We like to focus on the bad. All of our articles and tweets are about what the Nationals are doing wrong, how they are struggling and where they need to improve. I'm as guilty of doing this as anyone. But here's the bottom line that we're ignoring: The Nationals are actually good. In the midst of all their injuries and offensive struggles, the Nationals snuck up on us and became good again. The month of May was a revelation. So far this month they've gone 18-6, which is the best in...

BALTIMORE - The firsts for a new major league player normally play out over the course of a season and beyond. But when you are 19-year-old Juan Soto, you get all the boxes checked in the first nine days. Soto added to his spectacular start with a 3-for-3 Tuesday night, his first three-hit game of his career, as the Nationals got by the Orioles 3-2 for their fifth consecutive win. His average is .393. Soto also stole his first base, threw out his first batter from left field on a 7-6-2 outfield...

BALTIMORE - For a few minutes Tuesday night, the Nationals found themselves tied for first place in the National League East division. And with the Braves trailing the Mets late, the Nats were on the verge of taking over sole possession of the top spot in the division for the first time since the season's first week. A Mets bullpen collapse prevented that from happening, and so as they wake up this morning the Nationals still remain 1/2-game behind Atlanta. Not that anyone inside the clubhouse...

When Orioles closer Zach Britton pitches for a minor league affiliate tonight, it will be his first game action this year, and first since his December Achilles surgery. It will be a nice step forward for Britton. But Britton also knows that while it will be a big step toward his return to the Orioles, it could also lead to his being traded by the Orioles at some point this summer. The players see the reality of the situation. They understand as they look around their clubhouse these days, some...

BALTIMORE - As he watched his team squander opportunity after opportunity to tack on runs and give themselves something more than a 3-2 cushion this evening, Davey Martinez couldn't help but start worrying this was going to come back to haunt his Nationals before their game against the Orioles was complete. "You always think that when you have so many chances to score runs and you can't," the first-year manager said. "But the bullpen held their own today." Yes, they did. As they've been...

The major league education of rookie right-hander David Hess continues tonight and he won't be facing the club that's provided the least resistance. Hess already owns two victories and quality starts against the Rays, including his debut in Game 1 of a May 12 doubleheader at Camden Yards. Matt Duffy's three-run homer in the first inning accounted for all of the scoring against him. He tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings last week at Tropicana Field, leading the Orioles to their only win of the...

BALTIMORE - The Nationals edged the Orioles 3-2 thanks to an impressive homecoming for former Orioles Jeremy Hellickson and Mark Reynolds. Hellickson (2-0) allowed two runs over five innings and Reynolds slammed his sixth homer of the season as the Nats ran their record on the road o 18-8. The 31-22 overall record now challenges for the top spot in the National League East. Hellickson went 2-6 with a 6.97 ERA over 10 starts for the Orioles in 2017. Reynolds fared better, hitting 60 homers in...

Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy was not as sharp as he was for a complete-game win in Chicago, but he still delivered his team-leading seventh quality start. But with the Orioles offense still not doing much, he wound up with another loss tonight. Washington right-hander Jeremy Hellickson held the Orioles to two runs over five innings and then four bullpen pitchers locked down the win as the Nationals beat the Orioles 3-2 at Camden Yards. The Nationals, who have not won a season series since...

There are only so many ways that a manager can manipulate a 25-man roster while trying to resuscitate his offense. Sub out a few names, raise or lower guys in the lineup, say a few prayers and maybe light a few candles, depending on the level of desperation and religious denomination. Buck Showalter dropped Trey Mancini from the leadoff spot to sixth yesterday afternoon and completely out of the order last night, the slump white-knuckling his left fielder to the tune of a .113 average in the...

BALTIMORE - A couple of ex-Orioles helped the Nationals take a 3-2 lead tonight at Camden Yards. A bunch of relievers then made sure that razor-thin lead held up the rest of the way. Behind five strong innings from Jeremy Hellickson, Mark Reynolds' latest homer and then four scoreless innings from their ever-changing bullpen, the Nationals eked out a one-run victory to earn their second straight win in this Battle of the Beltways series and fifth straight win overall. Hellickson and Reynolds,...