The Orioles are now 50 games under .500 at 36-86 after Friday's 2-1 loss at Cleveland. The Orioles are 15-46 on the road with 17 losses in their last 20 away from Oriole Park. With 40 games to go, the Orioles would have to go 27-13 to avoid 100 losses. Despite another loss, right-hander David Hess pitched well enough to win and that was a positive development. He recorded his first quality start since June 7 and his fifth on the year. After an extended stretch of tough starts, Hess may be...

Max Scherzer didn't need to go nine innings to subdue the Marlins on Friday night. He didn't need to strike out a dozen opposing batters. Thanks to the offense behind him, the Nationals ace had the latitude to pitch effectively and put zeros on the scoreboard. Never mind that the 96 pitches the right-hander threw on a hot, humid night with the heat index approaching 100 degrees at first pitch were his fewest in 26 starts this season. Scherzer still carved up the Fish during six scoreless...

CLEVELAND - The losses hurt like line drives hit up the middle. And Alex Cobb just can't seem to avoid them. A pitcher's record doesn't provide the most accurate read on a season. The Mariners' Felix Hernandez was voted the American League Cy Young Award in 2010 and he was one game above .500. One of Kevin Gausman's parting gifts earlier this summer was a no-decision after nine scoreless innings in Oakland. But Cobb sees "3-15" beside his name and is embarrassed. Leading the majors in...

CLEVELAND - The Orioles are starting two rookies in their weekend series against the Indians, who continue to lead the American League Central by a wide margin and ran their winning streak to six games tonight. David Hess took the mound for the opener and Yefry Ramírez closes out the series on Sunday afternoon. There will be moments that encourage and reminders that the jump from Triple-A to the majors is the largest in sports, as manager Buck Showalter has stated on many occasions. Patience...

Koda Glover has never lacked for confidence. Give him the ball - preferably in the ninth inning, with the game on the line - and the right-hander will call on his reserve of firepower to crank the radar gun toward triple digits. But the version of Glover that has assumed ninth-inning duties for the Nationals with three other closers - lefty Sean Doolittle (stress reaction in left foot) and right-handers Kelvin Herrera (right shoulder) and Ryan Madson (lumbar nerve irritation) on the disabled...

CLEVELAND - Though the timing is coincidental, according to Orioles manager Buck Showalter, Cedric Mullins will bat leadoff in the majors for the first time tonight after meeting Indians outfielder Kenny Lofton, who's in town for Saturday's ceremony honoring Hall of Famer Jim Thome. Mullins is slotted first in the lineup against Indians starter Carlos Carrasco. He's batted seventh, eighth and ninth since the Orioles selected his contract. "I just thought it was a good matchup," Showalter...

Nationals skipper Davey Martinez said he's awaiting results of the bullpen session injured closer Sean Doolittle was scheduled to throw this afternoon, and is hopeful that the right-hander will soon rejoin the bullpen after an extended stay on the disabled list with a stress reaction in his left foot. "We'll talk to him after, but hopefully he's getting close," Martinez said. "He's been frustrated with this whole deal. I told him, 'You need to get better, you don't want this to become...

Jeremy Hellickson is headed to the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right wrist, and the Nationals hope the right-hander will miss only one start. "He has a bad sprain," manager Davey Martinez said Friday afternoon, before the Nats opened a three-game home series against the Marlins. "He's going to miss a start, so we're going to put him on the DL. We haven't made a move yet. We'll probably wait until tomorrow." Hellickson was injured in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game in St....

After Thursday's off day, the Orioles begin a two-city, six-game road trip tonight in Cleveland. The Orioles split two games earlier this week at home against the New York Mets. They won 6-3 Tuesday and lost 16-5 on Wednesday. The Orioles (36-85) have lost six of seven, 10 of 13, and 26 of their last 38 games. They are 15-45 in road games and 3-14-2 in road series. Cleveland (69-51) is leading the American League Central by 12 games over Minnesota. The Indians have won five in a row, 12 of...

CLEVELAND - Trey Mancini moves up to third in the order tonight and Cedric Mullins is leading off as the Orioles begin their three-game series at Progressive Field, where a light rain is falling and the tarp's on the field. Mancini has hit safely in 17 of 24 games since the All-Star Break and posted a .309 average (29-for-94) with four doubles, five home runs and 13 RBIs in the second half. Joey Rickard is in right field while Adam Jones spends his first day on the bereavement list. Renato...