Anything interesting happen last night? The news last week that the Orioles released Nate Karns from his contract didn't send shockwaves through the industry. Karns cleared waivers and was outrighted. He had the right to decline the assignment and apparently chose to do it. What followed was a paper move. And a final admission that the major league free agent signing for the Orioles in the offseason didn't pan out. It was worth a shot. A veteran who could fill a spot in the rotation or...

The Orioles (38-77), who are 2-6 on this homestand, host Houston (76-40) tonight in the second game of a three-game series at Oriole Park. Dylan Bundy gave up just two runs over six innings last night, but the Orioles lost 3-2 and they've now lost four in a row. The Astros began a season-long 10-game road trip with a win. They head to Chicago to face the White Sox and Oakland to face the Athletics after this series. Houston has won seven in a row and 10 of 11 games, and has its best 116-game...

NEW YORK - Wearing his full road gray Nationals uniform, right-hander Max Scherzer went through a full bullpen session Saturday afternoon as he recovers from a mild rhomboid strain that has had him out of the rotation since July 26. "Good, got off the mound, progressing to where I want to be," Scherzer said of the session. "Turned the corner a few days ago, started playing catch, getting through the ball again. This is the next step to getting on the mound, made sure to throw a bullpen,...

The Orioles have half of their pitching plans set for Monday's day-night doubleheader against New York at Yankee Stadium. Gabriel Ynoa will start one of the games, manager Brandon Hyde said today, and the other is TBA. The Orioles will be able to add a 26th player to the roster for the twinbill. So it's possible someone could be called from the minors to make the start. Hyde said Tom Eshelman is a possibility for a start that day, but also said he likes Eshelman in a long-relief role too. The...

NEW YORK - The Nationals need to find a way to bounce back quickly from Friday's difficult loss and get back in their series with the scorching Mets. Washington led 6-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. But the Mets exploded for six hits against Nats closer Sean Doolittle, including a three-run homer by Todd Frazier to tie the game and a walk-off single to right field by Michael Conforto to pull off the 7-6 comeback. The Mets have won seven games in a row. But the Nats skipper was ready to...

Chris Davis returns to the Orioles lineup tonight after coming off the bench last night and going 0-for-2, his line drive into the shift providing the final out in a 3-2 loss. Past success against Aaron Sanchez might factor into the decision. He's 9-for-26 (.346) with two doubles, five home runs and 11 walks against Sanchez. Aaron Brooks continues to search for his first win with the Orioles. He's 0-2 with a 6.63 ERA and 1.579 WHIP in five starts over 19 innings. Brooks threw a season-high 97...

When they beat Roger Clemens and the Boston Red Sox on opening day in 1989, there would be no repeat of the previous season. The 1988 Orioles started 0-21 on their way to 107 losses. A year later, the pundits said Baltimore was headed for last place again. And the '89 team did not exactly tear it up after that win in the opener at Memorial Stadium. They were 13-17 after 30 games. But a hot streak in late May saw the team surge into first place, and they stayed there for most of the summer. But...

NEW YORK - Lost a bit in the 7-6 setback against the Mets was the pitching turned in by Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg. The right-hander recorded a quality start, twirling seven innings, allowing a couple of home runs, but only four total hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. It was a nice bounceback from the nightmare of Aug. 3, when he surrendered nine runs in just 4 2/3 innings in the 18-7 loss at Arizona. His only real blemishes came when he allowed back-to-back homers in the fourth...

NEW YORK - The game was set up for closer Sean Doolittle to do what he has done 25 times already this season for the Washington Nationals. With a 6-3 lead over the red-hot New York Mets in the bottom of the ninth, all Doolittle had to do was record three outs and the Nats would come away with another important divisional win. But the Mets pummeled Doolittle's fastball to the tune of four consecutive hits, highlighted by Todd Frazier's three-run game-tying homer down the left field line that...

Manager Brandon Hyde finally had to bite his tongue this week. And on this club, any movement is an injury risk. Hyde tore into the umpiring and review process Monday night after the blown call at the plate on the Jace Peterson-Chris Davis double steal attempt, and he didn't pull any punches - or muscles or tendons - after the pitching staff served up six more home runs the following night. I've read fan comments praising and criticizing Hyde for his bluntness. Way to go for not sugar-coating...