Right-hander Austin Voth only came up for a 24-hour period a couple of weeks ago. He did not get into that game on April 29, but expect to see Voth again in a Nationals uniform this season. The starter has built himself to a point in his young career to be an extremely valuable asset to the Nats. Nats director of player development Mark Scialabba said Voth's dedication to getting stronger in the offseason has positively affected his pitching repertoire and his ability to strive towards the end...

PHOENIX - More from Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Diamondbacks to help tide you over before the Nationals' series finale on Sunday Night Baseball ... * When Stephen Strasburg was giving up frozen-rope singles and then plunking opposing batters in the bottom of the first, all with a fastball that was registering only 92-93 mph, a few red flags went up in the Nationals dugout. It didn't help when everyone could see the right-hander massaging and stretching out his neck a few times. "We...

In Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, the Orioles used three homegrown pitchers to beat the Tampa Bay Rays with right-hander David Hess getting his first major league chance and making the most of it. Even though he was pitching on three days' rest, and even though he gave up a three-run homer to Rays' Matt Duffy in the first inning, Hess didn't buckle under any pressure and he showed some talent and poise out there. It was a day that Hess (round 5, 2014), Tanner Scott (round 6, 2014) and...

Dylan Bundy gets another chance today to look like his old self instead of the newer version that's been scuffling and gaining national attention for the wrong reasons. Bundy didn't record an out in his last start against the Royals. He became the first pitcher in the modern era to allow four home runs in a game without retiring a batter. Opponents have hit nine home runs off Bundy in his last three starts after collecting only one in his first five. His ERA over that period has climbed from...

Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb allowed single runs in the first four innings tonight as Tampa Bay beat the Orioles 10-3 to split a doubleheader at Camden Yards. The Orioles fall to 12-28 and have lost nine of 14, 20 of 27 and 22 of their last 30 games. They are 4-2 on this nine-game homestand. Tampa Bay improves to 16-21 and ended a five-game losing streak. The Orioles won 6-3 in the opener as right-hander David Hess won his major league debut. He went six innings and held Tampa Bay scoreless...

Alex Cobb retired seven batters in a row tonight when the rain picked up in intensity and the tarp was unrolled. Play was halted at 7:37 p.m. The Orioles' momentum was stopped right after Trey Mancini's leadoff home run. The Orioles didn't collect another hit before the game was delayed with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. They had only one baserunner, with Mancini drawing a two-out walk in the third. One pitcher didn't control them. Starter Matt Andriese worked the first three...

PHOENIX - Much as he wants to hand the ball to Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle every chance he gets while holding a slim lead late in games, Davey Martinez knows those three elite relievers won't make it to September if he keeps calling their names over and over and over. No, there are five other relievers sitting in that bullpen every night, and sometimes they have to be the ones to take the mound in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and try to secure a victory for the...

PHOENIX - If the Nationals are going to insist on playing low-scoring, tight ballgames every night, Davey Martinez is going to have no choice but to ask the members of his "B" bullpen to record some key late outs every once in a while. Such was the case this afternoon at Chase Field, where Brandon Kintzler and Sean Doolittle were unavailable after pitching the previous two nights (both low-scoring victories) and Ryan Madson was being saved to pitch the ninth. So it was that Martinez asked...

The first inning bit the Orioles again in the nightcap. Always a painful spot. C.J. Cron, the second batter of the game, homered to center field off Alex Cobb to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. But the Orioles aren't taking any crap lately, and Trey Mancini's leadoff homer in the bottom half tied the score. Mancini has accounted for both of the Orioles' leadoff home runs this season. Tonight's shot traveled an estimated 406 feet to left field. The Orioles have been outscored 58-17 in the first...

Making his major league debut today, Orioles right-hander David Hess gave up a three-run homer to the fourth batter he faced. It got better for him after that. A lot better. Hess pitched scoreless ball from the second through the sixth today to get the win as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 6-3 for their fourth consecutive victory. They are 4-1 on this homestand and 12-27 for the season. The Rays have lost five straight and eight of 11. Hess got Denard Span to fly out to start his day. But two...