O's game blog: Homestand begins with makeup game versus the Cubs

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The Orioles begin a seven-game homestand today, opening with a makeup game versus the Chicago Cubs. They play the Cubs for just this one game today and then host Boston for three and the Chicago White Sox for three more next week.

This homestand includes Sunday night’s game when the Orioles host the Red Sox in Williamsport, Pa. in the Little League Classic.

But before they get that far they host the Cubs today to makeup a rained out game from June 8 at Camden Yards. The Orioles had won the opener of that two-game series 9-3 before the rainout. In July they swept a two-game series at Wrigley Field by scores of 4-2 and 7-1, respectively.

So they are 3-0 against the Cubs by a combined 22-6 score.

Chicago (49-67) has been playing better, winning the last two games of a series at Nationals Park. They have won five of their last seven, and eight of 12 games. The Cubs are 14-10 in the second half and have won four consecutive series. They are 25-33 on the road.

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Orioles lineup vs. Cubs

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The Orioles return home today after going 3-4 on their three-city road trip.

Yesterday’s 6-1 loss in Toronto left the Orioles 1 ½ games back for the third wild card spot. The Twins moved past them and are one game behind.

Today’s game is a makeup from a June 8 rainout. The Orioles won the previous night 9-3.

Terrin Vavra is in right field today, with Anthony Santander used again as the designated hitter.

Ramón Urías is batting fifth and playing third base. Adley Rutschman is behind the plate.

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The 2022 O's evoke memories of past clubs that produced Orioles magic

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It is a hypothetical conversation that could have happened in any number of places in or around Baltimore this week. Or anywhere where O’s fans reside or hang out.

One fan might have asked another if he thought the surprising 2022 Orioles could keep winning and stay in playoff contention deep into this season or maybe even until the very end of it?

“Why not?” the other fan might have said.

That short phrase means something to long-time fans in Birdland.

The 1989 “Why Not” Orioles were a team that came out of nowhere to not only contend, but lead the American League East for much of that summer. They won 33 games more than the 1988 Orioles and ended the year in a showdown series at Toronto for a division championship. They won 87 games and came up short in that final series, but they captured the hearts of O’s fans forever. They have a special place in club history.

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Young guys fit right in with a Nats team looking for repeat

Young guys fit right in with a Nats team looking for repeat
One trend that has been noticeable early this season is how the young guys, most of them making their major league debuts, have fit in from the beginning with the Nationals, and have looked like they belong in the big leagues. Luis García, 20, has hit the ground running. Carter Kieboom, 22, had only 11 games of experience coming into 2020, but he also fits in nicely this season. Young pitchers, or pitchers making their major league debuts, have held their own. "They are all doing well, and...
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Soto's and Robles' all-around play takes center stage in postseason

Soto's and Robles' all-around play takes center stage in postseason
Nationals center fielder Victor Robles was on the 2017 National League Divisional Series roster and played in two games against the Cubs, scoring a run in Game 2 and going 0-for-1 with a strikeout in Game 5. But Tuesday's National League wild card game against the Brewers will be his first postseason start. "It's the same game," Robles said via team translator Octavio Martinez. "Trying to maintain and contain my excitement inside and not let it get to me. I got out there any way I can to...
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Wild card race in NL shaping up to be a down-to-the-wire affair

Wild card race in NL shaping up to be a down-to-the-wire affair
Last week at this time, the Nationals were looking forward to a series in Atlanta and weighing the possibilities of becoming a legitimate contender in the National League East. It didn't happen. The Braves won three of four games, leaving the Nationals virtually no chance to win the division. And now they are left with making a one-game wild card playoff game, something Nationals manager Davey Martinez said isn't the ideal situation. "Anything can happen,'' he said about a wild card...
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Hellickson believes mechanics to blame for choppy loss

Hellickson believes mechanics to blame for choppy loss
The night got off to a slow start for the Nationals and Jeremy Hellickson. Then the Nats rallied to make a game of it, but were unable to take that final step, and fell 6-5 to the Chicago Cubs in the series finale. Hellickson walked the first three batters he faced and struggled to get into a groove. The Cubs scored a run against him in each of his three innings, highlighted by Anthony Rizzo's homer and hits from Jason Heyward and Albert Almora Jr., plus a sacrifice fly for Kyle...
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Updates on Zimmerman, Rosenthal, Adams, Sipp

Updates on Zimmerman, Rosenthal, Adams, Sipp
First baseman Ryan Zimmerman - on the injured list since April 28 with plantar fasciitis in his right foot - and first base coach Tim Bogar were working on the field during pregame at first base with Gerardo Parra and Juan Soto. They were relaying pointers and defensive strategies for positioning and glove awareness unique to playing first base. Martinez said Zimmerman is "going to get loose today, do everything again. He's thinking about running on the field. But we'll see (where) he's at....
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Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs

Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs
Even with losing the series opener to the Cubs, the Nationals have once again put themselves in position to win a series. Early in the week against the Mets, the Nats lost the lidlifter, then roared back for two wins in a row. On Friday, they lost to Chicago to begin the series, but won 5-2 on Saturday. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg had a calming influence on the Nats pitching staff with one of his best starts of the season: eight innings, allowing four hits, two runs (one earned) with no...
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Soto returning to form to help Nats offense get back on track

Soto returning to form to help Nats offense get back on track
If you asked Juan Soto how his second season with the Nationals would begin, he certainly would not have hoped for a copious amount of off-speed pitches to work with and then an injury to his core. But in this league one has to adapt and Soto is finding a way to do just that, a week into his return from back spasms. Saturday night, Soto displayed how far he has come in returning to his rookie season form with four quality at-bats that included a pair of timely hits, a walk and an initial at-bat...
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Despite late controversy, Nats pull off 5-2 win over Cubs

Despite late controversy, Nats pull off 5-2 win over Cubs
The Nationals secured a much-needed 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night, thanks to Stephen Strasburg, big hits from the middle of their lineup and the undeterred Sean Doolittle. Strasburg pitched eight innings for the win. Brian Dozier hit his sixth homer. Juan Soto had two hits and three RBIs. Howie Kendrick also added a run-scoring double as Washington improved to 19-26 to even the series at one game apiece. Controversy slowed up the ending. With Doolittle on in the ninth, Cubs...
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More from Barraclough on what's wrong with beleaguered bullpen

More from Barraclough on what's wrong with beleaguered bullpen
The Nationals bullpen has failed this season at times, but the way they gave up the game Friday night was pretty spectacular. When it counted most, the 'pen allowed a whopping nine runs on nine hits. Push back to the seventh inning, and the total rises to 11 runs on 12 hits. It was a miserable night after Max Scherzer had fought back from a slow start of his own to keep his team in the game. When he left, the Nats were down only 3-2. They lost 14-6. Justin Miller, Joe Ross, Kyle Barraclough,...
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Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs

Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs
The Nationals embark on a challenging three-game series tonight at home at they welcome in the first-place Cubs. Fresh off their first series win since April 18, the Nats face a Cubs squad that has gone 9-1-1 in their last 11 series. Chicago's loss to Cincinnati last night marked its first series loss since April 7 against the Brewers. Since starting the season 2-7, the Cubs have won 23 of 3 games. Washington would love to have a run even close to that after stumbling out of the gates, just...
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Instructional league wrap-up: infielders Monasterio and Sanchez

Instructional league wrap-up: infielders Monasterio and Sanchez
The Nationals like what they have seen from a pair of infielders from Venezuela in their system. Second baseman Andruw Monasterio came over from the Chicago Cubs late last season in the trade for Daniel Murphy. The 21-year-old from Caracas played 13 games for high Single-A Potomac. Nationals hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich laid eyes on him there and worked with him at instructional league. He was impressed with the youngster. "He has a lot of ability, things he does well, certainly a good...
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Nats give away extra outs in 10th, allowing Cubs to take 4-3 win

Nats give away extra outs in 10th, allowing Cubs to take 4-3 win
In a game that stretched to extra innings, and close to four hours, the Chicago Cubs found a way to generate enough offense in the 10th to score a run on closer Sean Doolittle and beat the Nationals 4-3. The Nats' (74-73) win streak ends at five games. They now quickly head to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves. In the top of the 10th with one-out against Doolittle (3-3), Kris Bryant doubled to left-center field. Former Nats second baseman Daniel Murphy reached on an infield...
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Opposite dugout: Cubs head back to D.C. for makeup with Central lead down to a game

Opposite dugout: Cubs head back to D.C. for makeup with Central lead down to a game
Manager: Joe Maddon (4th season) Record: 84-61 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 2B Javier Báez (.292 with 30 HR, 100 RBIs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (24 HR, 92 RBIs), 3B Kris Bryant (.277, 11 HR), RHP Pedro Strop (13 saves, 2.33 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-3 Pitching probables: Sept. 13: LHP Mike Montgomery (4-5) vs. RHP Joe Ross (0-0), 4:05 p.m., MASN2 Inside the Cubs: Joe Maddon's club is not happy about losing a scheduled off-day to play a makeup game in D.C. this afternoon. This means...
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Second inning gets Cubs going against Strasburg (Nats fall 6-4 in 10)

Second inning gets Cubs going against Strasburg (Nats fall 6-4 in 10)
After a pair of scoreless frames, the Cubs finally got to Stephen Strasburg in the third inning with three consecutive base hits. With two outs, Javier Báez singled. Anthony Rizzo doubled with Báez scoring all the way from first base. Ben Zobrist followed with a RBI single to score Rizzo. Kris Bryant was hit by pitch but Strasburg struck out Albert Almora, Jr., to end the inning. The Nats managed base hits from Juan Soto in the second and Spencer Kieboom in the third, but have been unable...
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Martinez on Zimmerman, Doolittle, Strasburg and the Cubs

Martinez on Zimmerman, Doolittle, Strasburg and the Cubs
Nationals manager Davey Martinez said first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is getting a rest day and his absence from the lineup is not because of the slide in last night's game against the Cardinals, a 7-6 setback. "Zim's fine, just getting a day," Martinez said during pregame. "Like I said, we talk a lot and we felt he needed a day today. So, he will be available later." The slide occurred in the seventh frame Wednesday night when the Nats rallied for four runs to get back in the...
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Opposite dugout: Cubs continuing roll toward another NL Central crown

Opposite dugout: Cubs continuing roll toward another NL Central crown
Manager: Joe Maddon (4th season) Record: 82-57 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Javier Báez (.297 with 30 HR, 100 RBIs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (24 HR, 90 RBIs), 3B Kris Bryant (.277, 11 HR), LF Kyle Schwarber (24 HR, 57 RBIs), LHP Jon Lester (15-5, 3.53 ERA), LHP Cole Hamels (4-0, 1.00), RHP Pedro Strop (11 saves, 2.45 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: Sept. 6: RHP Kyle Hendricks (11-10) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-7), 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 7: LHP Jon Lester (15-5) vs....
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Opposite dugout: Cubs host streaking Nats in Windy City for three-game weekend series

Opposite dugout: Cubs host streaking Nats in Windy City for three-game weekend series
Manager: Joe Maddon (4th season) Record: 66-48 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Javier Báez (25 HR, 88 RBIs, 19 SB), LF Kyle Schwarber (20 HR, 48 RBIs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (17 HR, 74 RBI), 3B David Bote (.338), RHP Pedro Strop (2.74 ERA, 8 SV) Season series vs. Nationals: 0-0 Pitching probables: Aug. 10: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-2) vs. RHP Kyle Hendricks (8-9), 2:20 p.m., MASNAug. 11: RHP Tanner Roark (6-12) vs. LHP Jon Lester (12-4), 4:05 p.m., MASNAug. 12: RHP Max Scherzer (15-5) vs. LHP...
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