The Orioles need a win this afternoon to avoid being swept four in a row this weekend by the Texas Rangers. They've lost in this series by scores of 3-1, 7-6 and 9-4. The Orioles are 0-3 on a seven-game homestand. The Orioles (49-96) have lost four in a row and seven of the last eight. They are 22-49 at home and 1-5 against Texas. The Orioles went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position last night and are 4-for-33 the last four games. O's third baseman Rio Ruiz recorded his 10th home run of...

For just the second time in their 27-year history, the Double-A Bowie Baysox are headed to the Eastern League Championship Series. The Baysox had 20 hits and routed Harrisburg 12-5 on Saturday afternoon to take that playoff series, three games to one. Bowie (79-65) will now face the Trenton Thunder (79-62) in the championship series. Trenton, a Yankees affiliate, will host the first two games on Tuesday and Wednesday before Bowie hosts Game 3 on Thursday. The Baysox will host Game 4 and 5 if...

ATLANTA - Even the amazing return of Aaron Barrett, solid pitching on short notice from Austin Voth and a clutch hit from Juan Soto would not be enough to overcome an Atlanta Braves team that is on a significant hot streak. The Braves mustered four homers on the night and rode their starter, Julio Teheran, to a 5-4 win, building their lead in the National League East to double digits. Atlanta has won nine in a row overall and nine of their last 12 games against the Nats. Atlanta's starters...

The story of Hanser Alberto has been retold more times than "The Night Before Christmas." Except this one is less believable. A rotund old man in a red suit with flying reindeer sliding down chimneys to hand out gifts to millions of children? Sure, it's plausible. Even the part about the milk and cookies at every stop. But Alberto has a chance to win a batting title. Come on! Alberto was selected off waivers four times since November. The Orioles grabbed him, let him go in spring training...

Aaron Brooks got called third strikes on Delino DeShields and Ronald Guzman tonight in the top of the first inning and the crowd erupted. Jeff Mathis went down swinging for the final out, but the reaction was a bit more subdued. The fans must have been running low on sarcasm. Brooks wasn't fooled, of course. He understood the reasoning behind the enthusiastic response. Six runs already had scored and 31 pitches were thrown before the first out. Forty-one were needed for Brooks to make it back...

ATLANTA - Nationals manager Davey Martinez elected to get Adam Eaton back in the lineup tonight for the third game of four at SunTrust Park against the Braves. This will be Eaton's first start since Sept. 2. Eaton is batting second and in right field. "It'll be nice to get him up there, get him at the top of the order," Martinez said. "Between him and Trea (Turner), get on base, get something going." Martinez said getting feedback from Eaton last night on how he felt running during the...

Austin Hays almost took a detour through Arizona to make it back to the majors. Hays was preparing to board a flight Wednesday and join the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League until he got a call yesterday, as unexpected as they come, with news that the Orioles wanted him in Baltimore. Major League Baseball is allowing players on the 40-man roster to report late to the AFL, giving Hays until the beginning of October to impress the Orioles. The club felt that he needed more plate...

The Orioles have shifted gears based on an unexpected rule change regarding the Arizona Fall League and recalled outfielder Austin Hays from Triple-A Norfolk. Hays has arrived at Camden Yards and is part of the expanded roster. Major League Baseball notified teams that players on the 40-man roster can report to the AFL in October instead of Sept. 11, with games starting a week later. The Orioles are allowed to bring up Hays for a few weeks. "On Thursday we got a memo from the league and they...

Chris Davis returns to the Orioles lineup tonight with the Rangers starting a right-hander. Trey Mancini is the designated hitter. Mason Williams is in center field and Dwight Smith Jr. is in left. Hanser Alberto ranks fourth in the American League with a .321 average. The White Sox's Tim Anderson is first at .333, followed by the Yankees' D.J. LeMahieu at .329 and the Astros' Michael Brantley at .324. Rule 5 pick Richie Martin hit a three-run homer last night and has posted a .274...

ATLANTA - The Nationals turn to Austin Voth to help get them on the board in their crucial four-game series against the Braves. The right-hander will be making his fifth start of the season tonight at SunTrust Park, and first since July 16. In that win over the Orioles, Voth allowed one run on four hits over six innings. Voth had looked at video prior to that start in attempt to get better command and velocity on his fastball glove side. It worked. "I (couldn't) throw away to righties and in...