Nolan Reimold News

Ryan Flaherty singles in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field Saturday.

I have just returned from a 17-day trip to Europe. It is nice to go away to a truly incredible place, but better yet to come home - especially during baseball season.

Josh Hamilton a s slump has dipped to such depths that he was held out against a right-handed pitcher on Saturday.

Freddy Garcia took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in his first start of 2013, and Steve Pearce's RBI single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-4 win over the LA Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.

First baseman Chris Davis had an MRI on his right knee this morning, but the results of the test still haven't been read.

Despite spending parts of five seasons in the Major Leagues, Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman had never pitched in Anaheim, as the native of Fountain Valley, Calif., faced the Angels just once in 56 career starts.

"His date fits well timing-wise," manager Buck Showalter said of Garcia, who last pitched Sunday and was named the International League Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last two starts at Triple-A Norfolk.

After the first month of the season, most fantasy owners tend to focus on the things that have gone wrong or the players who haven't met expectations.

The Orioles were completely dominated by Safeco Joe Saunders tonight, as the former Oriole playoff hero throws a complete game in a game that took at least twenty minutes.

It's the little things that help a team win baseball games. Solid pitching, strong defense, and executing the fundamentals is a winning combination in this league.

But Tommy Milone's encouraging performance was unfortunately upstaged by one too many miscues in the field by his teammates, whose season-high three errors -- next to only three hits -- helped the Orioles to a 3-0 victory on Friday night.

There are a couple of reasons I would classify last night's 10-2 win over Oakland as "big" for the Baltimore Orioles.

Oakland Athletics pitching coach Curt Young, left, talks with third base umpire John Hirschbeck after an argument with first base umpire Jim Reynolds as catcher John Jaso and pitcher Jarrod Parker wait on the mound in the third inning of their MLB game against Baltimore Orioles at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 25, 2013.

Manny Machado breaks up a double play against Toronto shortstop Munenori Kawasaki in the seventh inning at Camden Yards Tuesday night.

Manager Buck Showalter didn't ever say that he left closer Jim Johnson in yesterday's game for too long in the top of the 11th inning, however I think it was something that was understood.

There is work to be done and certainly room for improvement, but the Orioles' starting pitching is slowly coming around, with right-hander Miguel Gonzalez giving the team its fourth start in the last five games of at least six innings on Tuesday night.

Toronto reliever Aaron Loup began the ninth by hitting Chris Davis with a pitch.

The Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Rays two games in three for the second time this season, in a series April 16 to April 18.

Fresh surroundings didn't help the Dodgers on Saturday, as their losing streak reached five with a 7-5 Interleague defeat to the Orioles in the first game of a split doubleheader after Friday night's rainout.

Manny Machado belted a three-run homer and drove in four runs, and Chris Davis added a solo shot in Baltimore's 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sweep of a day/night doubleheader.