UP -- Cal Ripken: Had no extra-base hits or RBIs until yesterday.UP -- Mike Bordick: Two more hits for the No. 2 hitter. Also threw in a walk for good measure.UP -- Second chances: Charles Johnson got one after his pop-up was dropped in foul territory, and he homered to left.UP -- Brady Anderson: Single to left, two-run homer to right and single to center. Using the whole field, and opposing pitchers.

PHILADELPHIA -- For once it was a beautiful night in Ray Miller's neighborhood, even if the setting was inside humid, smelly Veterans Stadium.When Miller pencils in Mike Mussina as his starting pitcher, Arthur Rhodes and Mike Timlin providing him two innings of perfect relief and Will Clark backing up his insistence for playing time with an angry bat, the self-destructive Philadelphia Phillies have little chance. At least that's how it looked during the Orioles' 8-4 win before 32,300.Mussina (11-4)

C. Milton Wright jumped on visiting Bel Air for seven runs in the first two innings, then blunted late rallies for a 9-8 victory in a pivotal Harford County League game yesterday.The victory by No. 11-ranked Wright boosted it to 11-6 overall and 5-2 in county play, while No. 14 Bel Air lost for only the second time in 17 starts, slipping to 6-1 in the county.Bel Air's loss opened the door for No. 4 Fallston (12-2), which defeated Edgewood yesterday, 14-10, to tie for the lead at 6-1. The top three will play final league games Monday: Edgewood at C. Milton Wright, Joppatowne at Bel Air, and Fallston at North Harford.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Mike Mussina wanted to get his pitches over for strikes yesterday. He did that. He wanted to make it through his two innings without injury. He did that, too.The rest was just details.Mussina allowed two singles and a sacrifice fly in the first inning and a one-out homer to George Williams in the second before being replaced by left-hander Terry Burrows in the Orioles' 8-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium.The right-hander could have dodged trouble in the first if a call had gone his way. Brent Gates was ruled safe at third base on Corey Koskie's single, though the throw from B. J. Surhoff easily beat him to the bag. Brian Buchanan then lifted a fly ball to medium right field, and Gates scored the game's first run.Mussina retired Matt Lawton to open the second, but Williams worked the count full and drilled a homer to right for a 2-0 lead.

CLEVELAND -- Mike Mussina gave the Orioles 7 2/3 innings last night and left them with a two-run lead. His reward was to watch from the clubhouse as a frayed bullpen conspired in a three-run eighth inning that brought the Cleveland Indians a 6-5 win and a deflating sweep of their three-game series.For more than a week, the Orioles have boasted of improved play, competent starting pitching and tighter defense. After last night, the claim sounds hollow as they fell to 12-21.Mussina left leading 5-3 with two out in the eighth inning.

PITCHERS Matt Albers, B- Solid middle guy has been up and down twice this year but gets extra credit for pitching through a torn labrum. Danys Baez, B Has lost some momentum of late but has pitched well for a guy who looked like the odd man out in spring training. Brian Bass, B- Got off to a rocky start but has bounced back to secure his place among the top 10 all-time major leaguers named after fish. Brad Bergesen, A Quite simply, the most consistent and productive starting pitcher in the rotation.

The momentum the home team built in beating the New York Yankees in the first two games of the series started to slowly seep away in the third inning Thursday when A.J. Burnett struck out Aubrey Huff on a wicked curveball with the count full, the bases loaded and the Orioles leading by a run. The next half-inning, Mark Teixeira finally answered the Camden Yards jeers with his first Yankees home run. Two innings later, Brian Bass' throwing error allowed...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Mark Hendrickson finally provided the Orioles with some good news on the pitching and injury front. The left-hander, who has been sidelined this spring with lower-back and hip pain, pitched three scoreless innings yesterday in an intrasquad game at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. Hendrickson, signed as a free agent this offseason to give manager Dave Trembley and pitching coach Rick Kranitz more flexibility, allowed two singles and hit a batter but walked none and threw 24 of his 38 pitches for strikes.

Not a good start Several of the Orioles auditioning for spots in the rotation had poor beginnings to the Grapefruit League season. Brad Hennessey allowed five base runners and two runs in 1 1/3 innings and was lifted because of right elbow soreness. Chris Waters surrendered three hits and a run in 1 2/3 innings, and David Pauley managed to get just one out en route to allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk. Brian Bass also struggled, giving up four hits and two runs in two innings.

A recap of the Orioles' 16-8 victory over the Tigers yesterday: O, THE OFFENSE Orioles manager Dave Trembley has a new nickname for third baseman Melvin Mora - "The Natural." "That's who he looked like to me," Trembley said. Continuing his post-All-Star-break tear, Mora went 5-for-6 with a career-high six RBIs, two home runs, two doubles and four runs. He has 20 homers and 91 RBIs for the season and eight homers and 43 RBIs in 28 games since the break. But he was hardly the only one swinging a hot bat yesterday.

TORONTO -- A day after pitcher Steve Trachsel failed to close out an eight-run lead and appeared incredulous when Dave Trembley came to the mound to take him out, the Orioles' manager acknowledged that the club could make a decision shortly on the veteran's roster status. Trachsel allowed four runs (two earned) after entering in the eighth inning Saturday with the Orioles leading 9-1. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, but he was removed in the ninth without getting an out after allowing a two-run double to Kevin Mench and walking Brad Wilkerson.

BOWIE -- As a pitcher at the Double-A level who turned 20 last month, Chris Tillman has just a couple of consistencies in his professional life: the effusive praise and lofty expectations that follow him from one ballpark to the next. It doesn't matter whether he strings together scoreless innings or abruptly loses his command. The opinions never seem to change. Tillman, acquired by the Orioles in the Erik Bedard trade with the Seattle Mariners, allowed one hit over six innings in his most recent start with the Bowie Baysox.

Teams from Tampa, Fla., and Mexico advanced yesterday to the Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series championship game, which will be held today at 5 p.m. at Cal Sr.'s Yard in Aberdeen. This is the fifth consecutive series final for Mexico, which won the title in 2003 and 2004. Christian Arroyo, Tampa's outstanding shortstop, is aware of Mexico's toughness and tradition, but he said, "Bring 'em on. We can take them." Today's title game will be televised on Versus, with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother, former Oriole Bill Ripken, as analysts.

A curveball dropped into catcher Ramon Hernandez's glove last night, and Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard started to walk off the mound before plate umpire Adrian Johnson could signal a called third strike. Bedard already knew the sixth inning was over for the Chicago White Sox. His dominance was just as obvious - and a tad repetitive. Bedard extended his scoreless-innings streak to 16, blanking the White Sox through the seventh, and Nick Markakis and Corey Patterson homered to provide all the scoring in the Orioles' 2-0 victory before an announced crowd of 28,162 at Camden Yards.

CABRERA WILD AGAIN Daniel Cabrera didn't have his velocity or his command last night, and the result was a rocky six innings that saw the Orioles starter give up five earned runs on six hits, five walks and a hit batsman. It marked the third time this season Cabrera gave up six earned runs or more and the five walks were one off a season high. Even with his early struggles, Cabrera held things together until the fourth, when he issued Tadahito Iguchi a two-out walk, setting the stage for Jim Thome's three-run homer.