MIAMI - Center fielder Victor Robles had a big game offensively Monday and made another nice catch in the outfield in the Nationals' 8-5 setback. The third inning homer was his first in the major leagues. In the seventh, his hard-hit single kept a rally alive as the Nationals plated the tying run in the frame at 5-5. Robles caught a deep drive at the wall in center field to save a huge inning in the sixth off the bat of Starlin Castro. The young outfielder finished 2-for-4 with a homer and an...

When the Orioles presented their minor league awards on Saturday night at Camden Yards, they also recognized one of the 15 players they got in the July trades. That was 22-year-old right-handed pitcher Dean Kremer. Kremer got recognition for leading the minors in strikeouts. That is the entire minor leagues this year at all classifications. No one fanned more than Kremer, who struck out 178 batters over 131 1/3 innings pitching in two organizations for three different teams. He began the year...

MIAMI - The Nationals bullpen was unable to hold the lead Monday night against the Marlins, relinquishing an early 4-0 cushion that turned into an 8-5 setback at Marlins Park. Right-hander Erick Fedde allowed only three baserunners in the first four frames on one hit. But in the fifth, he walked the first two batters, then surrendered a two-run double to Starlin Castro that got the Marlins on the board. Fedde ended up with four walks. Manager Davey Martinez said Fedde's pitch count rose when...

While the Orioles were deciding to start Evan Phillips last night and monitoring the weather in case their rotation plans had to be altered again, they had John Means and Dillon Tate throwing side sessions down in Sarasota to remain options for Wednesday night. Lots of balls in the air, lots of moving parts. "We've got that well underway," said manager Buck Showalter. "Trying to make sure that we're covered there." Means and Tate must be protected in the Rule 5 draft and eventually will...

It has just been that kind of year for the Orioles. A day after their biggest first inning of the season and a game where they scored eight times, they were shut out at Camden Yards tonight. And with this 5-0 loss to Toronto, the Orioles fall to 43-107. At 107 losses, the 2018 Orioles match the 1988 Orioles for most defeats in a season in club history. Unless the Orioles finish the year 12-0, they will set a new record with their next loss. Tonight the Orioles were shut out for the third time...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't decide to become trendy and go with an "opener" instead of a traditional starter against the Blue Jays. It was done out of necessity with injuries and innings limits forcing his hand. And he avoided the term as if it were contagious. A reliever stood on the mound tonight after the playing of both anthems. Call it what you want. Evan Phillips made his first major league start and second as a professional in front of an intimate gathering that waited out a...

MIAMI - The wait for Victor Robles' first career homer is over after the Nationals center fielder crushed a Trevor Richards offering deep over the left-center field wall in the third. The blast bounced just to let of the 427-foot walkway above the orange-painted back outfield wall. Two batters later, Anthony Rendon tucked a line drive two-run shot just inside the left field foul pole. The Nats ended up with three runs in the third. The Nats had jumped ahead of Miami on the first thanks to a...

The first 13 times this year the Orioles played Toronto, they went 1-12 and scored 35 runs. The last three times the clubs played - Aug. 27-29 at Camden Yards - the Orioles swept the series and scored 29 runs. See how much more you can win when scoring runs in bunches? From Aug. 20-22, the Orioles scored five runs in a three-game series at Rogers Centre and got swept three straight. That left them 0-10 this year in Toronto and 1-12 for the season. Then they swept the Blue Jays at Oriole Park by...

MIAMI - Right-hander Erick Fedde is looking to put another solid start together as he faces the Marlins for the first time in his career. On Sept. 11, he worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over the Phillies. He allowed just two hits, two walks and struck out a career-high nine batters. Manager Davey Martinez believes that Fedde can continue that good fortune tonight if he focuses on his game plan and doesn't get strikeout happy. "He could be a really good pitcher," Martinez said....

The Orioles are expected to stick with their latest lineup, the third posted today, if the weather allows them to play. It's pouring at Camden Yards. Breyvic Valera was removed from the original one due to some shuffling that began with Adam Jones going from right field to the designated hitter role. Joey Rickard was inserted into right field, but he's been removed while Chris Davis gets the start at first base. Baseball's version of the trickle-down theory. "Just satisfying all the things...