The Nationals have played their best baseball of the season since the All-Star break, and especially since Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline, yet they're still looking up at Atlanta and first-place Philadelphia in the National League East standings. What they really need right now is a winning streak, one like the amazing 10-game run they put together four years ago this month that secured their place at the top of the division. Like this season, the Nats were under the guidance of a...

ARLINGTON, Texas - Mark Trumbo fondly remembers his first ever big league hit. It came on Oct. 3, 2010 in his last at-bat in the last game of the season. It came off Texas pitcher Mark Lowe in the same ballpark where last night Trumbo got his 1,000th hit, Globe Life Park. Trumbo had started his big league career 0-for-14, but then he singled to finish that season batting .067. Trumbo was a September call-up that year for the Los Angeles Angels, his hometown team, who had drafted him in the 18th...

Nationals manager Davey Martinez said the second game of the doubleheader turned back into starter Jeremy Hellickson's favor Saturday night when he started to use his fastball more. The Reds were looking for his off-speed stuff, but when he regained his confidence in his fastball, results arrived. The Nats defeated the Reds 6-2, and Hellickson recorded his fifth win of the season. He allowed only two runs on four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three. Hellickson agreed with his...

The Nationals dropped the Reds 6-2 by scoring early and getting a solid performance from Jeremy Hellickson, who went 5 2/3 innings for his fifth win of the season. Coupled with a 7-1 setback in game one, the Nats ended up splitting the day-night twinbill. The concern after the game was the status of star outfielder Bryce Harper, who had to leave in the top of the seventh after getting hit by pitch from Austin Brice with two outs in the sixth. Harper said the pitcher apologized afterwards. "He...

ARLINGTON, Texas - After the Texas Rangers had bashed Orioles starting pitching two nights in a row, right-hander Dylan Bundy had a strong outing tonight against the recently hot Rangers bats. But it didn't lead to an Orioles victory. Joey Gallo's two-run homer in the fourth provided enough offense tonight as Texas beat the Orioles 3-1 behind Mike Minor at Globe Life Park. Minor went seven innings, allowing four hits and one run with no walks and six strikeouts. He improved to 8-6 with an ERA...

Armed with more than $8 million in international signing bonus slots, the Orioles are poised to dive head-first into a market where they previously wouldn't dip a toe. They've already secured six players who have gone through the process of having medicals reviewed, including 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Moises Ramirez. An announcement is expected early next week and will involve prospects from the Dominican and Curaçao, with at least one signing out of Venezuela to follow. But the plan...

The Reds jumped on top in the first, thanks to a leadoff homer by José Peraza. His sixth homer of the season came on an 0-1 pitch. Jeremy Hellickson then got out of the rest of the inning and went onto hold the Reds scoreless the next two frames. Against Matt Harvey, the Nationals scored a run on two hits in each of their first two innings. In the first, Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon contributed back-to-back doubles to get the Nats on the board. In the second, the Nats took their first lead...

ARLINGTON, Texas - So with Zach Britton, Darren O'Day and Brad Brach all traded, Richard Bleier out injured, where do the Orioles turn for their closer at this point? Of the current pitchers in their bullpen, they have combined for one save with the Orioles, and that is a save that Mychal Givens got earlier this year. "Right now the challenge has been being able to get to that situation," said manager Buck Showalter. "There are people I'd like to see in that situation. Sometimes you have...

ARLINGTON, Texas - New Orioles infielder Jonathan Villar, acquired Tuesday from Milwaukee, is making a nice first impression. He's batted leadoff and played second base in both games here at Texas to begin his O's career and will again tonight. Thursday he singled on the second pitch he saw his first time up and had two hits. Last night he went 3-for-5 and drove in his first run. He's 5-for-10 with five singles over his first two Orioles games. Last night his three hits matched his...

Trey Mancini is starting at first base tonight as the Orioles attempt to win a game in Texas. Joey Rickard is in left field against Rangers left-hander Mike Minor. Danny Valencia is in right field and Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter. Caleb Joseph is catching Dylan Bundy. Bundy is making his fifth career appearance tonight and third start against the Rangers. He's allowed only one run and six hits in 17 innings. Bundy's two appearances in Texas have come in relief and he's tossed four...