The Orioles made the switch from a 12-man pitching staff to a 13-man unit when Melvin Mora (hamstring) landed on the disabled list. Manager Dave Trembley has plenty of options out of the bullpen, albeit it only two from the left-hand side. The bench is thinner with Ty Wigginton filling in as the full-time third baseman.
PLAYER NEWS: --RF Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a well-placed single to left field Thursday. The No. 3 hitter is batting .387 with a league-leading 19 RBIs.
--LHP George Sherrill needed work, and he made it quick Thursday. The Orioles closer, who last threw Sunday in Boston, needed just six pitches to retire the side in the ninth inning.
--C Chad Moeller was in the lineup Thursday, batting seventh and pairing with journeyman RHP Adam Eaton in a veteran battery. The 34-year-old backstop went 0-for-3 with a walk.
MEDICAL WATCH:
OF/INF Ryan Freel (head) went on the 15-day disabled list April 21 after being hit in the head by a pickoff throw the previous day.
RHP Alfredo Simon (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15. He will have season-ending Tommy John surgery in late April.
3B Melvin Mora (left hamstring strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 13.
LHP Rich Hill (left elbow soreness) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. He was pitching in extended spring training in mid-April, and he will begin a rehab assignment with Class A Frederick on April 24.
ROTATION:
RHP Jeremy Guthrie
RHP Koji Uehara
LHP Mark Hendrickson
RHP Adam Eaton
RHP Brad Bergeson
BULLPEN:
LHP George Sherrill (closer)
RHP Chris Ray
RHP Jim Johnson
RHP Dennis Sarfate
LHP Jamie Walker
RHP Danys Baez
RHP Brian Bass
RHP Matt Albers
CATCHERS:
Gregg Zaun
Chad Moeller
INFIELDERS:
1B Aubrey Huff
2B Brian Roberts
SS Cesar Izturis
3B Ty Wigginton
INF Robert Andino
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Felix Pie
CF Adam Jones
RF Nick Markakis
DH Luke Scott
OF Lou Montanez
