ATLANTA - Davey Martinez wasn't willing to use Sean Doolittle in the ninth inning Friday night. He was willing to use his closer in the eighth inning tonight. And the Nationals manager was rewarded for his aggressive pitching maneuver with a nip-and-tuck victory that ensures his team will at worst split this weekend's series against the division leaders. Doolittle, making his first appearance in a week, recorded five outs to preserve the Nationals' 5-3 win over the Braves, a tense affair...

After back-to-back blowout wins by 9-2 over Washington and 11-2 over Boston, the Orioles host the Red Sox again tonight. It's Game 2 of a three-game series and nine-game homestand. The Orioles (30-66) are 3-4 on the homestand that ends Sunday afternoon. Last night the Orioles improved to 4-7 against Boston, 15-29 versus the American League East and scored 10 runs or more for the fifth time in 2019. They won their 30th game in Game 96 in 2019 and did that in Game 104 last season. The Orioles...

ATLANTA - Austin Voth may not be able to make his start in place of Max Scherzer on Sunday night, but Scherzer's chances of starting later in the week jumped up significantly after the Nationals ace was able to throw off a bullpen mound today for the first time since he went on the injured list. Since it became clear Scherzer wouldn't be ready to return from his back injury in time to face the Braves this weekend, Voth has appeared to be the logical candidate to start Sunday night's series...

Hard-throwing lefty Tanner Scott is back again with the Orioles, officially added today from Triple-A Norfolk. Maybe this is the time he will stay for good after he's spent most of the last two months on the farm throwing well and throwing strikes. "I was just trying to do my job and get outs and the past couple of times at Norfolk were really good. Just trying to win a ballgame and go day-by-day and try to get wins," said Scott this afternoon. Scott is not sure if pitching well leads to...

Reliever Nate Karns threw a 20-pitch simulated game this afternoon in the intense heat at Camden Yards, sweat pouring off his face later as he sat at his locker and tried to recover in the air conditioning. He mimicked one inning and headed indoors. Karns hasn't pitched for the Orioles since April 8 due to stiffness in his right forearm and multiple rehab assignments have been interrupted. He's set a goal for his return as the Orioles prepare for a three-city West Coast trip that begins...

ATLANTA - The Nationals are attempting to pick themselves up off the mat after Friday night's crushing loss. But in order to do that, they'll need to take down the Braves' ace tonight. Mike Soroka, the 21-year-old owner of a 10-1 record and 2.24 ERA, takes the mound at SunTrust Park. He hasn't take a loss since April 18 against the Diamondbacks. The Nats got a brief look at the right-hander last month in D.C., but you'll remember he had to depart after only two innings when he was hit by a...

The long-awaited debut of catcher Adley Rutschman unfolded today in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and he again lived up to the hype. Chosen first overall by the Orioles in last month's First-Year Player Draft, Rutschman served as the designated hitter against the GCL Pirates in Bradenton and homered to right field in his third professional at-bat. Rutschman lined to shortstop and flied to deep right in his previous plate appearances before leading off the sixth inning with a home run from...

ATLANTA - The bottom of the ninth at SunTrust Park last night left a sour taste in the Nationals' mouths. But it couldn't completely wash away the brief moment of exuberance they felt in the top of the ninth when Victor Robles provided his latest bit of late-game heroics. Robles' game-tying, two-run homer with two outs against Braves closer Luke Jackson was a jaw-dropping moment for the Nationals rookie, who has provided several of them already this season. "That was an unbelievable home...

So the Orioles went six games recently scoring 13 runs total in that span. Now they've scored 20 runs their last two games in beating Washington 9-2 and Boston 11-2. The Orioles have 28 hits, including four home runs, in the two games. A few thoughts on last night's win over Boston: * If you worried that John Means would turn into a pumpkin at midnight, forget it. Means slowed down a Boston team that was 14-2 in its last 16 road games, 19-10 in its last 29 overall and led the majors in runs...

The presence of left-hander David Price on the mound last night for the Red Sox drove Dwight Smith Jr. to the bench. Or maybe it was a slump that's gotten control of him. More likely a combination of the two. Right-handers Rick Porcello and Andrew Cashner start the last two games of the series and Smith could get back in the lineup if manager Brandon Hyde is in platoon mode. Hyde has other options, with the roster including switch-hitters Anthony Santander and Stevie Wilkerson. Chris Davis sat...