PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Strasburg wanted to pick up where he left off. Even with nine days between starts, the big right-hander returned from the All-Star break and continued to shut down opponents. The Nationals provided quick run support and Strasburg got out of an early jam, then fought through six innings in a 4-0 win at Philadelphia before a sold-out 42,318 at Citizens Bank Park. Strasburg has not allowed a run in his last two starts, spanning 13 1/3 innings, both victories over division...

The All-Star break enabled the Orioles to enter tonight's game with a rested bullpen. They reached a point where it appeared that they might need every reliever - and at least one position player. Dylan Bundy lasted only one inning and allowed a season-high seven runs and every Rays batter collected a hit by the second in a 16-4 victory over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 22,422 at Camden Yards. Eleven batters came to the plate in the first, with the Rays squeezing 37 pitches out of...

PHILADELPHIA - After making 28 appearances in the first two months of the season, left-hander Matt Grace has been called upon only nine times since June 1. He struggled in May, posting a 9.82 ERA in 12 appearances. After allowing runs June 20 and 22, he wasn't called on for almost another two weeks. Grace has started 0-1 with a 5.94 ERA in those 37 games. He has not given up a run in his two July appearances, so he feels like that is something to slowly build on. "It goes in waves. It is what...

John Means wasn't surprised that he didn't pitch in Tuesday's All-Star Game, the lone Orioles representative unable to get back on the field until the final out of the American League's 4-3 win. He knew how his night would play out. AL manager Alex Cora kept Means in the loop as well as the bullpen. "I knew before the game I was extra innings," Means said earlier today. "He brought me in and was like, 'I've got to plan out 15 innings. I know you're a starter, you can go longer, so...

Right-hander Aaron Brooks officially joined his new team today. It's not his first time this year at Camden Yards, but it's his first time in the home clubhouse. On April 11, pitching for Oakland, he got the win in a start against the Orioles allowing three runs and three hits in six innings. He also faced them in relief throwing two scoreless on June 18 on the West Coast. So he's faced the Orioles twice and now he is an Oriole, claimed on waivers Saturday from the Athletics. "Excited....

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have decided to push Max Scherzer's start back a couple more days. The right-hander will not start Sunday, as was orginally planned, due to continued back tightness. "He was sore after his last start," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "He had an MRI during the break. Came back negative. But he is sore. So we talked and we decided just push him back a couple days and see how he feels. We are at a point now where he went through an unbelievable run and...

Aaron Brooks is in uniform tonight for the Orioles but he won't be in the bullpen. Brooks is tabbed to serve as the opener Saturday in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Rays at Camden Yards. Gabriel Ynoa could back him up, with Brooks needing to be stretched out before he can be viewed as a starter. "He hasn't thrown in a while and hasn't started in a while," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We see him possibly joining the rotation at some point. Kind of see how it goes. "We want to get...

The Orioles open the second half tonight with Anthony Santander in center field. Chance Sisco is batting cleanup to begin a four-game series against the Rays at Camden Yards. Jonathan Villar is the shortstop and Hanser Alberto is playing second base. Chris Davis is batting seventh. He's 6-for-12 this month with a double and two home runs and his .189 average is its highest since reaching .191 on May 17. He's 10-for-26 since June 19. For the Orioles Jonathan Villar SS Dwight Smith Jr. LF Trey...

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals arrive in Pennsylvania tonight as the hottest team in baseball, 8-2 over their last 10 games and 28-11 since a unpleasant start to the season. The offense is clicking, the bullpen is holding its own, the defense is showing off and the starting pitching is what the Nats expected from the start of the campaign. But manager Davey Martinez is cautiously optimistic as they begin a critical series against the Phillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park. "I look at what we...

Before the All-Star break, the Orioles lost their last game but won the last series. They won two of their last three series, going 5-4 over the past nine games to finish with a first-half record of 27-62. So 89 games down and 73 to go in the 2019 season. That season resumes tonight as the Orioles host the American League East second-place Tampa Bay Rays to begin a three-day, four-game series. It's the start of a nine-game homestand with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox following...