This was supposed to be the weak link of the Nationals organization: pitching depth. And when Max Scherzer went back on the injured list three weeks ago, there was ample reason to fear the worst out of the two guys who had now been thrust into the back end of the rotation: Erick Fedde and Joe Ross. Except those guys haven't been the problem, not in the least. The two right-handers have now each turned in back-to-back quality performances, all of them resulting in victories. Tonight it was...

NEW YORK - The 52nd player used by the Orioles this season had one major issue tonight. Same as everyone else. A wrong kind of bonding. Can't beat the Yankees. Not anymore. Four of the first five batters reached against Ty Blach, Brett Gardner delivered a three-run triple and Gleyber Torres kept bullying the Orioles while they were being swept by the Yankees with an 11-8 loss in Game 2. Trey Mancini homered again, delivering a two-run shot in the third, and Hanser Alberto added a three-run...

An important igniter to the Nationals offense recently has been the at-bats of their No. 1 and No. 2 hitters: Trea Turner and Adam Eaton. On Friday night in New York, the pair demonstrated their ability by getting on base seven times and scoring three runs. On Sunday, they again combined for three runs on two hits and a walk. In those two games, they totaled three stolen bases. Nationals manager Davey Martinez noticed what Turner can do leading off and with his quick glove on the infield....

The Orioles will try to break a 13-game losing streak to the New York Yankees in the night portion of today's day-night doubleheader. The Yankees beat the Orioles 8-5 earlier today and are 14-2 against the Orioles for the season. Gabriel Ynoa took the loss in Game 1, allowing seven hits and seven runs over six innings and 95 pitches. He falls to 1-7 with an ERA of 5.93 and the Orioles are 1-8 in his starts. New York hit four more homers off Baltimore pitching in the opener, including two in...

Juan Soto's not in the lineup but feeling much better about his right ankle than he did 24 hours earlier. Howie Kendrick's not in the lineup but back on the active roster and available to pinch-hit tonight. Max Scherzer is ready to face live hitters for the first time in three weeks. Ryan Zimmerman and Roenis Elías are making progress but still have major hurdles to cross before returning from the injured list. And Brian Dozier is sick. That's your daily Nationals injury update. And it's...

NEW YORK - Ty Blach makes his Orioles debut tonight in Game 2 of the doubleheader, the 52nd player they've used this season and four short of last year's club record. Blach hasn't started in the majors since Aug. 11 with the Giants. He's working on three days' rest after throwing 61 pitches in his lone start with Triple-A Norfolk. DJ LeMahieu is 3-for-7 lifetime against Blach and he's leading off tonight. The Yankees are going with the opener strategy and sending Chad Green to the...

Twenty-four authors have their stories about Maine related in this book, "A Place Called Maine." I hesitate to offer this work only because, being from Maine, many of these stories strike at the heart of my growing up. How others view the stories may not be so captivating. Then again, don't all stories reflect an author's life in part and it is the quality of the presentation that creates the interest in the work? Hopefully, you will find that quality here. The small-town aspect of many of...

The Indians have won three consecutive American League Central titles on cruise control. There wasn't a need to win a critical series in the final weeks. In 2016, Cleveland beat second-place Detroit by eight games. In 2017, the Indians beat the second-place Twins by 17 games. Last season, they finished 13 games ahead of the Twins. Any wonder then that Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger said the final weeks of the last three seasons have felt like glorified spring training games? No intensity...

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde keeps stating what should be obvious to everyone. That his club has to pitch better in order to be competitive and at least partially tame a Yankees club that slips into savage mode when it steps in the box. Can't keep giving up home runs at a record pace. Can't keep running through relievers as if there's prize money at stake for most used. Hyde preaches and again has his patience tested to the extreme. Gabriel Ynoa was handed a lead in the top of the...

The Nationals are back home after a long and eventful road trip that started in Arizona with three new relievers, continued in San Francisco with a sweep and then concluded with a wild weekend in New York. Now they are right back at it with a week of home games against the Reds and Brewers. And they've got a familiar face back on their active roster (though not the lineup). Howie Kendrick is back after a brief stint on the injured list with a strained hamstring. Kendrick was activated this...