Actor Barry Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch before tonight's game at Camden Yards. He didn't walk or hit anyone, which made him more effective and much safer than Dodgers starter Rich Hill. Then again, television's Greg Brady hadn't gone this long without throwing off a mound. His arm is fine. Williams is making the major league rounds, with Baltimore his latest stop. Maybe he's the reason for all of the traffic angst earlier today. A Very Brady Gridlock. Hill, meanwhile,...

BOWIE, Md. - With the Prince George's Stadium crowd cheering loudly for a strikeout in the top of the seventh to get Double-A Bowie out of big jam, Trenton instead got a run - and the batter didn't have to do a thing. Trenton got the lead in a manner not often seen in baseball anymore. A steal of home. It led Baysox lefty Alex Wells to a very tough luck loss as the Thunder beat Bowie 2-1 tonight to take a 2-1 lead in games in the best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series. Bowie will...

MINNEAPOLIS - Anthony Rendon is in the running for some major end-of-season awards for his on-field performance. Now he's also in the running for a major award for his off-the-field performance. Rendon was named today as the Nationals' nominee for the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award, which annually honors one major leaguer who "best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field." It's...

The seams on a baseball will be traded in later tonight for the laces on a pigskin. The Orioles will be wearing football jerseys from their favorite teams as they board tonight's charter flight to Detroit, a team bonding activity that brings out the kid in everyone. Richie Martin walked into the clubhouse donning a Barry Sanders' No. 20 Lions jersey. Richard Bleier brought his Rocky Bleier No. 20 Steelers jersey. Dwight Smith Jr. hung a Julio Jones No. 11 Falcons jersey in his locker. John...

MINNEAPOLIS - Yan Gomes starts his sixth consecutive game behind the plate tonight. That's not something the Nationals ever planned to do this season, not with Kurt Suzuki sharing time as part of a potent one-two catching punch. But with Suzuki now nursing a right elbow injury, the Nats have had little choice but to keep putting Gomes out there and hope for the best. It's been a hit-or-miss proposition. Literally. Gomes clubbed two homers during Sunday's win in Atlanta, but has otherwise...

BOWIE, Md. - It seems the longer the Eastern League playoffs go, the better outfielder Yusniel Diaz is swinging the bat for the Double-A Bowie Baysox. Diaz and his Baysox teammates will host Trenton tonight at Prince George's Stadium. It's Game 3 of the best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series, which is tied at a win each after Bowie beat Trenton last night. Diaz was limited to 76 regular-season games this season by injuries. He dealt with a hamstring issue in April and a quad injury...

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde's disinterest in his club tying last year's win total seems to be shared by his players. Reaching 47 wasn't a magic number. It doesn't hold any real importance. "I don't think it does at all," said Trey Mancini. "I don't really think it's anything that should be celebrated too much. I saw what Brandon said last night and I agree with him. We can celebrate when we win 95 games. "Last year, everything that went wrong did and I guess you could say it is good...

MINNEAPOLIS - It's another gloomy, gray day here in the Twin Cities, and the rain is supposed to continue into the evening hours. It is, however, supposed to stop at some point. Which means the Nationals and Twins may have no choice but to sit around and wait so they can get tonight's series finale in as scheduled. Each team only has one remaining off-day, and they're not the same. So if they somehow can't play tonight, the only option for a makeup game would be Sept. 30, the day in between...

Austin Hays stays in center field tonight as the Orioles go for the series win against the Dodgers and board a flight to Detroit. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Anthony Santander is the cleanup hitter and left fielder. DJ Stewart is in right field and Rio Ruiz is the third baseman despite the Dodgers sending left-hander Rich Hill to the mound. Dylan Bundy's making his first career start against the Dodgers and his second appearance. He tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings with seven...

Major League Baseball today announced that Anthony Rendon was named the Washington Nationals 2019 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, the most prestigious individual award for Major League players. The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Every year, each MLB Club nominates a player to be...