PHOENIX - Dwight Smith Jr. used to be hitless in 33 at-bats and looking every bit like a player in a deep funk. Smith is a changed man. Hits in his last four games. A single and three-run homer last night in a 7-2 win. A hot streak that seemed to come out of nowhere. "I just kept working hard," he said. "It's just baseball. I was coming back from injury, so I was just getting timing back. And me struggling mentally and physically, it was a lot, but I had good teammates and good supporting...

PHOENIX - Renato Núñez can belt home runs as the designated hitter, first baseman or third baseman. He can launch baseballs in his sleep, though rounding the bases is harder to do if you tuck the sheets. Manager Brandon Hyde will pick a position or a role and let Núñez feast. It's become one of his easiest decisions. Just keep the guy in the middle of the lineup. Núñez hit his team-leading 24th home run tonight in the second and Anthony Santander delivered a two-run shot...

After exchanging victories the last two nights, the Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks wrap up their three-game series this afternoon at Chase Field. Arizona won 6-3 Monday and the Orioles hit three homers in a 7-2 win last night. The Orioles (32-68) have played 100 games and have 62 to go in the 2019 season. They are 4-2 over their last six games and 10-10 in the past 20. They are 17-32 on the road. This current trip moves on to Anaheim and San Diego after today's game. The Orioles got homers...

While Orioles farm teams at Triple-A Norfolk and Single-A Frederick have struggled this year, four other affiliates went into play last night in first place. Those were clubs at Double-A Bowie (25-7), Single-A Delmarva (21-10), short-season Single-A Aberdeen (23-15) and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles (16-7). But no team has had such a remarkable turnaround this year as Bowie. The Baysox were 7-23 on May 5. That was not only the worst record in the Eastern League at that time, it was...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg kept an aggressive Colorado batting order guessing on Tuesday night, allowing his club to build a steady lead before the Nationals blew the Rockies away in the end, 11-1, before 22,612 at Nats Park. Strasburg tossed six shutout innings for his sixth straight win, matching the second-longest streak of his career, pushing his record to 13-4. He surrendered only three hits, struck out eight, and walked two. The three base hits were doubles by Trevor Story and Charlie...

The first time he did it - on a frigid, 43-degree Denver night in April 2017 - Trea Turner's accomplishment could perhaps be chalked up in part to the conditions. Yes, he hit for the cycle, but he did it at Coors Field, where nine different major leaguers have done it in the ballpark's 25-year history. "For me, it's hard to get that triple," he said. "And at Coors Field, it's a little bit easier." This time, however, Turner did it on a comfortable, 77-degree July evening at Nationals...

As Nationals manager Davey Martinez formulated a plan on how to employ his bullpen with the goal to get to closer Sean Doolittle, the skipper started to gain confidence in using right-hander Tanner Rainey in high-leverage situations. After Rainey was called up May 18, Martinez would put Rainey in games to start the seventh inning. Rainey would deliver a scoreless frame. The skipper said Rainey's ability to throw strikes early in counts has helped him build that confidence into a full-inning...

After Monday's 6-3 loss at Chase Field, the Orioles play Arizona again tonight in the second of a three-game series and nine-game road trip. The Orioles went 1-6 on their recent West Coast trip to Oakland and Seattle and lost the trip opener last night. They are 4-13 this year on the road against western division American League and National League opponents. The Orioles (31-68) tonight will play Game No. 100. They are 3-2 over their past five and 9-10 in the last 19. They are 16-32 in road...

PHOENIX - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde will pay close attention as usual to Dylan Bundy's work on the mound tonight. However, it's the at-bats that might draw the closest scrutiny. And bring the most anxiety. Bundy sprained his ankle last summer in Atlanta while running to third base and he's coming off a stint on the injured list with tendinitis in his knee. The risk of injury always hangs heavy in the air, even beneath a closed roof. "I don't want him to push anything," Hyde said....

PHOENIX - It's taken 100 games into the 2019 season for Renato Núñez to make his return to third base. Núñez started at first base last night at Chase Field and is moving across the diamond tonight. The motivation for manager Brandon Hyde likely centers on the lack of a designated hitter in a National League park and the desire to keep Núñez's power bat in the lineup. Hyde indicated prior to the road trip that Núñez would get more opportunities in the field....