Markakis to miss two games for grandmother's funeral

HOUSTON -- Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis will leave the team following Tuesday's game to attend his grandmother's funeral and he will miss the following two games in Houston.

Markakis, who drove to the Long Island area following Sunday's game, said he was able to be with her for about an hour before she passed away. He will depart on Wednesday and rejoin the team in Tampa on Friday, with manager Buck Showalter using a short bench until then so Markakis can be available for that entire series.

"I'm sure they have good reasons for the bereavement [rule] but you have to take all three days or none at all," Showalter said. "Unless something happens, the bullpen gets blown up or we play 16 innings [Tuesday night] where we need the spot [in the bullpen], the plan right now is we go into tonight and then play short the next two days."

Markakis entered Tuesday's game hitting .305 with seven homers and 35 RBIs.