Losing is hard on fans. I checked, and even Captain Obvious agrees with me on this point. Whether their team is in first place or last, rebuilding or a World Series contender. The rebuilding Orioles are going to frustrate their fans. They did this just last night. Leading 3-1 in the eighth after Alex Cobb had pitched a gem at Tampa Bay, it got away from the Orioles pitchers with the help of a crucial error. After such a tough loss, those fans, who invest money and passion and emotion into their...

The sting of Tuesday night's 3-1 loss to the Braves in the nightcap of a significant doubleheader was still fresh in everyone's mind, but if the Nationals were looking for reasons to remain optimistic the day and night Ryan Zimmerman had the plate was a good place to start. Zimmerman was a one-man wrecking crew with the bat on a long day at the ballpark. He went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a homer in the opener (an 8-3 Nats win) and then he followed that up by going 3-for-3 with a double and...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles couldn't carry a lead into the ninth inning last night and suffered their seventh walk-off loss of the season, their highest amount since totaling eight in 2014. There was no save situation after two unearned runs in the eighth tied the game. Mychal Givens didn't warm up and we'll never know whether he would have been used with a slim lead. Givens notched his second career save on Sunday by retiring all four Rangers that he faced. He replaced Paul Fry with...

ST. PETERSON, Fla. - Tim Beckham made a detour into the Rays' clubhouse this afternoon, visiting with old friends and teammates before heading back over to the other side. He didn't get lost, just a bit nostalgic. Alex Cobb started for the Orioles and didn't do as much socializing, but tonight's game also represented a "domecoming" for Cobb, who spent his first seven major league seasons with Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, Aubrey Huff couldn't be lured out of retirement. Beckham burned his...

It was right there for the taking, a doubleheader sweep and a chance to make a definitive statement that they intend to thrust themselves into the mix of the National League East's three-team pennant race right now. Instead, the Nationals squandered yet another golden opportunity to win a close ballgame, and because of that a long and exhausting day and night at the ballpark wound up as nothing more than a push. No ground gained, no ground lost. Which is not what they need right now. A 3-1...

With each passing day, Juan Soto does something else that makes you pause to remember just how remarkable the Nationals rookie's season has been. No matter his age. Soto added to the growing legend tonight when he homered in the bottom of the first. To the opposite field. Off a left-hander. On an 0-2 pitch. This, of course, has become commonplace for the 19-year-old since he burst onto the scene 2 1/2 months ago and started doing things few (if any) 19-year-olds have ever done before on a...

The Orioles offense has been putting up some impressive numbers since the All-Star break and we'll see if that can continue as the team opens a three-game series tonight in St. Petersburg against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Orioles have basically gone from having an offense that was about the worst in the American League before the break to one of the best after. Before the break, the Orioles averaged 3.6 runs per game. Since the break they have scored 6.2 per game. O's pre-break: A .227 team...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles rookie David Hess will start Thursday night's series finale against the Rays. Dylan Bundy is pushed back to Friday night against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. "I don't want David to get too far away from being out there," manager Buck Showalter said. "Also, I didn't want to necessarily have those three young guys lined up in a row, either, if I could help it." The Orioles have a day-night doubleheader on Saturday against the Red Sox, and Jimmy Yacabonis...

And we're back for the nightcap of today's doubleheader. The Nationals did what they needed to in the opener, riding five strong innings from Jefry Rodriguez and a pair of four-run rallies to an 8-3 victory that moved them to within five games of the Phillies and 3 1/2 games of the Braves. There's still an opportunity to either gain or lose ground the rest of the evening, with Philadelphia playing late at Arizona. The Nats have to like the fact they've got Max Scherzer on the mound tonight,...

Manager: Alex Cora (1st season) Record: 81-35 Last 10 games: 8-2 Who to watch: DH J.D. Martinez (34 HR, .332/.399/.654), RF Mookie Betts (26 HR, .340/.428/.649, 22 SB), LF Andrew Benintendi (.305/.388/.512, 20 SB), SS Xander Bogaerts (32 2B), LHP David Price (3.93 ERA), RHP Craig Kimbrel (33 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 10-2 Pitching probables: Aug. 10: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-4) vs. RHP Dylan Bundy (7-10), 7:05 p.m., MASN2Aug. 11: LHP David Price (11-6) vs. RHP Yefry Ramírez (1-4), 1:05...