Don't shoot the messenger here, but I feel obligated to inform you that there's a line of thunderstorms approaching from the west as we speak, and so there's a chance tonight's game is going to be impacted. Doesn't appear like this is going to be a complete washout, but the start could be delayed, depending on the timing of this whole thing. Assuming they do play, though, Jeremy Hellickson will be on the mound seeking to duplicate his dominant performance against the Padres from two weeks...

The long layoff didn't seem to bother left-hander Gio Gonzalez on Monday night. With all the rainouts the last week, he was the only starter who got to pitch on a weekday. He pitched five-plus innings in the rain-shortened 3-3 tie with the Yankees a week ago today. Fast forward six days. Gonzalez displayed very little rust early with a 1-2-3 first inning on his way to seven strong innings against San Diego in a 10-2 rout. Gonzalez was in such a groove on the mound, in fact - he allowed only...

CHICAGO - The Orioles are now 3-23 when scoring three runs or fewer. Their third such win came by a 3-2 score at Chicago last night. The bullpen, the defense and the longball came together to produce the victory. Right-hander Andrew Cashner again had some issues facing a lineup for the third time, and the White Sox started the sixth against him with a double, single and RBI double to cut a 3-1 O's lead to 3-2. Enter Mychal Givens, who continued the run of fine work he's been enjoying lately....

Tim Collins doesn't particularly enjoy waiting around for his name to be called out of the bullpen. Life as a reliever is tough enough, all the more so when you find yourself in a major league bullpen for the first time in four seasons as the left-hander did Monday night. Thankfully, Collins' name was called during the Nationals' 10-2 victory over the Padres. He had to wait until the top of the eighth, but at least he didn't have to wait until Tuesday night as he feared he might. "The...

When he stepped to the plate in the eighth inning Sunday afternoon for the first at-bat of his major league career, Juan Soto understandably felt a little out of sorts. "I was really nervous," the 19-year-old outfielder said. "I was just saying: 'Oh, my god. ...' I was just trying to breathe down and do my job." The previous 24 hours had been a whirlwind for Soto, who the previous night was told he was being called up to the big leagues straight from Double-A Harrisburg, where he had only...

CHICAGO - Manny Machado homered and later was intentionally walked with no one on base. Trey Mancini had two outfield assists in one inning. But Mychal Givens may have had the most impressive night of all. The righty reliever came on with the Orioles leading 3-2 and runners on second and third with no outs in the home sixth. He kept the lead, getting a popup and two strikeouts on 97 mph fastballs. That relief outing and three solo homers led the Orioles past the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in front...

The Nationals easily dropped the San Diego Padres 10-2 on a night when 19-year-old Juan Soto launched the first homer of his career, which also was his first Major League hit only in his second overall at-bat. The club belted four homers, two of them by veteran Mark Reynolds, who has played in 1,528 more games than Soto. What a find Reynolds has been for the Nats. Unsigned as the season began, he finally inked a free agent deal with the Nats April 17 and reported to Triple-A Syracuse. Following...

All it took to get an injury-depleted Nationals lineup going was the addition of 19-year-old Juan Soto. Well, that and a matchup with a Padres left-hander making only his second start of the season. Behind Soto's historic first career homer, plus a pair of additional blasts by Mark Reynolds and Bryce Harper, the Nationals jumped all over San Diego fill-in starter Robbie Erlin and cruised to a 10-2 victory to earn their first win in eight days. Making his first big league start on the day after...

The same changes that enabled left-hander Donnie Hart to experience some success in spring training also got him back to the majors. One of the nicest guys in the clubhouse has widened his mean streak. It's not a personality disorder. He isn't undergoing anger-management classes. Hart just slipped into more of an attack mode on the mound. Hart has made four appearances with the Orioles during two stints - he was optioned before Sunday's game in Boston - and allowed one earned run with no...

The Nationals 19-year-old sensation Juan Soto made his first Major League hit one to remember. His three-run shot to the opposite field, well over the 377 marker in left-center, off of San Diego left-hander Robbie Erlin, boosted the Nats to a 3-0 lead. The blast came off a 90 mph fastball first pitch. The home run traveled 422 feet and came off the bat at 107 mph. Trea Turner and Bryce Harper added RBI doubles. An inning later, Mark Reynolds added a solo homer. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez...