Whatever was ailing Orioles pitcher Rodrigo Lopez appears to be cured.
The Orioles veteran got his second consecutive win in Tuesday?s 7-5 victory over Tampa Bay before 15,505 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Javy Lopez served as catcher for the pitcher?s second start in a row, as the starter went 6.2 innings, giving up eight hits and four runs.
“We tried it the last time in Seattle and it worked,” Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said of the use of Javy Lopez. “There were a lot of positive comments from Rodrigo in the paper about how well they work together.”
The win followed a two-hit, 7.1 inning effort for Rodrigo Lopez last Thursday in a win over the Mariners. The win in Seattle was his first since Opening Day.
Center fielder Corey Patterson helped the cause, hitting two home runs on the night. Patterson also caught a potential game-tying home run by Greg Norton, by leaping at the fence to end the game. Chris Ray earned his 14th save of the season.
With the off-season signing of catcher Ramon Hernandez, Javy Lopez has served as the team?s designated hitter and fill-in catcher.
“I don?t like to get into a definite thing like that when you have a guy the quality of Ramon,” Perlozzo said of the battery becoming permanent.
Hernandez had a 2-RBI triple as a designated hitter.
Javy Lopez said he would embrace a permanent role as Rodrigo Lopez?s catcher.
“It?s good just because I know when I?m going to catch,” he said.
Javy Lopez was happy to help turn around the once struggling pitcher.
“It?s a good feeling. He threw a tremendous game and I was catching. I felt like I did the best I could to help him out and get him out of the tough time he had before,” Javy Lopez said before Tuesday?s game. “Hopefully I can continue to help him out and helping the team at the same time.”
The Orioles returned from a west coast swing in which the usually quiet clubhouse seemed to have strife. In one published report, pitching coach Leo Mazzone questioned the passion of his staff. In another, first baseman Kevin Millar alluded to the fact that some of the Birds? players were relying more on flash than substance.
During the road trip Perlozzo spoke with his players about playing with more energy, following a 7-4 loss to Seattle.
?I think if you took a poll of every manager and said ?Well, if I yell at these guys tonight, we can win five straight,? there would be guys yelling at their teams all the time and that?s just not the way it works,” Perlozzo said.
Outfielder Jay Gibbons sat out the Devil Rays game because of soreness, after running into an outfield wall last week. Gibbons? mother also died while the team was on the west coast.
The Orioles announced Tuesday that starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera will pitch a rehabilitation assignment game today for Class AA Bowie. Cabrera has been on the DL with inflammation of the rightshoulder.
