Trembley Undecided On Starter

BALTIMORE, June 1 -- Orioles Manager Dave Trembley said that he doesn't expect to name a starter for Tuesday's series opener in Minnesota until after Monday's game. Trembley did rule out reliever Jim Johnson for the spot, left vacant by struggling veteran Steve Trachsel, who was skipped for the third time this year.

Trembley said Johnson's value as a reliever is too high to use him for a spot start. Johnson was scheduled to start a game this season before it was postponed by rain.

"He's more valuable to us right now with what he's doing," Trembley said.

Trembley has said that long reliever Matt Albers could make the start, a possibility that grew stronger on Sunday when the manager chose Trachsel to pitch over Albers when starter Brian Burres lasted just four innings against the Boston Red Sox.

Another candidate may be Radhames Liz, a right-hander in Class AAA Norfolk who was pulled after one scoreless inning in a start on Saturday against Syracuse. Liz is 1-5 with a 4.05 ERA in 11 starts for the Tides.

Ramírez Still Eating Up Bradford

With one misplaced pitch on Saturday night, Chad Bradford took his place as the answer to a trivia question, though the Baltimore Orioles' reliever said he would have rather have kept his name out of the history books as the man who surrendered Manny Ramírez's 500th career home run.

"I don't eat up giving up home runs," said Bradford, who gave up the historic homer to the Boston Red Sox slugger in the seventh inning. "I don't eat that up at all."

Ramírez clubbed Bradford's first pitch into the seats in right field. Ramírez became the 24th player in major league history to reach the milestone.

"Without a doubt," Bradford said of the homer. "Way gone."

Bradford became the third Orioles pitcher to give up a player's 500th homer, joining Stu Miller (Mickey Mantle) and Mike Cuellar (Harmon Killebrew). . . .

The Orioles' struggles to keep runners from stealing bases has been prominent during their series against the Red Sox. Jacoby Ellsbury stole his seventh base of the series, which according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is the most steals in one series since Florida's Luis Castillo took eight bags against San Diego from May 18 to20, 2000. Ellsbury nearly had another stolen base in the first inning, but Orioles backup catcher Guillermo Quiroz caught him with a nice throw to second. . . .

Baltimore dropped its eighth straight Sunday game.

UP NEXT: Monday vs. Red Sox 7:05 p.m. Guthrie (2-6) vs. Wakefield (3-4) MASN, WJZ-13

Tuesday at Twins 8:10 p.m. TBA vs. Slowey (2-4, 3.38) MASN2